Google unveiled a slew of new products that range from smartphones to VR viewers at its Oct. 4 event, and as many may have noticed, some of them look a bit familiar to the iPhone, Samsung Gear VR and Amazon Echo.
Just to be clear on that, the hardware in question are the Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones, the Daydream View VR headset and the Google Home smart speaker.
That shouldn't come as much of a surprise, as virtually any company would probably find it a good idea to have its own offerings enter the fray of each lucrative category in the tech industry.
In other words, nobody is at fault when a firm rolls out something similar to something else that another one already has in store, just like what the YI 4K is to the GoPro or what Apple's iCloud Drive is to Dropbox — that is, if they're not infringing copyright.
Pixel And Pixel XL vs. iPhone
First up, the Pixel and Pixel XL are some of the new flagships on the block, taking the place of the Nexus lineup. At first glance, they're awfully reminiscent of the iPhone design-wise — to be exact, the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.
It's probably unfair to compare Apple's last-generation devices with Google's new smartphones, which are essentially in the same playing field as the Galaxy S7 and iPhone 7 except in the waterproofing department.
Considering that the A9 processor isn't that far off from the Snapdragon 820 in terms of performance and that the new Snapdragon 821 didn't really get much of a boost, the Pixel and Pixel XL shouldn't have a big advantage, but they do come out on top with 4 GB of RAM instead of the 2 GB configuration of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.
However, more than that, the two are expected to get amazing software support, and that's because it's Google that's running the show behind the two.
Daydream View vs. Gear VR
Samsung found great success with the Gear VR, conquering the mobile VR headset scene. On the other hand, Google had the Cardboard to fire up the market for such products, now following it up with Daydream View.
The obvious advantage of the Mountain View company's offering is that it supports smartphones from other brands, unlike the South Korean maker's headset that's limited to the Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge, Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 edge, Note 5 and Note 7 in compatibility.
On top of that, it has a nifty controller that's equipped with internal motion sensors, a clickable trackpad and volume controls on the side, complete with a home button and an app button.
Last but not least, Daydream View is partly washable, as it's made out of a mix of fabric and plastic.
Google Home vs. Echo
Google Home and Amazon Echo are more or less the same: They play music, and they respond to voice commands. Of course, the difference is that the former has Google Assistant, while the latter has Alexa, arguably one of the most popular virtual assistants among the current brood.
It's going to be difficult to topple Echo off its spot, but Google Home has a fighting chance with its software and search capability.
The Bottom Line
For clarity's sake, this isn't chastising Google in any way. It's just a simple comparison of what the Mountain View company brought to the table against the products that have been dominating certain market segments.
At any rate, what do you think of the Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones, Daydream View and Google Home? Hit us up in the comments section below and let us know.
