GOOG Alphabet Inc

Google on Wednesday revealed new products and software that uses machine learning to help users better perform simple tasks, access information and entertainment, and communicate with others.

Among the specific items unveiled at the company's 10th annual conference for developers was an updated Android system, a new Watch and a virtual-reality platform.

At the start of the conference, Chief Executive Sundar Pichai revealed new products and services that use smarter software to make decisions rather than follow instructions, part of a major push into artificial intelligence that he said would define the tech giant over the next decade.

Google, a unit of Alphabet Inc., said it would soon start selling a device called Home that will answer users' questions and complete tasks for them, like scheduling appointments, playing music and sending emails. The device resembles Amazon.com Inc.'s popular Echo device.

"We think of it as a conversational assistant," Mr. Pichai told attendees at Google's annual developers' conference, held at an outdoor concert venue near its Mountain View, Calif., headquarters. "We want users to have an ongoing dialogue with Google."

Artificial intelligence is one of the hottest technologies in Silicon Valley, where executives and engineers say it can enable computers to make inferences and decisions, versus simply following instructions programmed into them.

Google also said it would launch a new messaging app, called Allo, that would incorporate some of the same underlying technology as Home to create smarter conversations. Google has lagged behind others in messaging, including rival Facebook Inc.'s two messaging apps, Messenger and WhatsApp.

Allo can learn your texting patterns over time, to make conversations more expressive and productive. It suggests automatic replies to incoming messages—even if someone sends a photo. In addition, there is a "whisper and shout" feature that lets you use a slider to make text giant or tiny.

Duo, a simple one-to-one video chat app, also have end-to-end encryption. Like Allo, it is based on your phone number rather than an account, so it is easy to connect with other people. Duo's unique feature is "knock knock," which allows you to see a live view of who's calling before you pick up.

Google says Duo will be able to switch between Wi-Fi and cellular, without compromised performance. The Duo app for iOS will compete directly with Apple's FaceTime on iPhones.

In addition, Google said it planned to release an operating system for virtual reality, called Daydream, in the fall. The company said it would offer a "reference design" that other manufacturers could use to make virtual-reality headsets that will use Daydream.

Google hopes Daydream will make it a central player in the evolution of virtual reality, which many in Silicon Valley believe will be an important arena for computing. Google said Daydream also will give developers of virtual-reality programs a common system on which to create games and experiences for a variety of headsets.

Google is already a prolific maker of virtual-reality headsets, with its Cardboard offering that uses a smartphone as a screen and costs $20. Google's push into virtual reality will intensify its competition with Facebook, which paid $2 billion for virtual-reality firm Oculus VR in 2014.

Write to Jack Nicas at jack.nicas@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 18, 2016 15:25 ET (19:25 GMT)

Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2024 to Apr 2024

Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2023 to Apr 2024