Google staked its claim on the fall hardware season Wednesday, strategically unveiling a broad and deeply integrated ecosystem of new products at its annual “Made by Google 2025” event. In a presentation that placed its advanced AI, Gemini, at the core of every device, the tech giant debuted the Pixel 10 smartphone series, a refined Pixel 10 Pro Fold, the Pixel Watch 4, and new Pixel Buds. The announcements signal a clear strategy to infuse hardware with proactive, conversational intelligence, setting the stage for a competitive showdown with Apple’s anticipated September event.
The Gemini Era: AI Infused in Every Interaction
While Google’s I/O developer conference in May teased its AI ambitions, Wednesday’s event demonstrated how Gemini is being woven into the fabric of the user experience. Making a thinly veiled jab at competitors’ AI promises, Google showcased a suite of tangible, new Gemini-powered features.
- Gemini Live Vision: The AI assistant has been upgraded to be a real-time visual partner. Users can now share their live camera feed, allowing Gemini to “see” and provide contextual guidance. The demonstrated use cases ranged from offering on-the-spot interior design ideas for a room to guiding a user through a complex task.
- Creative AI in the Camera: The Pixel 10’s camera system is now augmented with two powerful AI tools. A new “Camera Coach” feature provides real-time, on-screen suggestions for improving composition, angles, and lighting as you frame a shot. Furthermore, photo editing becomes a conversation; users can now simply tell Gemini what they want to change in a photo—such as “make the sky more dramatic,” “remove the people in the background,” or “increase the brightness”—and the AI will execute the edits.
Pixel 10, 10 Pro, and 10 Pro XL: Pro-Level Photography for All
The flagship smartphone lineup received significant updates, most notably in the standard Pixel 10 model. In a major strategic shift, Google has equipped the base Pixel 10 with a dedicated telephoto lens, a feature previously reserved for its more expensive Pro counterparts. This new lens delivers what the company calls its “best-ever zoom quality,” featuring a 5× optical zoom and an impressive 100× Super Res Zoom for capturing high-fidelity details from a distance.
Powering all three models is the new Tensor G5 processor, a chip explicitly designed to usher in the “Gemini era” with enhanced on-device AI processing, superior performance, and greater power efficiency over the previous Tensor G4.
While the core design and display sizes remain consistent with the Pixel 9 series—6.3 inches for the Pixel 10 and 10 Pro, and 6.8 inches for the Pixel 10 Pro XL—the Pro models receive crucial under-the-hood upgrades. Google has focused on improving camera and video quality while also increasing battery size. This allows for faster charging and finally addresses the historical longevity gap between Pixel devices and flagship competitors from Apple and Samsung.
In a sign of its growing global ambitions, Google also announced that the Pixel 10 series will officially launch in Mexico for the first time. The Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro XL will all be available, although the Pixel 10 Pro Fold and LTE models of the Pixel Watch 4 will not be offered in the region at launch.
Pixelsnap: A New Magnetic Accessory Ecosystem
Taking a page from Apple’s playbook, Google introduced Pixelsnap, its own magnetic attachment standard built into the Pixel 10 lineup. This technology, equivalent to MagSafe, enables a new range of first-party accessories, including:
- A $40 Pixelsnap charger supporting the new Qi2 wireless charging standard.
- A $50 phone case featuring an integrated magnetic ring.
- A $30 magnetic ring stand for secure, hands-free viewing.
The Pixel 10 Pro Fold: Refined and More Resilient
Google’s latest foldable, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, focuses on key refinements for a more premium and durable experience. The device now features a larger 6.4-inch cover display and an expansive 8-inch main screen, with significantly thinner bezels for a more immersive, all-screen appearance. The hinge mechanism has also been strengthened.
Most critically, the Pro Fold now boasts an IP68 rating, a first for Google’s foldables. This certification guarantees robust protection against both dust and water ingress, a major upgrade over the previous generation’s vulnerability to dust.
Powered by the Tensor G5 chip and equipped with the full suite of Gemini AI features, the foldable’s camera system has also been improved, reportedly featuring a 48-megapixel ultra-wide lens and a telephoto lens with 5× optical zoom. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold is priced at $1,799 and will be available in “Moonstone” and “Jade” colorways.
An Ecosystem of Upgrades: Watch, Buds, Apps, and Home
Google rounded out its presentation with updates across its entire product ecosystem:
- Pixel Watch 4: The new smartwatch features a slightly thicker design to accommodate a longer-lasting battery, a key user request. It also boasts smaller bezels and a new “lift-to-talk” feature to access Gemini directly from your wrist.
- Pixel Buds: The affordable A-Series gets a much-needed upgrade with the Pixel Buds 2a, which now include Active Noise Cancellation and come in new “Hazel” and “Iris” colors. The premium Pixel Buds Pro 2 introduce a new Gemini feature for answering calls with head gestures and are available in a new “Moonstone” color.
- Fitbit’s AI Health Coach: The Fitbit app is set to receive a powerful AI-driven personal health coach. This feature will create customized workout routines and sleep improvement plans based on a user’s goals, available equipment, and real-time performance data. A preview of the AI coach will be available in October.
- Pixel Journal App: Google is launching its own journaling app, Pixel Journal, as a direct competitor to Apple’s offering. It allows users to create entries with photos, locations, and activities, lock sensitive entries for privacy, and uses AI to provide inspirational writing prompts.
- Gemini for Home: Google Assistant on smart home devices is being replaced by Gemini for Home. While still activated by “Hey Google,” this new AI will be more powerful, capable of understanding more complex requests (e.g., “play the song of the year winner from 1990”) and executing multiple commands at once (“dim the lights and set the thermostat to 20 degrees”). A conversational “let’s chat” mode will also be available for brainstorming and advice. This update will begin rolling out in an early access preview in October.
