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What you need to know
- Google usually announces products in October, but the company sent out surprise invitations to a Made by Google event in August this week.
- Additionally, Google bucked a growing trend when it decided not to announce or show off new hardware at Google I/O 2024 last month.
- Google may be trying to speed up its product announcements, thwart leaks and get ahead of its competitors with an early event.
Technology product launches are, at the very least, constant. Samsung hosts biannual Galaxy Unpacked events in summer and winter, Apple makes iPhone announcements in September, and Google hosts Pixel events in October. At least, that was the release cycle until Google surprised us all by announcing a Made by Google event in mid-August. The invitations were sent earlier this weekand it is clearly the Pixel 9 Series launch event.
The media invitations explained that the Made by Google event would take place on Tuesday, August 13, at Google headquarters in Mountain View. There’s a keynote scheduled for 10 a.m. Pacific time, and then attendees will be able to try out the products. But the surprising thing has something to do with the date: Google didn’t host a Made by Google event until October 4 of last year.
Many of these devices could be announced at the Made by Google event, including up to four smartphones. Three devices from the regular Pixel 9 series could be revealed, as well as a successor to the Pixel Fold. In addition, Google could launch several variants of the Pixel Watch for the first time. If that wasn’t enough, there’s always the possibility that Google will surprise us with something else.
The Pixel tablet may need to be updated and Google hasn’t touched the Nest hardware for a while. On top of that, there are devices that rumors and leaks have suggested are ready to go, like a new version of the Chromecast with Google TV 4KThe Pixel 9 and Pixel 3 Watch The models look like virtual locks for a debut at the Made by Google event, but there could be more.
Android 15 could also be revealed further at the event, as the Pixel 9 series will be the first smartphone to ship with the updated operating system. But why does the event arrive almost two months earlier than usual? We don’t know for sure, but there are a few reasons why Google could have brought forward the launch of the Pixel 9 series.
Google did not announce hardware at Google I/O
This year, Google I/O 2024 was all about software. It’s a developer conference, but it’s the first time in a long time that there were no hardware products introduced or announced at I/O. If you recall, the Pixel tablet was unveiled at I/O 2022 and subsequently launched after I/O 2023. Google also announced the first Pixel Fold at I/O 2023.
It would make sense for Google to maintain a consistent release cycle by updating the Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet at subsequent I/O conferences. That didn’t happen this year. Instead, it’s possible that Google wants to limit major Pixel hardware launches to a single event. This could give us a reason why Google is rumored to call the Pixel Fold’s successor the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, rather than the Pixel Fold 2.
In some ways, this strategy is sound. Google’s hardware launches are scattered, with the Pixel A series, Pixel Tablet, and Pixel Fold typically launching sometime in May. Then the flagship Pixels and Pixel Watch will launch in October. This approach means that new Pixel devices are released approximately every 6 months.
August falls right in the middle of May and October, so if Google wants to consolidate its product launches, August would be the month to do it. Because of that, I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw a variety of hardware launches at the Made by Google event. If this is indeed Google’s plan, buyers could get a glimpse of the full Pixel ecosystem every summer.
Google may be getting ahead of Apple Intelligence
By moving the Made by Google event to August, Google is getting ahead of Apple’s annual September event. There’s no way to know if this was intentional or just a coincidence, but the move has clear advantages. Google was the first to make an “AI smartphone” with the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro last year, and with Apple Intelligence on the horizon, it will have to work hard to stay at the top of the mobile AI race.
Google has numerous built-in artificial intelligence functions Android 15including AI-based spam call detection and automatic theft detection. There are many more related to Gemini, Circle to Search and other features. Android 15 will be released publicly first on the Pixel 9 series, so Google could get ahead of Apple Intelligence by moving up the date of the Made by Google event.
Google could also unveil new AI features exclusive to the Pixel 9 series. It has a chance to set the bar before Apple Intelligence and the iPhone 16 series launch publicly, and that’s a big benefit of having an event in August.
Lastly, the company could try to reduce leaks by launching the Pixel 9 series earlier. The latest Pixel launches have been plagued by leaks, with almost all details about the devices being made public before they were announced. Shortening the release cycle gives leakers less time to gather information. However, this is probably the least likely of the possible reasons for the August event. Companies always try to limit leaks, but they do not usually alter their plans because of it.
Of all the possible reasons for Google to move its event to August, I think the launch schedule makes the most sense. There have been signs that Google wanted to consolidate its product launches, and no launches at I/O was a telling sign that the company is turning things around.