Not that all is well at Google. The new Pixel models won't ship with Android 15 as the new operating system is still in beta testing. However, Google pointed out during its event that “Gemini is currently available globally, well beyond English-speaking users and a single market,” which is an attempt at Apple's limited initial rollout of Apple Intelligence.
What Google did so well yesterday was to show that Gemini is everywhere on Android and Pixel phones, making life easier for users. Even though Apple Intelligence has features that make life easier for iPhone users, Apple didn't present it that way at WWDC. Perhaps the most brilliant move out of Mountain View was replacing Google Assistant with Gemini.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says Apple is at least two to three years behind Google when it comes to AI. | Image credit-X
Long press the power button on my Pixel 6 Pro with the latest Android15 Beta brings Gemini Advanced, which lets you answer queries, set alarms and timers, and make requests. I copied one of Google's promotional videos released yesterday and asked Gemini to write a letter to the landlord complaining about a leak. Then I asked Gemini to write the letter in the style of William Shakespeare, and the result was hilarious. And it was easy to do.
Gemini creates images and writes a letter to your landlord in Shakespeare style. | Image credit: PhoneArena
Gemini as an assistant beats Siri as of now. In fact, Gemini as an assistant CRUSH Siri. So far we've only seen non-AI UI upgrades from Siri in iOS 18.1; perhaps that opinion will change when Siri's transformation is complete. But I feel my illness kicking in. I've said in the past that I have “The grass is greener on the other side-itis,” which is often triggered by the launch of a new product. I feel my Pixel 6 Pro a bit more often these days when playing around.
I still think that those looking to upgrade to a new Pixel should wait until next year. In 2025, the first application processor designed from scratch by Google and built by TSMC with its 3nm node will debut on the Pixel 10.
Apple needs to look at what Google has done with Gemini and how it is promoting it. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman weighed in on the Made by Google event yesterday. After watching it, he wrote: “After seeing Google's latest AI announcements, it's hard to believe that Apple isn't at least 2-3 years behind in this area.”
