• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Bars, bowling alleys and movie theaters cost too much to run and visit. Americans have run out of places to hang out and we're paying with our health

2

The labor market could become so backward that the economy will have to shed jobs to keep unemployment steady

3

Jensen Huang says ‘a lot’ of six-figure jobs in plumbing and construction will soon be unlocked because someone needs to build new AI centers

1

Bars, bowling alleys and movie theaters cost too much to run and visit. Americans have run out of places to hang out and we're paying with our health

2

The labor market could become so backward that the economy will have to shed jobs to keep unemployment steady

3

Jensen Huang says ‘a lot’ of six-figure jobs in plumbing and construction will soon be unlocked because someone needs to build new AI centers
TechFortune 500

Google Is Expected to Unveil New Smartphones on Tuesday

By
Reuters
Reuters
and
Michelle Toh
Michelle Toh
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Reuters
Reuters
and
Michelle Toh
Michelle Toh
Down Arrow Button Icon
October 4, 2016, 1:38 AM ET
Google Inc. New Product Announcement
The Nexus 5X smartphone is arranged for a photograph during an event in San Francisco, California, U.S., on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015. Google unveiled its newest Nexus smartphones with Huawei and LG Electronics Inc. as it looks to blunt the growth of Apple Inc.'s iPhone. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesDavid Paul Morris/ Bloomberg via Getty Images/ File
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Alphabet’s Google is expected to unveil new smartphones at an event on Tuesday, the company’s latest effort to sell consumers on a Google-branded device and to challenge Apple (AAPL) at the high end of the market.

Analysts predict the San Francisco product launch will also showcase other Google (GOOGL) hardware initiatives, including a voice-controlled speaker system called Home to challenge Amazon.com’s (AMZN) Echo device, and a virtual reality headset.

The most eagerly expected offering is a pair of smartphones released under the Pixel brand, replacing the Nexus line. While most vendors other than Apple use Google’s Android operating system, the company has for years toyed with various approaches to building its own hardware without alienating manufacturers.

See also: Google Will Debut This New Virtual Reality Headset Tomorrow

Google has sold Nexus phones since 2010, but the devices have gained little traction in a market dominated by Samsung Electronics (SSNLF).

Analysts attribute the lackluster sales to poor distribution, as the phones typically are not available through network carriers, the channel most U.S. consumers rely on. Google also owned the Motorola smartphone business briefly before selling it to Lenovo Group.

Because its mobile software is available so widely, Google has struggled to distinguish its own devices, said analyst Jan Dawson of Jackdaw Research.

Google “wants to have this end-to-end experience, but it’s not clear that people really want that,” Dawson said.

See also: Meet Google’s Kinder, Gentler Growth Guy

The new Pixel phones are expected to cost more than $600, putting them at the high end of the market, where Apple is the leading player.

Dawson is more optimistic about the Home device – unveiled at the company’s developer conference this year – which works with home entertainment systems and responds to voice commands.

The device represents an important move in an intensifying battle between Google and other tech giants to establish the dominant “digital assistant.”

Google Assistant, Amazon’s Alexa and Apple’s Siri are vying for supremacy as more people search the web and make purchases online through voice commands, which may eventually supplant keyboards and touch screens as the primary means of controlling some digital devices.

See also: The 5 Biggest Things Google Might Announce

Although Amazon was first to market, Google can capture plenty of sales in the nascent category, Dawson said. But as with smartphones, distribution may pose a challenge.

“Amazon has the advantage of being able to put this on the home page of the biggest e-commerce site in the world,” he said.

For more on Google, watch Fortune’s video:

Analyst Ben Bajarin of Creative Strategies said he also expects Google to discuss its virtual reality headset, Daydream, at the event. He said the company may also reveal plans to combine its Chrome operating system for laptops and its Android mobile software, helping developers build for more devices.

About the Authors
By Reuters
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Michelle Toh
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in Tech

Elon Musk is photographed at Space X in Brownsville, Texas
SuccessSpaceX
Elon Musk wants engineers and trade talent: All you need is 3 bullet points, a resume, and a desire to create the best data centers ‘off Earth’
By Eleanor PringleAugust 3, 2026
43 minutes ago
To power AI, Khosla and a16z bet this startup can reinvent mining
NewslettersTerm Sheet
To power AI, Khosla and a16z bet this startup can reinvent mining
By Allie GarfinkleAugust 3, 2026
3 hours ago
Eddie Wu Yongming, CEO of Alibaba, in Hangzhou in east China's Zhejiang province on Sept. 24, 2025. (Photo: Xu Kangping/Feature China/Future Publishing/Getty Images)
NewslettersFortune Tech
Is Alibaba’s Qwen3.8-Max China’s next top AI model?
By Andrew NuscaAugust 3, 2026
3 hours ago
Electric air taxis are finally ready for takeoff
MagazineElectric vehicles
Electric air taxis are finally ready for takeoff
By Alexei OreskovicAugust 3, 2026
5 hours ago
CXMT’s blockbuster IPO will test whether China’s memory makers are ready for the spotlight: ‘It does not yet mean China is broadly catching up’
Big TechChina
CXMT’s blockbuster IPO will test whether China’s memory makers are ready for the spotlight: ‘It does not yet mean China is broadly catching up’
By Angelica AngAugust 2, 2026
14 hours ago
AI is creating a two-speed jobs market in the UK, Indeed says
AIthe future of work
AI is creating a two-speed jobs market in the UK, Indeed says
By Irina Anghel and BloombergAugust 2, 2026
15 hours ago

Most Popular

Bars, bowling alleys and movie theaters cost too much to run and visit. Americans have run out of places to hang out and we're paying with our health
North America
Bars, bowling alleys and movie theaters cost too much to run and visit. Americans have run out of places to hang out and we're paying with our health
By Catherina GioinoAugust 2, 2026
1 day ago
The labor market could become so backward that the economy will have to shed jobs to keep unemployment steady
Economy
The labor market could become so backward that the economy will have to shed jobs to keep unemployment steady
By Jason MaAugust 1, 2026
2 days ago
Jensen Huang says ‘a lot’ of six-figure jobs in plumbing and construction will soon be unlocked because someone needs to build new AI centers
Success
Jensen Huang says ‘a lot’ of six-figure jobs in plumbing and construction will soon be unlocked because someone needs to build new AI centers
By Preston ForeAugust 1, 2026
2 days ago
Trump just invoked a 1930 tariff law no president has ever used — against Canada
Commentary
Trump just invoked a 1930 tariff law no president has ever used — against Canada
By Caleb PetittAugust 2, 2026
23 hours ago
Most billionaires are stuck in 'slow philanthropy.' MacKenzie Scott gave away $26 billion and won't stop until 'the safe is empty'
Success
Most billionaires are stuck in 'slow philanthropy.' MacKenzie Scott gave away $26 billion and won't stop until 'the safe is empty'
By Sydney LakeAugust 2, 2026
1 day ago
As Trump balks again at escalating war, Iran smells 'blood in the water' and looks to exploit its newfound strategic advantage, experts say
Middle East
As Trump balks again at escalating war, Iran smells 'blood in the water' and looks to exploit its newfound strategic advantage, experts say
By Jason MaAugust 2, 2026
18 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.