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Made by Google 2024: Pixel 9, Gemini, a new foldable and other things to expect from the event | TechCrunch

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Made by Google 2024: Pixel 9, Gemini, a new foldable and other things to expect from the event | TechCrunch

Google’s next big hardware event is set for August 13 at 10 a.m. PT. That’s roughly a two-month head start for the Made By Google event, which has traditionally occurred mid-fall. It also, notably, will find the company announcing its latest flagship, the Pixel 9, ahead of the iPhone 16. Apple’s latest is set for a September announcement.

Google hasn’t given justification for the shuffle. Perhaps things will be too noisy less than a month ahead of what has already become the most bizarre presidential election in modern U.S. history. The company also no doubt has a lot to discuss on the Gemini front. The new devices will almost certainly debut key new generative AI features ahead of the rest of the Android field.

One tradition Google’s stuck with this year is the pre-event device reveal. The move inevitably sucks some of the oxygen out of the room before the big event, but it’s proven an effective way to generate excitement during the summer consumer electronics doldrums. Earlier this week, Google showed off two new devices: the Pixel 9 Pro and the Pixel 9 Fold, the line’s most premium entries.

Phones built for “the Gemini era”

Image Credits: Google

Both carry the tagline “A (foldable) phone built for the Gemini era,” setting the stage for the latest in a long line of AI-themed tech events. Gemini took center stage at Google I/O back in May, though the developer-focused event saw much more news focused on laying the groundwork for the company’s AI ambitions.

In fact, Google made a conscious attempt to distance its consumer hardware offerings from the developer conference, announcing the budget-focused Pixel 8a days ahead of the event. Notably, the most intriguing consumer-facing Android AI feature this year didn’t debut on a Pixel device at all. Circle to Search arrived first on Samsung’s Galaxy S24 back in January.  

Apple made its own AI splash at WWDC in June with the launch of Apple Intelligence. Cupertino doesn’t have the same generative AI firepower as Google or OpenAI, which is precisely why it’s opened itself up to partnerships with both.

Apple’s approach to the category is small scale, performing as much as possible on-device. Google has taken its own steps in that direction with Gemini Nano. The significantly smaller model arrived on Pixel 8 devices via a feature drop just last month.

In recent years, Google has been clear about its ambitions to grow the Pixel line beyond its long-standing second-fiddle position in the Android market. The company has been producing in-house mobile chips for several device generations now. Coupled with all of the R&D that’s been pumped into Gemini, could this be the moment Pixel finally breaks away?

Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro Fold

The Pixel 9 Pro was one of two teaser videos released by the company earlier this week. Unsurprisingly, Gemini got significantly more screen time than the hardware. Twenty of the video’s 30 seconds are devoted to asking the GenAI to write a “breakup letter” for an old phone, in favor of “something magical.”

That thing is, you guessed it, the Pixel 9 Pro, which rotates 180 degrees to reveal the camera bar to end all camera bars. Google has baked the camera bar into the Pixel’s design language, but this pronounced visor is enough to make Cyclops blush. The bar no longer runs the length of the device’s back, but the camera bump now juts out at a sharper angle.

The video for Google’s latest foldable is virtually identical, though here the screen opens to reveal the words “Oh hi, AI,” before closing to showcase the device’s back. The design language on the camera bump is similar, though the foldable’s is off-center and features stacked lenses.

Google’s decision to go with “Pixel 9 Pro Fold,” rather than, say, the Pixel Fold 2, seems to signal a deeper integration into the base Pixel line. The company may ultimately opt to position the Pro Fold as the true premium device in the line. Even with the $100 price increase that came with last year’s Pixel 8 release, the line has undercut the likes of Samsung and Apple.

The company ultimately threw caution to the wind with the first Pixel Fold, which arrived last summer with a beefy $1,799 price tag. The starting price has since come down significantly, however. You can pick one up directly from Google for $1,300. You’d be advised to wait a few weeks, though, to see what Made by Google has in store.

Google is expected to announce four Pixel devices: the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL and Pixel 9 Pro Premium. All of the devices should sport the company’s latest in-house chip, the Tensor G4 and run Android 15.

Android 15

The latest beta of Android 14 (beta 4) dropped just last week. While I/O previewed some features, you’ll have to wait until the August 13 event for its final release. Code-named “Vanilla Ice Cream” (those delightful dessert names are still used internally), the latest version of the mobile operating system will bring new features and UI tweaks.

Already announced marquee features include improved multitasking and satellite connectivity. Private Space, meanwhile, is a kind of on-device incognito mode, which brings added authentication requirements for sensitive info. An improved Doze mode, meanwhile, should improve device battery life.

What about Assistant?

The question of Google Assistant’s fate has loomed large over the last several Gemini updates. It’s clear that Google ultimately wants its in-house GenAI to take over Android’s most pressing tasks, but it remains to be seen whether that means replacing Assistant outright or reinforcing it the way Apple has with Siri.

Users can currently rely on Gemini as their primary assistant, if they choose, though Google ultimately did the right thing and held off replacing Assistant outright.

Assistant played a more central role in previous years’ Made by Google events, owing to the inclusion of Google Home/Nest announcements. As excitement around smart home devices has waned, however, the company has taken its foot off the gas. Perhaps Gemini’s arrival can breathe some much-needed life back into the space.

The Pixel Watch 3 and Pixel Buds Pro 2

woman wearing Google Pixel Watch
Image Credits: Google

The smart home category may have cooled, but Google has been plenty bullish on wearables since its 2020 Fitbit acquisition. The Pixel Watch 3 appears destined to get some stage time at the August 13 event. Ditto for Pixel Buds Pro 2.

Made by Google kicks off at 10 a.m. PT on August 13. Stay tuned for more info.

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