This Google smartphone aims to beat Apple at its own game

In a bid to topple Apple's reign over the smartphone market, Google announced its Pixel and Pixel XL phones on Tuesday:

Google is clearly staking itself out as the shiny new alternative to the iPhone (although yes, the Pixel phones will feature a headphone jack). The Pixel is the first smartphone to be entirely designed by Google and it features a camera with what the company boasts is "the shortest capture time on any mobile camera ever." The Pixel also comes with free unlimited storage for full-resolution photos, The Verge reports.

There are plenty of other cool features, too. Pixel features a super-fast charge, giving users seven hours of power in just 15 minutes of being plugged in, and the phone also includes 24-hour live help and can show tech support exactly what's happening on your screen so they can better assist you in troubleshooting. The Pixels will come ready for "mobile virtual reality," with the phones fitting into Google's forthcoming Daydream virtual reality headset. Google is also pretty proud of its alternative to Siri, Google Assistant: "Assistant will help users operate within a 'personal Google' that understands context unique to each individual. This means you can quickly pull up local sports scores, your own bike-lock combinations, and other specialized features," Engadget reports.

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The least expensive smartphone model is the 5-inch Pixel, which costs $649. Prices run up to $869 for the XL model.