Google launches new phones

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct 5 (Reuters): Alphabet Inc's Google on Wednesday unveiled the second generation of its Pixel smartphone along with new voice-enabled home speakers, redoubling its commitment to the hardware business as it competes with a surge of devices from Apple Inc and Amazon.com Inc.

Google's new products, including a Pixelbook laptop, wireless earbuds and a small GoPro-like camera, showcase Google-developed operating systems and services, notably the voice assistant.

That means usage of those devices should stoke the company's core ad sales business as buyers of the hardware use Google services like search and maps.

Speaking at the launch in San Francisco, Google hardware chief Rick Osterloh said the new products "perfectly demonstrate our strategy of re-imagining hardware from the inside out."

The Pixel 2 smartphone comes in two sizes, with comparable features, including aluminum bodies and no traditional jacks for headphones.

Prices for the base model start at $649, while the high-end version starts at $849. The phones will be available Oct. 19.

The Pixel phones lack the brand lustre and market share of similarly priced smartphones such as the Apple iPhone or Samsung Electronics Co's Galaxy S and Galaxy Note smartphones.