SAN FRANCISCO—I have touched the new Pixel phone. It’s tough to write about Google’s new smartphones because, well, it’s not about the hardware. The phones are delivery mechanisms for Google’s software and AI algorithms, and none of that is really done yet.

The hardware is fine. The Pixel 2 XL, with its slimmer bezels and 18:9 screen, looks more modern than the Pixel 2. In fact, the most striking thing about Google’s hardware is the decision to make two completely different phones.