Google I/O 2019 Unveils Budget Pixels, Upgraded Smart Displays, and AR Search
Google reveals the cheaper Pixel 3a smartphones, rebranded Nest Hub displays, and augmented reality features in Search during its I/O 2019 keynote.
Google unveils the Pixel 3a and 3a XL as more affordable alternatives to its flagship smartphones, starting at $399 and $479 respectively. To achieve the lower price point, the company uses a slightly less powerful processor, limits storage to 64GB, and removes wireless charging, but brings back the 3.5mm headphone jack.
The company rebrands its Google Home Hub to the Nest Hub while dropping the price to $129, and introduces the larger Nest Hub Max with a 10-inch display and a built-in camera. The Nest Hub Max costs $229 and features a local Face Match system that recognizes users to personalize responses without sending camera data to the cloud.
Google Search now integrates augmented reality by allowing users to view and place 3D models of animals and objects in the real world directly from search results. Additionally, Google Lens gains the ability to highlight popular dishes on restaurant menus, calculate tips from receipts, and translate foreign language signs, while the Duplex AI system expands to the web to automate tasks.