Google’s new smartphone AI is outpacing Apple

Google has announced its new smartphones at the New York event under the Made by Google brand. The new handsets are the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. Along with these phones, Google also launched its new smartwatch. 

The new devices are mentioned to offer the usual improvements in terms of performance and cameras, but the real attraction is the increased artificial intelligence implementation in Google products.

Gemini AI Takes Centre Stage

It has been adopting AI on the Pixel phones since the Pixel 7, but this time it has taken it a step further. Its AI cognitive system “Gemini” has now become the centre of attraction in the new Pixel lineup. This is at a time when Apple is finding it hard to make inroads in AI. In 2026, the new Siri is quite far from Apple. At present, Google is employing this vacuum in consolidating its position as a pioneer in smartphone AI.

Google, Magic Cue

The most significant new feature is named Magic Cue. Where older AI tools tended to be gimmicky or even experimental, Magic Cue is designed to solve real-world problems. It integrates the data of various Google applications and presents it when needed. 

To illustrate, when a friend inquires about where to meet, you say at dinner, Magic Cue would pull up the dinner bookings information in Gmail and revise a response. When you connect to your airline through a phone call, it can immediately display your flight information without you having to go through a series of applications. 

It also works with the Google weather app. With a trip already created in your Calendar, you can get updates on the Weather application regarding your trip with suggestions. This demonstrates that Google is attempting to use AI as an everyday task to become less of a gimmick and more useful.

Security and Privacy-The In-built

Google says Magic Cue does not transfer your data to the cloud. Instead, the entire process occurs within an isolated area of the Pixel phone. This is crucial given people’s concerns about the amount of information that the AI systems might gather. 

Google has made it clear that permissions to grant access to apps cannot access the information without the users granting the developers permission. This will likely be done to appease users and enable AI to be more robust.

Other AI on the Pixel

Google has implemented a couple of other AI features besides Magic Cue. Phone calls can have voice translation in real-time, which will also see release in the upcoming iOS 26 later in 2020. 

It also has Camera Coach to teach people how to shoot better photographs, and it has added new editing tools that respond to simple everyday language inputs. All these additions on top of Google’s expertise in photography illustrate how AI can transform how people engage with their devices.

Competition Between Apple And Samsung

Although the AI functions demonstrated by Google seem very impressive, it still has to work on some issues. Its market share of smartphones in the US is minute. Canalys calculates that 49% of the shipments belong to Apple, 31% Samsung, 12% Motorola, and 3% Google. The fact is that Google might be the most innovative business in the field of AI; nevertheless, it is not its leading sales. 

Moreover, the efforts of Google can be more widely available through Samsung. Magic Cue goes above and beyond what Galaxy phones can currently do since they are Android-based and already utilize Google AI. The technology may come to subsequent Galaxy phones in the future. 

Samsung too is coming up with its own Galaxy AI that is more powerful, such as searching the internet and putting in events in Calendar with just a single tap.

Apple Pulls a Catch-Up

Apple is in a lesser position at the moment. Its existing Siri is miles behind Google-Gemini and Galaxy AI. Although AI-related enhancements will be implemented into iOS 26, Apple will not release the most sophisticated version of Siri until 2026. This allows Google and Samsung time to polish their systems and to make them a must-have in everyday life.

What It Portends for the Future

These additions of AI capabilities, such as Magic Cue, demonstrate that smartphones are at a new stage. As with cameras and touchscreens, AI tools may soon become a feature that every user demands. The existence of the competition between Google, Samsung, and Apple will probably drive these features further. There must be more than one AI feature to cause consumers to switch phones, but AI could become competitive over time, even.

At this time, Google has the lead on bringing AI to practical use in the smartphone, and Samsung is rapidly catching up, and Apple is stumbling to stay in the game. The competition has yet to end, but Google has laid down some serious challenges with its latest Pixel lineup.