Google's Pixel 3 smartphone, complete with AI-powered camera, to debut in Japan in November

TOKYO/NEW YORK – Google LLC said Wednesday its Pixel 3 smartphone series with artificial intelligence-powered cameras will hit shelves in Japan in November, the first time the American tech giant has released its signature phones in the country. The move into Japan pits Google against Apple Inc.'s iPhones, which make up half of the country's market share The Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL, with screen sizes of 5.5 inches and 6.3 inches, respectively, feature high-tech cameras and allow its users to screen calls using AI. "It's designed from inside out to be the smartest, most helpful device," said Nanda Ramachandran, senior director at Google Pixel Business, at a news event in Tokyo. "They come at the intersection of AI, hardware and software working together." Google began receiving orders for the Pixel 3 series through its website Wednesday, while mobile phone carriers SoftBank Corp. and NTT Docomo Inc. will start taking preorders on Oct. 19 for the phones.