People aren’t demanding AI features in their phones just yet, says Sheng Win Chow, an analyst at Canalys, which tracks smartphone sales. But Google is betting they soon will. The race continues and for now, Apple has a lot of catching up to do.

Google’s advanced features with the Pixel 10 series surpass Apple’s offerings, whose next-generation Siri is not expected until 2026. Analysts say Google’s steady integration of AI could have potential ripple effects on other Android devices like Samsung smartphones.

Google didn't need to make its own smartphone. Even though the company spent several years having other manufacturers build phones it could slap its "Nexus" branding on, selling hardware is not core to Google's business.