Apple released its latest'budget' phone, the 599 iPhone 16e, back in February after months of feverish anticipation. But not to be outdone, rival tech giant Google has released its own handset at an'unbeatable' price – the Pixel 9a. The device – which at 499 is 100 cheaper than Apple's equivalent – has a 6.3-inch display, two rear cameras and more than 30 hours of battery life on a single charge. It's packed with'helpful' AI tools such as Gemini – Google's chatbot which was built to rival OpenAI's ChatGPT, now on Apple phones. MailOnline tests the new Google handset, described as a more accessible alternative to the firm's flagship Pixel 9 ( 799).

Spotting AI's work can be increasingly difficult as its capabilities and subtleties continue to improve. This continued shift makes labeling AI generated work all the more critical -- something that is being done in bits and pieces. The latest development to do so comes from Google, which will now use SynthID technology to mark mages edited using Reimagine in Magic Editor. Google DeepMind launched SynthID in 2023, a technology that allows for imperceptible digital watermarks within any content created with generative AI. The company has previously used it in AI-powered programs such as Lyria, Imagen and Gemini.

Google's new superphone goes all out on battery, camera and smarts, leading a new line of Android devices that can run the company's Gemini AI system with a next-generation conversational voice assistant that is a huge leap forward. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. The Pixel 9 Pro XL is the biggest normal phone Google makes, costing from 1,099 ( 1,199/ 1,099/A 1,849) and is joined for the first time this year by a smaller 9 Pro model with the same specs and camera costing 999 ( 1,099/ 999/A 1,699). The XL is therefore for people who want a huge screen and big battery.

Two weeks ago, Google announced a slew of new AI-powered features at its I/O developer conference. Microsoft followed suit last week with the introduction of its Copilot PCs that have, you guessed it, a slew of new AI-powered features. Somewhat predictably, Google is announcing its answer to the Copilot PC initiative with… the humble Chromebook. The Chromebook Plus line that it first announced last October, to be specific. When Google first announced Chromebook Plus, it focused on a combination of higher-performance hardware as well as some modest AI software features compared to what you'd get on regular Chromebooks.

The moment that Google fans have been waiting for has finally arrived. The tech giant has launched the Pixel 8a, which it describes as'The Google AI phone at an unbeatable value.' Pixel 8a has a host of impressive AI features, including Best Take and Audio Magic Eraser - tools previously seen in the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. However, the Pixel 8a is much more affordable than these flagship devices, with prices starting at just 499. To put that into perspective, it's 300 cheaper than the most basic iPhone 15! Google has launched the Pixel 8a, which it describes as'The Google AI phone at an unbeatable value' The device features rounded edges, a matte back and a polished aluminium frame, which Google says feels'even better in your hands' than its predecessors.

Google is trying anything it can to stand out with its smartphone, which looks more and more like an iPhone. Its latest handset taps into AI-powered photography to make taking photos easier and allow people to manipulate an image to make it look better. The Google Pixel 8 is the latest smartphone from Google. The Pixel 7 was released in 2022. The Pixel 8 has a smoother 120Hz OLED panel that gets significantly brighter, faster hardware that's ideal for gaming, and a larger battery that should last all day.

There is a commercial following me around the internet. In the ad, a happy father is playing with his son on the beach while Mom is documenting it all on her brand-new Google Pixel 8 phone. Dad lifts the boy and gently tosses him a foot or so into the air. In the next frame, Mom clicks a button on her phone labeled "Magic Editor," which allows her to isolate the boy on her screen and effortlessly drag him higher into the air and farther from Dad's outstretched arms. With another tap, she adds contrast to the washed-out sky in the background, making the clouds pop.

Since the original Pixel, the special sauce for all of Google's phones has been its software. We've seen this throughout the years in its cameras with things like HDR processing and Google's potent Night Sight mode. But on the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, thanks to the new Tensor G3 chip and focus on machine learning, it feels like Google's latest flagship phones are taking some of the buzz from the recent AI hype cycle and turning it into tools you'll actually want to use. Their corners are a touch more rounded and Google deleted the small chin below the screen by making its bezels a uniform size all around. One notable change is that the Pixel 8 has shrunk a bit to a 6.2-inch screen (down from 6.3 inches on the Pixel 7).

Today, at the Google I/O developer conference, Google chief executive Sundar Pichai pledged to use AI responsibly, by improving knowledge and learning, boosting creativity, and deploying AI responsibly to help maintain equality. Gmail has been a pioneer in predictive responses, and it's continuing with a new feature called Help Me Write. Help Me Write uses your previous history to create an email on a given topic, so you can ask for a refund on a travel reservation, using the previous email history to help negotiate a settlement. All you need to ask Help Me Write to craft the email. This feature will start rolling out as part of the company's upcoming Workspace update, Pichai said.

Google is stuffing generative AI into seemingly all its products, and that now includes the photo app on your phone. The company has previewed an "experimental" Magic Editor tool in Google Photos that can not only fix photos, but outright change them to create the shot you wanted all along. You can move and resize subjects, stretch objects (such as the bench above), remove an unwanted bag strap or even replace an overcast sky with a sunnier version. Magic Editor will be available in early form to "select" Pixel phones later this year, Google says. The tech giant warns that output might be flawed, and that it will use feedback to improve the technology.