Google Pixel 3: Embodiment of AI

On Oct 9, the Google Pixel 3 was unveiled in New York. Although the design of the phone didn’t get everyone’s attention due to the online leaks weeks before the launch, the star of the show was the artificial intelligence (AI) in the phone itself.

The made-by-Google phone is powered by AI to deliver more helpful, thoughtful and enjoyable experiences. That translates to a phone that answers for you when a telemarketer calls, a camera that uses AI to make sure you never miss the shot, and a more helpful visual and audio experience while charging, powered by the Google Assistant.

The camera

In a sea of smartphones with two, three and even four camera set-ups, the Pixel 3 is the only flagship phone that still relies on one rear camera. That shows how confident Google is with its AI’s capabilities. Building from the success of the Pixel 2, Google has added a lot of new AI-powered features to the the Pixel 3.

• Top Shot: It uses AI to help you capture the perfect photo every time. When you take a motion photo, it captures alternate shots in HDR+, then recommends the best one even if it’s not exactly when you hit the shutter, looking for those where everyone is smiling, with eyes open, and facing the camera.
• Super Res Zoom: When you zoom in on a phone camera, the image looks grainy. Super Res Zoom is a computational photography technique, traditionally used for astronomy and scientific imaging, that produces sharp details when you zoom.
• Night Sight: Pixel 3 lets you take natural-looking photos in dark surroundings, all without a flash. With Night Sight, coming soon to Pixel 3, you can take bright, detailed, colourful shots around the campfire or in a moonlit forest.
• Group Selfie: Get everyone in the picture with Group Selfie, which gives you 184% more room in your photo for friends and scenery.
• Photobooth Mode: It uses AI to recognise that when you’re smiling or making a funny expression, you’re ready for a selfie. It snaps the photo on its own so you don’t need to reach for the shutter button.
• Portrait Mode: You can change the blurriness of the background, or change the part of the picture in focus, after the fact. Google Photos can also make the subject of your photo pop by leaving them in colour while changing the background to black and white.
• Playground: You can make photos, selfies and videos come to life by adding your favourite superheroes, animated stickers and fun captions. In celebration of Marvel Studios’ 10 Year Anniversary, you’ll enjoy seeing the characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe react to each other and to you.
• Motion Auto Focus: When you want to capture something that won’t stop moving like an adorable toddler or your new puppy, Motion Auto Focus will make sure your Pixel 3 camera stays in sharp focus automatically, as you record. And if you happen to be taking a selfie video while walking or moving around, Pixel 3 brings you front-facing video stabilisation.
• Google Lens: To scan and translate text, find similar styles of clothing, or identify popular plants and animals, you can now long press in the Pixel 3 camera to easily open Lens. When you point your camera at the information you want to remember or don’t feel like typing in a URL or QR code on a flyer or an email address on a business card, Google Lens suggests what to do next, like creating a new contact.

The assistant

You can count on even more help across other apps too, including Gmail’s Smart Compose, now available for mobile on Pixel 3. Smart Compose suggests phrases in your emails so that you can draft them faster, on the go. Gboard, the keyboard built into your Pixel 3, will recommend GIFs, stickers and more, to make your conversations fun and engaging.

The Google Assistant is also baked into Pixel 3 to help you find answers and control your phone and compatible smart home devices, all with a simple squeeze or by using your voice. While charging in the Pixel Stand, your phone turns into a smart visual and audio experience powered by the Google Assistant, similar to Google Home Hub. It answers your questions, plays music, helps you control smart home devices, transitions into a photo frame when idle, and much more. If you set an alarm, your screen will gently brighten over 15 minutes before your alarm goes off, mimicking the sunrise and helping you wake up naturally. Pixel users in the US will be the first to get access to an experimental new Google Assistant feature, powered by Duplex technology, which helps you complete real-world tasks over the phone, like calling a restaurant to book a table.

Pixel 3’s on-device AI helps you screen phone calls and avoid spam calls. Imagine you’re at dinner with family or in a meeting at work and a call from an unknown caller comes in. Just tap on “Screen call” to find out who’s calling and why, as well as other information as prompted by you. You’ll immediately see a transcript of the caller’s responses so that you can then decide whether to pick up, respond by tapping a quick reply such as “I’ll call you back later” or mark the call as spam and dismiss. Processing the call details on-device means these experiences are fast, private to you, and use up less battery.

Looking at how deep Google has integrated AI to the Pixel 3 shows how far the technology has come. It was back in 2012 when Google Now was rolled out and we had a glimpse of the potential that AI has not just for consumers but businesses as well. From warnings about train delays and reminders of where you parked to capturing the best possible photo, Google is doing things with AI that no one else can right now.

To find out how Google’s AI can transform your business, click here.