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Tag: Rick Osterloh

  • Google Kills the Pixelbook, Disbands the Team

    Google Kills the Pixelbook, Disbands the Team

    Google’s Pixelbook appears to be the latest victim of Google’s cost-saving measures, with the next release reportedly canceled and the team disbanded.

    Google’s Pixelbook was a high-end Chromebook that helped showcase the company’s Chrome OS. Despite its popularity, the company appears to have killed off the next generation — expected next year — and disbanded the team, according to The Verge.

    Like many companies, Google has been looking for ways to cut costs as the economy slows. CEO Sundar Pichai made it clear in mid-July that the company would be looking for areas to streamline its investments and would be pausing some projects. Despite the Pixelbook apparently being one of those projects, Google is not confirming the reports yet.

    “Google doesn’t share future product plans or personnel information; however, we are committed to building and supporting a portfolio of Google products that are innovative and helpful for our users,” Laura Breen, a communications manager at Google, told The Verge. “In regards to our people, in times where we do shift priorities we work to transition team members across devices and services.”

    It’s also possible that Google doesn’t see the need to be in the Chromebook market like it once did. As more manufacturers have begun manufacturing quality models, Google’s presence is not really necessary to help the category succeed.

    “What’s nice about the category is that it has matured,” Google hardware chief Rick Osterloh told the outlet. “You can expect them to last a long time.”

  • Google Debuts Its Own Tensor Chips to Power Pixel Smartphones

    Google Debuts Its Own Tensor Chips to Power Pixel Smartphones

    Google is taking a page from Apple and building its own system on a chip (SoC) processors to power its Pixel line of smartphones.

    Apple is the undisputed leader in mobile performance — both phones and tablets — in large part because of its custom chips. Although its chips are based on Arm Holdings’ designs, Apple has customized them to offer a level of performance its competitors can’t match.

    Google is debuting its own Tensor chips, similar to ones it makes for its data centers. The chips have a heavy focus on artificial intelligence.

    “Tensor is our first custom-built SoC specifically for Pixel phones, and it will power the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro later this fall,” writes Rick Osterloh,

    Senior Vice President, Devices & Services.

    “Tensor was built for how people use their phones today and how people will use them in the future,” Osterloh added. “As more and more features are powered by AI and ML it’s not simply about adding more computing resources, it’s about using that ML to unlock specific experiences for our Pixel users.”

    It remains to be seen if the new processor will help Google’s Pixel line grab a larger share of the market.

  • Google to Acquire Fitbit: Promises to Protect User Privacy

    Google to Acquire Fitbit: Promises to Protect User Privacy

    Google has announced a definitive deal to acquire Fitbit, a leading maker of wearable devices.

    The deal, valued at $2.1 billion, will help Google compete more aggressively with Apple in the battle over the wearable space. Wearables have increasingly become an important market for tech companies, with Apple’s record-breaking Q4 due, in no small part, to the Apple Watch. While Google has been competing in the space via their Wear OS platform, being in control of the hardware and software will give them greater freedom and flexibility.

    “Over the years, Google has made progress with partners in this space with Wear OS and Google Fit, but we see an opportunity to invest even more in Wear OS as well as introduce Made by Google wearable devices into the market,” wrote Rick Osterloh Senior Vice President, Devices & Services, in the announcement. “Fitbit has been a true pioneer in the industry and has created engaging products, experiences and a vibrant community of users. By working closely with Fitbit’s team of experts, and bringing together the best AI, software and hardware, we can help spur innovation in wearables and build products to benefit even more people around the world.”

    At the same time, Google is trying to reassure Fitbit owners that their privacy and data will be respected. Google says they will be transparent about what data is collected and how it is used, and will never sell it to third-parties. They have also committed to not using Fitbit data for Google ads. This should be reassuring for customers concerned about their data being in the hands of a company that specializes in monetizing consumer data.

    If Google is as successful with Fitbit as they have been with their line of Pixel smartphones, the battle over the wearable space promises exciting developments moving forward.