Google takes on rivals with Pixel phone, new hardware

Guests inspect the new Pixel phone by Google after it was introduced at a Google product event in San Francisco, California. - EPA

SAN FRANCISCO: Google opened fire on rivals Apple, Samsung and Amazon in a new push into hardware Tuesday, launching premium-priced Pixel smartphones and a slew of other devices showcasing artificial intelligence prowess.

The unveiling of Google’s in-house designed phone came as part of an expanded hardware move by the US giant, which also revealed details of its new “home assistant,” virtual reality headset and Wi-Fi router system.