Google’s New Pixel 10 Smartphone Is an Embarrassment for Apple

Google smartphones had a 3% share of the U.S. smartphone market in the second quarter of 2025. (Josh Edelson / AFP via Getty Images)

Alphabet Google has unveiled its latest smartphones and they come with a raft of artificial-intelligence features. It also took the opportunity to throw a few jabs at Apple over the comparatively slow rollout of AI upgrades for the iPhone.

Google announced its Pixel 10 series on Wednesday, with a release date of Aug. 28. The launch focused heavily on the integration of AI on the devices.

“There has been a lot of hype about this and, frankly, a lot of broken promises, too,” Google’s Rick Osterloh, senior vice president of Devices & Services, said during the announcement event.

That sounded like a potshot at Apple, which has repeatedly delayed AI updates to Siri, its digital assistant. Google previously mocked Apple’s struggles in teaser announcements for the Pixel 10, suggesting iPhone owners should switch devices.

“While Pixel remains a small share of the U.S. market…we found yesterday’s presentations as very well done, hammering home the key differentiators relative to Apple devices, with Gemini (and Agents) as the center of attention,” wrote Stifel analyst Mark Kelley in a research note.

Early reviews of the Pixel smartphones were largely positive and highlighted AI features such as Magic Cue—a tool which brings up potential relevant information from a user’s inbox, calendar and messages—real-time voice translation, and generative AI photo editing.

“All this stuff could potentially be that one killer feature that makes people fall for and stick with a Pixel this year, just like call screening had been in the past,” said influential product reviewer Marques Brownlee.

Other plus points noted by reviewers included the fact that Google has held its prices mostly steady from the Pixel 9 at $799 for the standard model and $999 for the high-end Pro model, while incorporating an upgraded processor and battery life, as well as a magnetic wireless charging feature.

So how big a threat are the Pixel smartphones to Apple? Well, in and of themselves, not that big. Google had a 3% share of the U.S. smartphone market in the second quarter of 2025, compared with 49% for Apple, according to Canalys. Google has an even more limited presence overseas, with Pixel devices not available for sale in China or several other major markets.

Considering how reluctant users are to shift between smartphone providers, it’s unlikely the Pixel 10 will make appreciable inroads into Apple’s market share. That is particularly the case with the iPhone 17 range expected to make its debut this fall, with thinner and foldable devices both reported to be in the works.

However, the Pixel 10 series could play a bigger role in showing off what Google AI features will be available on the broader ecosystem of Android phones made by the likes of Samsung Electronics in future. Google’s Gemini is the default assistant on Samsung’s newest line of smartphones.

“Pixel has found its identity. It’s not only Google’s hardware showcase, but also its most effective stage for Gemini—the company’s true long-term bet,” wrote Carolina Milanesi, president and principal analyst at market-research firm Creative Strategies.

And it may be one reason Alphabet stock has gained 20% over the past year, to Apple’s 0.2% decline, despite concerns about the impact of AI on Google’s search business.

There’s life in this tech titan yet.

Write to Adam Clark at adam.clark@barrons.com