Google Touts Pixel 9's Gemini AI Capabilities That Don't Require 'Hand-off to AI Providers You May Not Know or Trust'

When introducing the new Pixel 9 models today, Google didn't miss an opportunity to denigrate Apple Intelligence. All of the new Pixel 9 devices are integrated with Google's AI technology, Gemini, and there are a host of new AI features that Google introduced.


Like ‌Apple Intelligence‌, Gemini works using on-device processing power, but Google made sure to point out that Gemini is capable enough to answer complex queries without handing a task off to another AI service. The comment was a dig at Apple's plan to add ChatGPT integration to Siri, as ChatGPT will be able to do things that ‌Siri‌ can't. From Google:

Gemini is deeply integrated with Google apps and Android and can handle complex queries without hand-off to third-party AI providers you may not know or trust.

Apple will use ChatGPT for things like generating text from scratch, something that ‌Apple Intelligence‌ doesn't do. Apple did add Writing Tools, but it is limited to rewriting content that you've already written to change the tone or style. ChatGPT will also be able to generate images that Image Playground cannot, such as photorealistic content, and it will handle requests like generating meal recipes.

When a user asks ‌Siri‌ something that ‌Siri‌ cannot handle, the personal assistant will ask for permission to hand it over to ChatGPT. ChatGPT integration is entirely optional, and OpenAI is partnering with Apple to bring it to iPhone users for free.

Rumors suggest that Apple also plans to add Gemini integration to the ‌iPhone‌, allowing ‌iPhone‌ users to choose their preferred AI service. It's not quite clear if ‌Apple Intelligence‌ is incapable of handling full text generation and photorealistic image creation, or if these are capabilities that Apple feels are a little too questionable to touch given the sentiment about AI-created content.

Google's new Pixel devices have several interesting AI features, including Pixel Studio, a new image generator that uses an on-device diffusion model. It will generate stickers and images using text prompts, similar to ‌Image Playground‌.

AI will be able to edit photos to add objects that weren't originally in the image, plus Google plans to use it for custom weather reports. The camera app has an option to merge two photos together so that the person taking a group photo can be in the picture, and it can catalog and remember information from screenshots. There's also a feature called Call Notes, which mimics Apple's call recording feature by recording and summarizing phone calls.

Google has also added Gemini Live to the Pixel 9 devices and accompanying earbuds, with Gemini Live allowing users to have full free-flowing conversations with Gemini.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 13 New Features

Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
iphone 17 dummies sonny dickson

iPhone 17 Air Almost as Thin as Its Buttons, New Images Show

Thursday April 24, 2025 2:14 am PDT by
If you missed the video showing dummy models of Apple's all-new super thin iPhone 17 Air that's expected later this year, Sonny Dickson this morning shared some further images of the device in close alignment with the other dummy models in the iPhone 17 lineup, indicating just how thin it is likely to be in comparison. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be around 5.5mm thick – with a thicker ...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Launching Later This Year With These 16 New Features

Thursday April 24, 2025 8:24 am PDT by
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the ultra-thin device. Overall, the iPhone 17 Air sounds like a mixed bag. While the device is expected to have an impressively thin and light design, rumors indicate it will have some compromises compared to iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, a...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iphone 17 air dummy unbox therapy

iPhone 17 Air's Extreme Thinness Demoed in New Video

Tuesday April 22, 2025 10:22 am PDT by
Apple plans to release an all-new super thin iPhone this year, debuting it alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. We've seen pictures of dummy models, cases, and renders with the design, but Lewis Hilsenteger of Unbox Therapy today showed off newer dummy models that give us a better idea of just how thin the "iPhone 17 Air" will be. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be ...
Global Close Your Rings Day Pin

Apple Stores Giving Away a Limited-Edition Pin For Free Today

Thursday April 24, 2025 10:15 am PDT by
Starting today, April 24, Apple Stores around the world are giving away a special pin for free to customers who request one, while supplies last. Photo Credit: Filip Chudzinski The enamel pin's design is inspired by the Global Close Your Rings Day award in the Activity app, which Apple Watch users can receive by closing all three Activity rings today. The limited-edition pin is the physical...
Apple Logo Spotlight Blue

White House Hits Back at Apple's Massive EU Fine

Thursday April 24, 2025 5:57 am PDT by
Apple's $570 million fine from the EU has triggered a sharp rebuke from the White House, which called the fine a form of economic extortion, Reuters reports. The fine was announced on Wednesday by the European Commission, following a formal investigation into Apple's compliance with the bloc's Digital Markets Act (DMA), a landmark piece of legislation aimed at curbing the market dominance of ...
ipad air magic keyboard feature

iPadOS 19 Rumored to Show Mac-Like Menu Bar When Connected to Magic Keyboard

Thursday April 24, 2025 12:09 pm PDT by
When an iPad running iPadOS 19 is connected to a Magic Keyboard, a macOS-like menu bar will appear on the screen, according to the leaker Majin Bu. This change would further blur the lines between the iPad and the Mac. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously claimed that iPadOS 19 will be "more like macOS," with unspecified improvements to productivity, multitasking, and app window management,...

Top Rated Comments

agwin27 Avatar
9 months ago
…and Google thinks that people trust them..?
Score: 105 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jz0309 Avatar
9 months ago

Makes sense. Apple is forcing a 3rd party service onto its users. When people buy a Google phone, they know what they are getting.

Pixel users chose Google. Apple users never chose OpenAI
you haven't paid attention, it's optional, you have to click in order to use that 3rd party service

and yes, people who buy a Google phone know that they are the product
Score: 41 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hihellowhoknows Avatar
9 months ago
Wasn't really impressed. It was just google assistant features rebranded. The photo stuff is cool but how fake do I want to make my memories?
Score: 36 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Bungaree.Chubbins Avatar
9 months ago
If Apple HAD made a full generative AI, they'd be calling for anti-trust proceedings!

"APPLE IS FORCING YOU TO USE THEIR OWN STUFF AND NOT LETTING YOU CHOOSE!!!1!"
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Baritone_Guy Avatar
9 months ago

Makes sense. Apple is forcing a 3rd party service onto its users. When people buy a Google phone, they know what they are getting.

Pixel users chose Google. Apple users never chose OpenAI
And the beauty of it is that you don’t have to use it.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
stars_fan Avatar
9 months ago
lol only fools trust google
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)