What do you need to know
- Google usually announces products in October, but the company sent out surprise invitations to its August Made by Google event this week.
- Additionally, Google bucked a growing trend when it decided not to announce or showcase new hardware at Google I/O 2024 last month.
- Google could try to streamline its product announcements, thwart leaks and defeat competitors at first sight.
Technical product launches are nothing if not consistent. Samsung holds Galaxy Unpacked events twice a year in summer and winter, Apple announces the iPhone in September, and Google holds Pixel events in October. At least that was the launch cycle until Google surprised us all by announcing the Made by Google event in mid-August. The invites were sent out earlier this week and it’s apparently the Pixel 9 launch event.
Media invitations explained that the Made by Google event was held on Tuesday, August 13 at Google’s headquarters in Mountain View. A keynote is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. PT, after which attendees will get hands-on time with the products. But the breathtaking miracle has something to do with the date: Google did not hold the Made by Google event until October 4 last year.
Many could be announced at the Made by Google event, including up to four smartphones. Three regular Pixel 9 devices could be revealed, as well as a successor to the Pixel Fold. Additionally, Google could release multiple variants of the Pixel Watch for the first time ever. If that wasn’t enough, there’s always the possibility that Google will surprise us with something else.
The Pixel Tablet may be due for updates, and Google hasn’t touched the Nest hardware in a while. In addition, there are devices that rumors and leaks have indicated are ready for use, such as the new version of Chromecast with Google TV 4K. The Pixel 9 and Pixel Watch 3 seem like virtual locks to debut at the Made by Google event, but there could be more.
Android 15 may also be revealed at the event, as the Pixel 9 series will be the first smartphone to ship with the updated operating system. But why is the event coming almost two months earlier than usual? We don’t know for sure, but there are several reasons why Google might have jumped at the chance to launch the Pixel 9.
Google didn’t announce the 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 while that no hardware products were introduced or announced at I/O. If you recall, the Pixel Tablet was introduced at I/O 2022 and then released 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 for the Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet updates at subsequent I/O conferences. That didn’t happen this year. Instead, it’s possible that Google wants to limit the major Pixel hardware release to a single event. This could give us a reason why Google is said to be calling the successor to the Pixel Fold the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, as opposed to the Pixel Fold 2.
In a way, this strategy is correct. Google’s hardware releases are spread out, with the Pixel A series, Pixel Tablet, and Pixel Fold usually coming out sometime in May. After that, the flagship Pixels and Pixel Watch will be released in October. This approach means that new Pixel devices are released roughly every 6 months.
August is right in the middle of May and October, so if Google wants to consolidate its product releases, August would be the month to do it. As such, I wouldn’t be surprised to see different versions of the hardware at the Made by Google event. If this is indeed Google’s plan, buyers could be looking at the full Pixel ecosystem every summer.
Google may be 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 fluke, but there are clear advantages to this move. Google was the first to make an “AI smartphone” last year with the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, and with Apple Intelligence on the horizon, it will have to work hard to stay on top of the mobile AI race.
Google has a number of AI features coming with Android 15, including AI-powered spam call detection and automatic theft detection. There are tons more related to Gemini, Circle to Search, and other features. Android 15 will be the first to be publicly released on the Pixel 9 line, so Google could get ahead of Apple Intelligence by pushing the date of the Made by Google event.
Google may also introduce new AI features that are exclusive to the Pixel 9 series. It has a chance to set the bar before Apple Intelligence and the iPhone 16 series are publicly released, and that’s a huge advantage of holding the event in August.
Finally, the company could try to limit leaks by releasing the Pixel 9 series earlier. Recent Pixel releases have been ravaged by leaks, with almost all details about the devices available before they were announced. Shortening the release cycle gives leaks less time to gather information. However, this is probably the least likely of the possible reasons for the August event. Companies are always trying to contain leaks, but they usually don’t change their plans because of them.
Of all the possible reasons why Google moved its event to August, I think the release schedule makes the most sense. There were hints that Google wanted to consolidate its product releases, and the fact that they weren’t listed at I/O was a clear sign that the company was shaking things up.