The Multi-Device Reality Reshaping Ambient Computing

Google’s recent hardware showcase revealed a fundamental shift in how technology companies approach AI integration. Rather than pursuing the mythical all-in-one device, Google is betting on something far more complex: an interconnected web of AI-powered gadgets working in concert to create truly ambient computing experiences.

At Brooklyn Navy Yard’s Made by Google event, the company unveiled four phones, a smartwatch, and earbuds—not as standalone products, but as components of a larger AI ecosystem. This approach signals a departure from the traditional tech narrative of device consolidation toward something more nuanced and potentially more invasive.

Beyond the Quantified Self: Wearables as AI Command Centers

The wearable technology sector has undergone a profound transformation. What began as simple step counters and heart rate monitors has evolved into sophisticated AI processing centers. Sandeep Waraich, Google’s product lead for Pixel wearables, explains this evolution: “The first 15 years of wearables were very much, ‘gather data, the quantified self.’ That’s where Fitbit started. It was episodic data and that’s fast moving to continuous insights because data only goes so far. It’s moving from highly generic to something very personal.”

This shift represents more than incremental improvement. Wearables now serve as the most reliable data collection points in our computing ecosystem. Unlike smartphones, which can be forgotten, misplaced, or powered down, wearables maintain what Waraich calls “guaranteed on-body presence.” For AI systems requiring comprehensive personal data to function effectively, this constant connection proves invaluable.

The Spaghetti Stage of AI Hardware Development

The current AI hardware landscape resembles what industry insiders call the “spaghetti stage”—a period of experimental chaos where multiple approaches compete without clear winners. Companies are testing everything from always-listening life recorders to multimodal smart glasses, each claiming to have discovered the optimal AI interface.

Meta pursues smart glasses as the ultimate AI gateway. Other companies develop ambient recording devices designed to serve as external memory systems. Meanwhile, secretive projects from high-profile collaborators like Jony Ive and Sam Altman remain deliberately vague, acknowledging that the winning formula remains unknown.

Rishi Chandra, Google’s VP of Fitbit and Health, embraces this uncertainty: “Any religion you have now is probably premature. There’s no doubt in my mind, there’s going to be new form factors that will exist. But I think it’s too early to have conviction. What’s interesting is the AI is moving so fast that any point of view you have on the hardware could change very quickly.”

Google’s Ecosystem Strategy: Maximizing Existing Devices

Rather than betting on a single revolutionary device, Google adopts a portfolio approach. The strategy involves two complementary elements: encouraging experimentation with new form factors while maximizing the potential of existing devices.

This philosophy manifests in Android XR, Google’s emerging platform for smart glasses, and in the company’s broader push to embed Gemini AI across its entire hardware lineup. The goal isn’t to create one perfect device but to develop “a very diverse set of accessories that people may choose to have that work for them, that’s personalized for them, in their environment and what they care about,” as Chandra explains.

Ambient Computing Through Device Orchestration

Google’s vision extends beyond individual gadgets to orchestrated ambient computing experiences. In this future scenario, AI-enabled devices communicate seamlessly to anticipate and respond to user needs. A smartphone detecting a migraine-related text message might signal smart lighting systems to automatically adjust room ambiance.

This interconnected approach requires devices that “speak a common language”—precisely where Gemini AI enters as the unifying platform. By positioning Gemini as the ecosystem’s connective tissue, Google potentially creates compelling reasons for users to remain within its hardware family, similar to how iMessage creates iOS loyalty through blue versus green bubble distinctions.

The Smartphone Plateau and Hardware Diversification

The smartphone market’s maturation drives much of this strategic shift. After nearly two decades of innovation, smartphones have achieved commodity status—functional but no longer inspiring. Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg captured this sentiment by declaring that the “exciting times are over,” noting that consumers now typically retain phones for three years or longer.

This upgrade cycle stagnation forces technology companies to seek revenue growth elsewhere. AI-powered wearables and accessories represent new product categories with higher engagement potential and shorter replacement cycles than smartphones.

The Contradiction of Simplification Through Multiplication

Google executives frame their AI ecosystem as a tool for simplifying users’ lives and reclaiming their time. However, this promise creates an apparent contradiction: how does adding more AI-enabled devices reduce technological complexity and fatigue?

The answer lies in Google’s interpretation of ambient computing. Rather than reducing device count, the strategy aims to make technology interactions more seamless and less demanding of conscious attention. Success requires near-perfect device coordination and AI accuracy—technical challenges that remain largely unproven at scale.

Market Convergence Around AI Wearables

The broader technology industry shows similar convergence around AI-enabled wearables. Smart rings gain consumer traction while Meta achieves hardware success with AI glasses after years of metaverse-focused failures. This parallel development suggests industry-wide recognition that wearable AI represents the next significant computing platform transition.

The Pixel 10 and Pixel Watch 4 are two devices perfectly illustrating this trend with what industry observers describe as “opinionated” design choices that prioritize AI integration over incremental hardware improvements.

The Future of Interconnected Intelligence

Google’s ecosystem approach reflects a fundamental belief that ambient computing requires device diversity rather than consolidation. This vision promises more personalized, proactive technology experiences but demands unprecedented levels of personal data sharing and cross-device coordination.

Whether this multiplication of AI-powered gadgets ultimately simplifies or complicates digital life remains the central question facing both consumers and the technology industry. The answer will likely determine which companies successfully navigate the transition from smartphone-centric to ecosystem-centric computing.

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Sources: TheVerge, Google

Written by Alius Noreika