Thursday, March 28, 2024

Live updates: The Pixel 4 Made by Google event as it happens

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Google will take to the stage on Tuesday to announce a ton of new products, most notably the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL smartphones — at its Made by Google event on Tuesday and you can get the latest updates live right here.

We’ve written an exhaustive list of what we can expect to see, as well as how you can watch it live. But for those who can’t watch the event’s livestream — or just want an occasional update — we’ll have all of Google’s Pixel event product announcements here, as well as links to where you can find out more information about specific products.

The Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL

Google’s teased us with sneaky renders and leaks abound, and when time came to finally reveal the new Pixel 4 range, Google didn’t disappoint. Google’s incredible Project Soli chip takes pride of place at the top of the Pixel 4, and it powers the incredible new Motion Sense. It’s essentially radar, and it’s intended to make using your phone much easier. It’s the Project Soli chip that powers Google’s new facial recognition software — which is the fastest around. You’ll also be able to use it to control your phone without touching it — like swiping to silence an incoming call.

The Pixel 4’s display is pretty special too. It’s been awarded a top A+ rating, while also packing a 90Hz refresh rate. Display size is one of the few things to separate the two phones, with the Pixel 4 XL’s 6.2-inch feeling substantially larger than the Pixel 4’s 5.7-inch screen. It’s the same display tech though, so you’ll benefit from the stunningly smooth 90Hz refresh rate and sumptuous vibrancy of an OLED panel on both.

The camera has been given a huge upgrade too. Google has added another lens to the Pixel 4, adding a 2-times telephoto lens to its standard 12-megapixel lens. That telephoto lens works with Google’s Super Res Zoom to create a zoom function that’s particularly impressive. Google’s HDR+ is getting an upgrade, and the Pixel 4 will use machine learning to ensure what you see in the viewfinder is what you’ll get from HDR+ — something that’s never been possible before.

The Google Pixel 4 is available for pre-order today, and will release on October 24. It starts at $799.

Read more about the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL

New Google Assistant

The new Google Assistant on Pixel 4 isn’t just about telling you the temperature any more — it can actually control your phone too. We watched as the Google Assistant was used to open a specific Twitter page, look up concert dates, and share that information with a friend.

There’s also a new Recorder app. It’s not just any recording app though — it automatically transcribes whatever you’re listening to, and adds all of that data to a searchable database. So you can dive in wherever you need to. Best of all, all of that happens without sending data to the cloud.

Nest Home

Google has heard the outcry against the privacy issues, so it’s pushing out a series of updates that will tighten up the privacy and security around your Nest devices. It’ll now also be easier to move content between Nest devices.

But that wasn’t all it had to show off. The new Nest Mini was shown off. It looks — er — just like the old Google Home Mini. But there are some updates. There’s now a wall mount, and it comes with an additional third microphone, and 2-times stronger bass. It now also has a dedicated processor, so the Nest Mini will no longer need to send data to the cloud for processing — reducing lag significantly. It’s available for pre-order from today in 23 countries, will launch on October 22, and will cost just $49.

Google also created Nest Aware — a new subscription service that will cost you $6/month. This new service allows you to keep a close eye on your home, and will alert you if a speaker hears something out of the ordinary — like a smoke alarm.

Google also unveiled a new Nest WiFi system, comprised of the Nest WiFi and a series of signal “bouncers” — that also function as smart speakers. With a sleek design, it’s intended to be kept out in the open, not cooped up inside a cupboard.

Read more about the Nest Mini and Nest WiFi

Pixelbook Go

Google wanted to create a thin, light laptop with an unbeatable battery life — and it thinks it’s managed it with the Pixelbook Go. It’s just 13mm thick and barely 2 pounds in weight — and to make sure it doesn’t float away, it has a rugged, rippled effect on the bottom of the device. The keyboard will come with “hush keys” — which will be super quiet.

The Pixelbook Go will be available from just $649.

Read more about the Pixelbook Go

Pixel Buds

The new Pixel Buds was the next new item on the list. The new Pixel Buds boast boosted signal strength, with a Bluetooth connection that can be used from across a football field — though we’re not sure you should be listening to your “Best of Disney” playlist while on the pitch.

The battery life has been improved too. The Pixel Buds have a 5 hour battery life, with up to 24 hours available when paired with the charging case. The new design is flush with your ear, reducing the uncomfortable feel of earphones. A hole allows through ambient noise, so you can be aware of ambient noise around you. Directional microphones make sure you can be heard on the phone, and while using the Google Assistant.

The Pixel Buds will be available in early 2020.

Read more about the new Pixel Buds

Google Stadia Cloud Gaming

Google kicked off the event by talking about ambient computing — but the big news was the reveal of a release date for Google Stadia. Starting November 19, you’ll be able to try out Google’s vision of cloud gaming from a number of Google devices. That includes the Google Pixel, which was confirmed to be the first phone to support Google Stadia. It was unclear whether this reference was to the as-of-yet unannounced Google Pixel 4, or the Pixel 3 as well.

The Google Stadia controller also got some screen time. Google went back to basics when designing the controller, searching far and wide to find inspiration for the controller. Finally, it found it — the humble round handle you’ll find on a professional kitchen knife. We’ll have to see how it feels when we try it out.

Read more about Google Stadia

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