Google has held its annual hardware event. Rumors about the event have been floating around for months — and it turns out that they were pretty much all true.
At the event, Google launched the new Pixel 5, Pixel 4a 5G, a new Chromecast with the newly rebranded Google TV operating system built-in, and a refresh for the Google Home speaker, called the Google Nest Audio.
Interested in learning more? Here’s a rundown of everything Google announced at its latest hardware event.
Google Pixel 5
Rumors about the Google Pixel 5 have been circulating for months, and it turns out they’re … all true. The Pixel 5 offers a design that’s very similar to the Pixel 4a, with an edge-to-edge display and a dual-sensor camera on the back, along with a fingerprint sensor.
Thankfully, there are some flagship features on offer. Notably, the device has a 90Hz display, which should make for an ultra-responsive feel. And, as you would expect in 2020, the Pixel 5 has 5G support. Google says the device will get three years of Android updates. Unlike the Pixel 4a 5G, the device also offers wireless charging, 8GB of RAM, and a 90Hz refresh rate.
Under the hood, Google is taking a slightly different approach to its flagship phone. While the Pixel 4 offers a Snapdragon 855 processor, the Pixel 5 has a Snapdragon 765G. For most uses, the overall experience with the lower-end chipset will be very similar, and it’s a solid trade-off considering the device comes at only $699.
Read more about the Google Pixel 5
Google Pixel 4a 5G
The Google Pixel 4a was released in August, but there’s another variant of the ultra inexpensive device, too. The new Google Pixel 4a 5G offers a nice 6.2-inch edge-to-edge display, along with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor, 6GB of RAM, and 5G support, as the name suggests. It also comes with three years of Android updates, like the Pixel 5. The device is only available with 128GB of storage — though that should be enough for most.
Even the camera experience is the same between this phone and the Pixel 5. You’ll get the same 12-megapixel main sensor and 16-megapixel ultrawide sensor, along with the new camera features like the ability to tweak background lighting.
So what’s the difference between this phone and the Pixel 5? Well, there’s no 90Hz refresh rate, and the device has less RAM, too. It also doesn’t offer any water-resistance, nor does it have wireless charging. Not having those features makes for a much cheaper phone — it comes in at $499. That’s pretty excellent value for money, especially because of the fact that it comes with extras like 100GB of Google One, and three months of Stadia.
Read more about the Google Pixel 4a
Google Nest Audio
After four years, Google is finally refreshing the Google Home smart speaker. The newly named Google Nest Audio offers a major design change, boasting a rectangular design with four LED lights to indicate the status of Google Assistant on the front.
The Nest Audio is built around offering a great audio experience. According to the company, the speaker offers more bass, more volume, and a more natural sound. In fact, it apparently offers 50% more bass than the original Google Home, thanks to the 75mm woofer that’s built into the new device.
The device is being built sustainably, too. It’s built with 75% recycled material, including the fabric covering on the outside. Perhaps the best thing about the device is the price — it’s available for a relatively inexpensive $99, which puts it on par with the new Amazon Echo.
Read more about the Google Nest Audio
Chromecast with Google TV
The Google Chromecast has long been a great way to beam content to your TV — but this year, the device is getting a little smarter. Google has built Google TV straight into the latest Chromecast, meaning that you can install and use your favorite smart TV apps straight from the device itself.
The Chromecast isn’t expensive either — it comes in at only $50, making the smart TV operating system more accessible than ever. And, as you would expect from a smart TV device like this, it comes with a remote to control the interface, and supports Google Assistant. It also has quick access buttons for Netflix and YouTube.
Read more about the Google Chromecast with Google TV
Google TV
Google is rebranding Android TV — to Google TV. The newly minted operating system offers a design refresh compared to Android TV, and is built around organizing your content for you and helping you find the content you want to watch quickly, without that content needing to be separated by service. Google TV also has a new so-called Watch List, which you can add content to from your other devices, and it has an Ambient Mode that can show photos.
