Pixel 11 incorporates Gemini into its operating system, a few weeks ahead of Siri adopting the same models.

      Google has introduced the Pixel 11 series, which includes the Pixel 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro XL, and 11 Pro Fold, featuring Gemini Intelligence that operates across applications instead of being confined to a chatbot. This launch occurs just weeks before Apple rolls out a revamped Siri that will utilize Google's models, with Rick Osterloh, the head of devices at Google, confirming that a shortage of memory will lead to higher prices for the Pixel line.

      Gemini is at the core of the Pixel 11 lineup, emphasizing software capabilities over hardware. It is designed to understand user behavior by integrating messages, calendar, maps, and other Google services to recommend or execute actions, such as checking availability or making a restaurant reservation, directly from the operating system instead of a separate app.

      This situation places Google in a peculiar position, as it finds itself competing directly with one of its biggest AI clients—Apple, which is also leveraging Gemini to enhance Siri and pursue similar objectives in understanding personal context and interacting across various applications.

      Rick Osterloh expressed to CNBC that the two companies are headed in distinct directions, noting features like scam detection, Rambler voice transcription, and the advanced integration of Gemini within Android as exclusive to the Android ecosystem. He elaborated on the future implications, suggesting that the interaction model offered by Gemini Intelligence represents “a completely new way to engage with computers,” which could eventually become the primary means by which users operate their phones, laptops, and other devices.

      However, whether this leads to increased smartphone sales remains uncertain. Counterpoint Research ranks AI as the sixth or seventh reason for phone upgrades, with numbers slightly improving due to advancements in Gemini and Apple Intelligence. Research director Tarun Pathak indicated that awareness and practical applications will determine if this interest translates into consumer action.

      Pathak also anticipates that Apple Intelligence will influence upgrade decisions, as Apple currently has more generative AI-capable devices in circulation than any other brand, allowing Google to present its model first, while Apple can implement it on a larger scale.

      The launch is complicated by rising costs. Osterloh noted a “clear shortage of memory, including both RAM and flash memory,” stating that “everyone is having to increase prices,” Google included. This confirms what the company highlighted in July, when the price of RAM surged from $2.80 per gigabyte to $12.

      This issue extends beyond smartphones. AI data centers are consuming available supply, leading to the demise of low-cost smartphones and affecting products like the $599 Mac Mini.