NEW GOOGLE GEAR REVEALED

Software giant is getting good at hardware, too

GOOGLE HAS an annual hardware event now, cementing its increasing involvement in selling physical gear. This year, it has updated what was already one of the best Android phones: The new Pixel 2 and the larger XL version (now with a 2880x1440 six-inch screen) are not dramatic upgrades to look at, but have a raft of tweaks under the skin. Both have Edge Sense—squeeze the sides and it launches Google Assistant. You also get water resistance, a muchrequested improvement. The 3.5mm jack has gone, though there’s an adapter in the box. Camera optimization includes optical image stabilization and other trickery to offer what is claimed to be the best image quality on any smartphone. They also sport the latest Android OS. Prices start at $649, and they’re already said to be in short supply.

There are two new smart speakers, too. The little Google Home Mini, a $49 pebble akin to the Echo Dot, and the $399 Home Max, a Sonos rival, with decent audio and clever AI to work out volumes and playlists. Then there’s the Pixelbook, a sleek aluminum premium Chromebook with a 360-degree hinge. It integrates neatly with the Google family, including Play and Assistant. Undoubtedly funky, but it starts at $999, and reaches a hefty $1,649.

More fun are the Pixel Buds, like Apple’s offering, but with Google Assistant built in, and linked to Google Translate. Not quite a Babel fish, but getting close. There’s also Google Clips, a small AI-controlled camera that takes images of what it thinks you want—odd at best, creepy at worst.

Google’s gear hasn’t reached Apple’s level of aspirational cool, but it is turning out some decent pieces of hardware. You’ll also notice a theme: the integration of Google services into everything. Google is a hardware player, but the core business remains the same, a big bit of which is collecting data on you.