In its pursuit of edging past Apple to deliver AI-powered smartphones to consumers, Google has launched its new Pixel 10 series. The devices, announced during the “Made by Google” event, come just weeks ahead of Apple’s expected iPhone 17 reveal.
Google is rapidly integrating its AI platform into its devices. In 2024, its Pixel 9 series added several AI features, like Gemini Live (Gemini’s voice mode), image-generation tools, call notes, searchable screenshots, and more. Since then, Google claims its Gemini Live conversations have proven to be 5x longer than text-based conversations. In 2025, the tech giant is rolling out even more AI-powered upgrades with the launch of its Pixel 10, including a Visual Overlays feature for the camera, a proactive “Magic Cue” feature, Camera Coach, Voice Translate for calls, an assistant-like “Take a Message” feature, Pixel Journal, and more.
“Combined, the updates allow Google to showcase what its latest AI technology can do when enhanced by its Tensor G5 processor, an upgrade to the company’s custom silicon designed for AI experiences and the first to run its newest Gemini Nano model,” said Sarah Perez, TechCrunch’s Consumer News Editor. Another notable announcement from the event was about Gemini Live gaining a new audio model that will detect the user’s tone (like whether the person is excited or concerned) and adjust its response accordingly.
With the addition of a feature called Visual Overlays, Gemini Live will be able to see what people see through the lens of their smartphone camera and provide guidance by highlighting things on the users’ screen. For example, while travelling in a foreign country, you could hold up your phone to see if the street signs around offer information about parking along the roadside. Another new feature, Magic Cue, lets the AI be more proactive by offering contextual suggestions in real time, across apps like Gmail, Calendar, Messages, Screenshots, and others.
The idea of a more proactive interaction between people and Google technology is something the company has envisioned for years. In the early 2010s, for example, the tech giant introduced an Android feature called “Google Now” that would pop up cards with real-time information related to the user’s daily schedule or the time of day, like nearby restaurants at lunchtime, upcoming meetings, or flight details. Years later, Magic Cue has become the AI-powered reintroduction of this feature, but one where it inserts itself into our everyday apps and interactions.
“Google demonstrated how Magic Cue could suggest a restaurant to dine at with a friend, offering quick access to place a call to the restaurant to make a reservation. It could propose a reply to your friend with the reservation details or point you to your calendar to check your availability. Magic Cue’s suggestions appear within the app you’re using and are wrapped with a rainbow-coloured outline to differentiate them, as well as within Daily Hub, a personalised daily digest in your Discover feed. You can also tap on its suggestions to take action,” Perez noted.
Following Google Now, Magic Cue will be able to surface reminders. In fact, it will go a step further by popping up reminders and notifications more intuitively.