Google unveils new Pixel 4 smartphone

SAN FRANCISCO — Google unveiled a new Pixel smartphone and other hardware devices Tuesday, all aimed at getting people even more dependent on its artificial-intelligence services.

The Pixel 4 phone promises to respond to AI queries even faster than before, while a home Wi-fi system is getting the AI features for the first time.

The company also unveiled a new smart speaker and wireless earbuds, both invoking the Ai-powered Google Assistant.

The Assistant, akin to Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa, is now available on more than 1 billion devices, including ones made by other manufacturers. With Google’s own products, though, the company can steer users to Assistant features even more.

That in turn, could encourage Google users to interact with other Google services such as search and maps more frequently, feeding into Google’s multi-billion dollar advertising business. More use of the Assistant also means that Google gets more data on user preferences and activities to build its advertising profiles.

The Pixel 4 will carry a starting price tag of $799 — $100 more than the entrylevel iphone 11 — and will go on sale Oct. 24. The larger XL version will cost $899.

Google’s phones have been well reviewed, but have yet to make much of a splash in the market dominated by Apple, Huawei and Samsung. In fact, Google’s hardware products have never been big moneymakers. Rather, they offer a way for Google to showcase its money-making services.

The company also unveiled true wireless earbuds, called Pixel Buds, Google’s answer to Apple’s Airpods. The new model, which will go on sale early next year for $179, does away with the wire that connects the two buds.

Google introduced Nest Mini, the smaller version of its smart speaker. It comes out Tuesday for $49.

Google’s refreshed Wi-fi router, Nest Wifi, will be available in the coming weeks for $269, and a new Pixelbook Go laptop goes on sale in January, starting at $649.