what you should Know
- Google usually announces products in October, but the company sent out surprise invitations to a Made by Google event in August this week.
- Google also bucked a growing trend when it decided not to announce or demonstrate new hardware at Google I/O 2024 last month.
- Google may be trying to streamline its product announcements, thwart leaks and beat competitors with the early event.
Tech product launches are nothing if not consistent. Samsung does twice-yearly Galaxy Unpacked events in summer and winter, Apple does iPhone announcements in September, and Google does Pixel events in October. At least that was the launch cycle until Google surprised us all by announcing a Made by Google event in mid-August. The invites went out earlier this week, and it’s apparently the launch event for the Pixel 9 series.
Media invitations explained that the Made by Google event is taking place on Tuesday, August 13 at Google’s headquarters in Mountain View. The keynote is scheduled for 10am PT, and attendees will get a hands-on look at the products afterwards. But the stunner has something to do with the date: Google didn’t host a Made by Google event until October 4 last year.
A lot could be announced at the Made by Google event, including as many as four smartphones. There could be three regular Pixel 9 series devices revealed, as well as a successor to the Pixel Fold. Also, Google may release several variants of the Pixel Watch for the first time. If that’s not enough, there’s always the possibility that Google will surprise us with something else.
The Pixel tablet may need an update, and Google hasn’t touched the Nest hardware in a while. There are also devices that rumors and leaks suggest are in the works, such as a new version of Chromecast with Google TV 4K. The Pixel 9 and Pixel Watch 3 models look like virtual locks to debut at the Made by Google event, but there could be more.
Android 15 may also be further 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 held off on the Pixel 9 series.
Google didn’t announce any hardware at Google I/O
This year, Google I/O 2024 was all about software. This is a developer conference, but this is the first time in a while that no hardware products have been previewed 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 refreshing 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 releases to a single event. This could give us a reason why Google is rumored to call the successor to the Pixel Fold the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, as opposed to the Pixel Fold 2.
In a sense, this strategy makes sense. Google’s hardware releases are scattered, with the A-series Pixel, Pixel Tablet, and Pixel Fold usually coming out sometime in May. Then the flagship Pixels and Pixel Watch come out in October. This approach means there are new Pixel devices 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 if we see different hardware versions at the Made by Google event. If this is indeed Google’s plan, buyers will be able to explore the full Pixel ecosystem every summer.
Google may be ahead of Apple Intelligence
By moving the Made by Google event to August, Google is ahead of Apple’s annual event in September. There’s no way to know if this was intentional or just a coincidence, but there are clear advantages to this move. 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 on top of the mobile AI race.
Google has numerous artificial intelligence features included in Android 15, including AI-based spam call detection and automatic theft detection. There are many others that are related to Gemini, Circle to Search and other features. Android 15 will be released publicly first on the Pixel 9 series, so Google can get ahead of Apple Intelligence by moving up the date of the Made by Google event.
Google may also debut new AI features that are exclusive to the Pixel 9 series. There’s a chance to set the bar before Apple Intelligence and the iPhone 16 series are publicly released, and it’s a huge advantage to have an event in August.
Finally, the company could try to cut down on leaks by releasing the Pixel 9 series earlier. Recent Pixel releases have been ravaged by leaks, with almost all details about the devices becoming available before they are announced. Shortening the release cycle gives expiring agents less time to gather information. However, this is perhaps the least likely of the possible causes for the August event. Companies always try to limit leaks, but they usually don’t change their plans because of them.
Of all the potential reasons for Google to move its event to August, I think the release schedule makes the most sense. There were hints that Google wanted to consolidate its product launches, and the lack of I/O launches was a telltale sign that the company was shaking things up.
