Google is betting on its software portfolio and market localisation to convince Asia-Pacific consumers they need its latest smartphones, Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL. Available from November 1 in five markets in this region, including Singapore, Japan, and Taiwan, the third iteration of Google's smartphones showcase tighter integration with the vendor's applications--in particular, those powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, such as Google Lens. Mobile devices increasingly would be integrated with machine learning and AI technologies, so consumers could get the most use out of these devices, said Dan Saunders, global director for Google Pixel, who was in Singapore for the official launch event Wednesday. "And key to this is to be able to anticipate the needs of users at any point in time," Saunders said in an interview with ZDNet, on the sidelines of the launch. For instance, the phone will switch to a different mode when it is docked on the new wireless charging pad, Pixel Stand, becoming a digital photo frame and triggering the "sunrise alarm" feature, which gradually brightens the screen to wake the user.