Are we getting an early date for the Made By Google hardware event because the internet already got everything right with its rumors, stealing any element of surprise the company had planned?
The Google Pixel hardware event has an earlier due date than expected and the reasoning behind the change remains a mystery. Google’s “surprise” Pixel event, the Made By Google conference, usually takes place in October but it is scheduled for August 13 this year. With exciting hardware announcements to look forward to such as the Pixel Watch 3 launch and the Google Pixel 9, we’re not complaining about the advanced release date, however, most companies like to take their time setting up for the launch, so the early release date is surprising.
Is Google trying to get ahead of the competition with early sales or is it worried its device won’t hold up to the flagship releases later in the year? Does the early release have to do with an attempt to get ahead of the leaks or is there something more dire behind the decision? We can only guess at the tech giant’s intentions.
Image: The Pixel 8 Series by Google
Gear Up, the Google Pixel Hardware Event Is Scheduled for August 13
Google’s August 13 event came to light after the company began sending out invitations for the Made By Google experience. The invite was brief but gave its recipients a hint about what they could hope to see from the event, “You’re invited to an in-person Made by Google event where we’ll showcase the best of Google AI, Android software, and the Pixel portfolio of devices.”
Google’s decision to split its attention between the I/O developers conference and the Made By Google event isn’t surprising. Considering the extensive range of features we saw announced in terms of accessibility and AI integration, Gemini and Project Astra would have overpowered anything it had to say about its next Pixel phone.
The Google Pixel 9 launch in August has been chased by rumors ever since the Pixel 8 made its debut. Every Pixel release is preceded by quite a significant number of leaks that steal the attention away from the actual device well in advance of its release, so perhaps the company wants to get ahead of the game this time with the Google surprise Pixel event.
Where Will We See the Google Pixel Launch in August?
According to the invite, the Google Pixel hardware event will take place on August 13, 10 AM PT, at the Google Headquarters in Mountain View, California. The doors to the event open at AM and after the keynote, attendees will be able to enjoy a hands-on product experience at the invite-only event.
Fans who are unable to attend will be able to experience the keynote speech and product launches via a stream on the company’s official YouTube channel and its Store page. The immediate coverage of the Google August 13 event should also give you enough to go on if you happen to miss the live stream. We’ll have our own assessments of the announcement here once it is done.
What to Look Forward to with the Google Pixel Hardware Event?
The Google “surprise” Pixel event is not much of a surprise to be fair—a one-and-a-half-month heads-up gives users sufficient time to prepare for the launch, but the early event date brings the surprise element if nothing else does.
The contents of the Google August 13 event aren’t expected to be much of a surprise either considering we’ve already heard about the device that could dominate the showcase—the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold. The blossoming fold and flip phone category is growing in unexpected ways, and while the recent Motorola Razr Plus 2024 has made quite a successful debut in the category, a new Google Fold may just arrive to steal its thunder.
If you’re wondering what to expect from the Google Pixel hardware event, here are some of the major talking points.
Pixel 9 Series
The entire focal point of Google’s August 13 event should be the Pixel 9 series of devices. The base model of the series is often the one that sells best due to its more reasonable pricing but we’ll have to see what it has on offer this time—other than Gemini AI.
Pixel 9 Pro
The Pixel series traditionally has one base model and a Pro model. Eventually, the smaller, less powerful A-series makes a debut a few months in, just like the exceptional 8a did before the Google I/O 2024. This time, instead of just one Pro model, the Google Pixel surprise could include an additional XL model.
Pixel 9 Pro Fold or Pixel Fold 2
Google’s first attempt at a Fold phone wasn’t as well-received as the company hoped, but it may be able to turn the tide during round two. Whether the device will continue the Pixel 9 naming plan or the Fold series is still unclear, but we are certain that we’re getting a less chunky device with a more boxy camera, paired with a promise of doing better.
Google surprise Pixel event
Pixel Watch 3
The Pixel Watch 2 was able to hold its ground well enough against the Galaxy Watch 6 and the next version should be even better. The Pixel Watch series dominates the Wear OS category, which is an important demarcation of which watches do well and which don’t, but is it enough to put it above competition? We’ll have to see. The Pixel Watch 3 launch is expected to stick to its familiar round dial but a much-needed battery upgrade may be in the books.
Pixel Buds Pro 2
Many users may have forgotten that the company also makes wireless earbuds, but the Google Pixel series launch in August should serve as a good reminder. The upcoming Pixel Buds Pro 2 is also expected to get a battery boost with better active noise cancellation and support for ultra-wideband for improved Find My Device integration, however, we’ll have to wait till the keynote event to know more.
Gemini Upgrades
During the May 14 event, Google announced quite a versatile list of AI features that weren’t ready for immediate release, for example, their much-talked-about Project Astra. With the Pixel 9 series announcement, a new collection of these AI tools might drop simultaneously, some exclusives reserved for the new hardware lineup and others available with the Android 15 release.
The Google Nest series hasn’t seen a launch or any real updates for quite a while now, whether we’re talking about the Google Nest Audio which was released in October 2020, or the Nest Cam which had an August 2021 release. Even the Google Nest Mini second-gen gadget was released all the way back in 2019. The Google Pixel Tablet saw an upgrade last year so we may not be due for another upgrade just yet, but with so little to go on, the Google Pixel hardware event could encompass just about anything the company has worked on in terms of hardware.