Alphabet Inc's Google launched on October 4, 2016 its own line of new devices including the Pixel line of high-end smartphones leaving very little to imagination as to where the company is headed. In addition to Pixel, the Big G launched "Google Home" – a versatile audio system, “Daydream” – virtual reality headset, and Google-WiFi – a mesh-networking access point. Google claims that these WiFi access points, which require minimal configuration by the user, are capable of almost completely eliminating the Wi-Fi blackspots in buildings. They work cooperatively as an intelligent meshed network.
To some, all this may not have been very surprising. Perhaps, what may not be very clear at first glance is the rationale behind positioning Pixel to challenge iPhone at the very top of the $400 billion global smartphone market where iPhone is now the unrivalled queen. There will surely be many die-hard Android fans who are heartily welcoming the Pixel. Without the Pixel or an equivalent, many Android users might have been contemplating switching over to iPhone, particularly after the problems that have surfaced with some competing high-end Android phones. Pixel will surely make a lot of iPhone users to sit up and take notice.
In terms of specifications and price, Pixel and iPhone-7 are not very different. As per reviews, Pixel is better than the iPhone in terms of display size, camera resolution (back and front), RAM, and battery capacity. However, iPhone beats Pixel when it comes to physical parameters (thinner and lighter), waterproofing, display functionality, storage options, and camera features. Pixel, however, is completely new and will have to prove itself. Even a few who review iPhones are quite impressed by the Google event, because there was nothing exciting at the Apple event in September.
Google may have hoped that at least the best of the high-end phones from companies like Samsung will be able to match the consistently high quality of devices from the Cuppertino stable. However, that has not happened. Given that reality, Google has little choice other than make it themselves. The top end of the pyramid will continue to be monopolised by iPhone, unless its rival can well and truly match its aspirational value and high product quality. The question that Pixel leaves unanswered is whether it is good enough to stake a claim to be the world’s best smartphone in terms of product quality, leaving aside all other aspects. Can it really edge out the iPhone? When it comes to the ecosystem, that of Google is in many ways far more extensive, deeper, and superior to that of Apple. While there may not be sufficient metrics to compare the two ecosystems, the overall sense users have is that even the Apple fans do depend on the Google system in many ways. Further, many Apple fans are beginning to realise the limitations of their ecosystem and the high cost of their dependence on it. What Big G is offering overall, in contrast, is very cost-effective and affordable.
The initial reactions in many reviews to the Google’s launch of its own devices are that the company is now set on a head-to-head race with device makers like Apple and even Android-based phone-makers. Google executives have vaguely stated that they are striving for tighter integration of hardware and software, which analysts have been quick to point out to be Apple’s core design philosophy crafted to perfection by late Steve Jobs. Alphabet, the holding company of Google, however, may be venturing out with a much bigger and grander game plan that goes beyond tight hardware and software integration into embedding the user’s entire digital experience deep within its seemingly limitless, ever-expanding ecosystem. While the Pixel is meant to climb the peak, as it were, the other ‘Made by Google’ devices launched along with it are designed to integrate almost seamlessly with the entire Google ecosystem into which almost every mobile phone, tablet, and PCs are already connected – some very tightly, some weakly.
For better or worse, perhaps, Google’s strategy revealed on October 4 as a foray into making high quality, versatile devices may actually be the initial steps signalling the company’s resolve to closely integrate the Internet of Things (IoT) into the Google ecosystem. At present, there are in the market many stand alone equipment such as TV, washing machines, refrigerators, music systems, climate control systems, and security systems that can be connected to the Internet. The microprocessors or embedded computer systems allows these systems to exist on the Internet like a computer or a smart phone, which the owners can manage from anywhere. While current capabilities are somewhat limited, as the technology evolves, most of such equipment will have smart and intelligent hardware and software that will allow them to be managed by users the way they want from anywhere. The equipment too will have sufficient ‘intelligence’ to recognise the wider contexts within which tasks are executed.
It is not too difficult to see that, in a way, the set of smart and versatile ‘Made by Google’ devices (smart audio “Home”, intelligent WiFi mesh, etc.) are the key building blocks to that kind a grand integration. As stand alone products, some competing products may be a little better (like Amazon’s Echo vs Google Home, or iPhone vs Pixel). However, they may never be able to match what even a low-end Android device can potentially do in future when it is smartly ensconced in the Google ecosystem because of a large lead the Big G already seems to have in Artificial Intelligence (AI). Many analysts have concluded that for Google AI is the next front in the smartphone wars. Again, while some companies may have a lead in specialised AI applications, Big G seems to be far ahead when it comes to more generalised uses of AI as in search, voice recognition, seeking answers to complex queries, using the smart audio as a personal command centre, or eventually using an app like Google Assistant as one’s own personalised, dependable private aide.
On the flip side, there are concerns about increasing loss of privacy and the risk of Google getting access to too much of data. A grand integration will surely happen when IoT is enmeshed in the AI-driven Google ecosystem. That will certainly give rise to nightmarish fears about data security, privacy loss, and loss of freedom. While Google is likely to gain a huge first mover advantage in such grand integration, it will not be alone. And, despite all our legitimate fears, a grand integration will surely happen. Therefore, it is important that we as users look more closely at ways to protect our rights and uphold our privileges within the rapidly evolving digital world even as digital giants like Google and Apple compete for dominance.
PS [Note added on 12-Oct-2016]: This story in BI Intelligence supports one of my arguments, especially after Samsung's disaster with its flagship phone - Galaxy Note 7. "Google’s new Pixel smartphone — in particular, its Pixel XL — could see significant adoption. The company’s first true smartphone and phablet devices could be the obvious choice for consumers who want to stay within the Android ecosystem. Moreover, the company’s Nexus 6P device — a device made in conjunction with Huawei — saw a marked increase in adoption immediately following the first recall of the Galaxy Note 7, according to Apteligent, suggesting that consumers are likely to move toward the Pixel."
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