Google’s annual hardware event is almost here. While the company usually unveils the new Pixel sometime in mid-October, this year it’s doing so a little early — in fact, it has already sent out invitations for an event on September 30.
The virtual event is set to be where the company unveils the latest and greatest Pixel phones, along with a new Nest smart speaker and a new Chromecast. Rumors about all three of those products have been floating around for some time now — meaning that we already have a pretty good idea of what to expect.
Excited for the Google Pixel event? So are we. Here’s everything we know about it so far.
Google Pixel 5
The Pixel series is usually the star of the show at Google’s hardware events, and this year is likely to be no different. Google itself has been teasing the Pixel 5 for some time now, and combined with the series of leaks, we think we know pretty much everything there is to know about the phone at this point.
Notable features include a new design with an edge-to-edge display and a hole-punch cutout for the front-facing camera in the top left of the display. Like last year, the display is likely to offer a 90Hz refresh rate, which should make for smooth animations. Unlike last year, however, Google may move back to a fingerprint sensor — with most leaks suggesting that the phone will have a rear-mounted sensor.
Under the hood, Google may take a slightly different approach to its flagship phone. Notably, the device will likely have a Snapdragon 765G processor, instead of the flagship Snapdragon 865 that replaced the chip found in the Pixel 4. That will make it a little less powerful than it otherwise would be, but hopefully it’ll also make for a lower price tag. The phone should also offer 5G support, along with the smooth Android experience that users know and love.
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Google Nest Home
Google may also finally refresh its flagship smart speaker. The Google Home has been a go-to speaker for Assistant fans since 2016, during which time Google has moved its smart speaker lineup to the Nest brand. The expected Google Nest Home has been teased by Google in photos, and will feature a standing rectangular design. It may end up being relatively large too — with the speaker likely to sit in at a hefty 8.6 inches tall. According to leaks, the Nest Home will also boast a microphone mute button.
Hopefully, the new speaker will offer other improvements too. Notably, we’d like to see audio enhancements, but we’ll have to wait and see if it actually offers any.
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Google Chromecast with Android TV
Google is even expected to launch a new Chromecast at its event — but this Chromecast will be a little different than previous-generation models. That’s because the device will likely have the Android TV operating system built right into it, and come with a remote that you can use to control the interface. Rumor has it that the device will come at an incredibly affordable $50 or $60, and will support 4K video.
Without actually having an operating system built in, Chromecast devices could previously only show content from a phone or computer. We’ll have to wait and see just how powerful the new device is, especially considering the fact that Android TV is a notoriously heavy operating system compared to the likes of Roku.
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Google Pixel 4a 5G
Google has already announced the Pixel 4a, and alongside that release the company also noted that it was launching a 5G variant of the phone — to be called the Pixel 4a 5G. The phone is likely to offer a similar design to the Pixel 4a, along with a Snapdragon 765G processor and 5G support. If that sounds similar to the Pixel 5, it is — but the Pixel 4a 5G won’t offer the same 90Hz refresh rate, and likely won’t have as much RAM either. Google has announced that the Pixel 4a 5G will cost $499.
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