Every time Google dinged Apple at 'Made by Google' event
Google held its annual 'Made by Google' event at its headquarters in Mountain View, California yesterday. The tech giant used this platform to not only showcase its new products and AI capabilities, but also to draw comparisons with its rival, Apple. While it's not uncommon for firms like Google to draw comparisons to rivals during big events, Google sprinkled references to Apple throughout its entire showcase.
Google's Gemini vs Apple Intelligence
Sameer Samat, President of the Android ecosystem at Google, emphasized that "Gemini is available around the world right now, far beyond English speakers and a single market." This statement was seen as a subtle critique of Apple Intelligence, which is not globally available and will initially cater only to English speakers in the US. Furthermore, he highlighted Gemini's ability to process tasks within Google's own secure cloud, without sharing any personal data with third-party AI providers- another shot at Apple.
Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL available 'without compromises'
Dave Citron demonstrated some of Gemini's AI features live during the event. Despite initial hiccups, he successfully showcased Gemini's capabilities, emphasizing that "All of the demos we're doing today are live." The company also unveiled the Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL. Brian Rakowski, Google's Vice President of product management, stated that customers could choose between these two "without compromises," highlighting their identical features. Note, there are slight differences between iPhone 15 Pro and the larger Pro Max.
Google Pixel 9 Pro's camera outshines iPhone 15 Pro Max
Kenny Sulaimon compared the Pixel 9 Pro's camera directly with that of the iPhone 15 Pro Max. He highlighted that they had "rebuilt" the Pixel 9's panorama mode, which now supports Night Sight for enhanced low-light images. This was contrasted with a less impressive photo from "another smartphone company," indirectly referring to Apple.
