Skip to main content

Google will announce hardware on October 9, new Pixel phones expected

Google Pixel 2 and 2 XL
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Google’s annual hardware launch event will take place on October 9 in New York City. The company sent out invites to media (including Digital Trends) confirming the date, which had leaked in August.

The date and venue are a change of pace, considering the past two Google October events have taken place in San Francisco on October 4. The company is widely expected to launch a slew of hardware products ranging from smartphones to smart home devices.

The highlights will be the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL, successors to last year’s critically acclaimed Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL smartphones. There have been an alarmingly high number of leaks for the Pixel 3 series, and if true, we know quite a lot about the phones. It may be due to carelessness. Recently, someone left a Pixel 3 in the back of a Lyft. Separately, a group in Russia claims to have gotten its hands on a shipment of Pixel 3 XL smartphones and even posted an unboxing video, showing everything you get in the box.

The Pixel 3 XL is expected to have a notch design, where a cutout at the top of the screen houses the front-facing camera. This has garnered some criticism, as the notch on the Pixel 3 XL looks unusually large. The smaller Pixel 3 may have a more traditional design, with slimmer bezels on the top and bottom. You can learn more about the two phones in our Pixel 3 roundup.

OnLeaks/MySmartPrice

As the new Pixel 3 devices are rumored to support wireless charging, leaks suggest Google will also announce the Pixel Stand — a wireless charging dock that also turns the phone’s screen into a Smart Display for Google Assistant, similar to what Lenovo offers with its Smart Display.

Google is also rumored to be launch its own Smart Display to compete with the likes of Amazon’s Echo Show. It will essentially be a Google Home with a screen; you’ll be able to access YouTube videos with your voice thanks to Google Assistant, and make video calls with Google’s Duo app.

Other products rumored to be on the docket are two Pixelbooks, which are Chromebooks from Google running Chrome OS, and a potential followup to the Google Pixel Buds. There’s likely more Google will announce at the event that we haven’t heard much about — for example, last year Google’s Clips announcement came as a surprise.

Digital Trends will be on the scene in New York on October 9, reporting on everything Google will announce, so stay tuned.

Editors' Recommendations

Julian Chokkattu
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Julian is the mobile and wearables editor at Digital Trends, covering smartphones, fitness trackers, smartwatches, and more…
Here’s every color that will be available for the Google Pixel 8a
Google Pixel 7a in Snow leaning on lamp post.

What is there left to say about the Google Pixel 8a at this point? We've seen the phone's design in numerous renders and hands-on photos, its specs are all but confirmed, and we have a good idea of when it'll be announced. Well, one of the phone's last remaining details has now just been spoiled: the colors in which it will be available.

On April 12, Android Headlines published multiple official-looking renders of the Pixel 8a. The renders confirm the phone's design, which we've been seeing for months, including its rounded corners and dual rear cameras. For the first time, though, these new renders reveal the official colors the Pixel 8a will come in. There are apparently four to look forward to, including Obsidian, Porcelain, Bay, and Mint.

Read more
5 phones you should buy instead of the Google Pixel 8
A person holding the Google Pixel 8, showing the back of the phone.

The Google Pixel 8 is a well-received Android-based smartphone. However, there are reasons why you might not choose it and opt for something else. Perhaps its 6.2-inch display does not meet your requirements, or its camera system does not match your expectations. It could also be possible that you would prefer a phone released in 2024 instead of one launched late last year.

If you’re not interested in buying the Google Pixel 8, several alternative phones may be more suitable for your needs. For instance, the Samsung Galaxy S24 has the same-sized display as the Pixel 8 but with better internals. Alternatively, you could consider the OnePlus 12R, which offers a bigger display and better internals at a lower price. And that's just scratching the surface.

Read more
Google just released the first Android 15 beta. Here’s what’s new
The Android 15 logo on a smartphone.

Google has just released the first public beta build of Android 15, marking an end to the developer-focused test phase. The beta version’s release also means that Android 15 is finally in a state where it can be tried by the masses without people having to worry about too many bugs leaving their phone in a sorry state.

The first beta version of Android 15 doesn’t introduce a ton of new features, as most of the notable additions have already appeared in the Developer Preview builds. Google’s blog post, however, mentions the following features as the key highlights

Read more