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

by with No Comment Tech

Sundar Pichai onstage at Google IO

Image Credits: Google

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. In July, Google showed off two new devices: the Pixel 9 Pro and the Pixel 9 Fold, the line’s most premium entries.

And on Tuesday, the company revealed a refresh to the device that gave Nest its name: The Nest Learning Thermostat 4, which comes 13 years after the release of the original and nearly a decade after the release of the Thermostat 3. The company also unveiled its latest set-top streaming box, called Google TV Streamer, and announced that Google Assistant is here to stay — at least for now.

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.

Google begins shipping locally made Pixel 8 in India ahead of Pixel 9 launch

by with No Comment Tech

Google Pixel 8 on a fabric surface, showing the back of the smartphone

Image Credits: Darrell Etherington

Google has announced the rollout of its locally produced Pixel 8 devices in India, nearly 10 months after revealing its domestic manufacturing plans for the devices, and immediately ahead of the expected Pixel 9 unveiling later this week.

The Android maker confirmed to TechCrunch that the local manufacturing is currently limited to the Pixel 8 and does not include the Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel 8a.

In October, Google announced plans to assemble the Pixel smartphone lineup in India to expand its presence in the Indian smartphone market, the world’s second-biggest after China, and to bet on India’s growing manufacturing footprint.

On Monday, Google announced its follow-up and said the first batch of the Made-in-India Pixel 8 devices had started rolling off the production lines.

Google has not yet disclosed its local manufacturing partners. However, sources confirmed to TechCrunch that Google’s global manufacturing partner, Compal, has initially partnered with India’s Dixon Technologies to assemble the Pixel 8 models locally in the country. Dixon managing director Atul B Lall also confirmed its partnership with Compal during July’s earnings call, without disclosing further details.

New Delhi has been pushing global electronics brands to produce devices locally in India to compete with China and other manufacturing hubs worldwide. The Indian government has allocated billions of dollars in incentives to offer cashbacks and subsidies to companies taking the local production route.

As much as 99.2% of the domestic mobile phone demand has already been met by locally manufactured devices, according to industry shared by the minister of state for electronics and information technology, Jitin Prasada, in the Indian parliament last week. The country has seen a whopping 8,138% increase in local production of mobile phones to $50 billion worth in the financial year 2023-24, up from $2.25 billion in 2014-15. Similarly, locally made mobile phone exports have grown to $15.37 billion in 2023-24 from $186.54 million in 2014-15.

Alongside Google, Apple and Samsung produce their devices in India, which they sell locally and export to various emerging markets. Chinese companies, including Xiaomi and Oppo, also have domestic production in the country to fulfill local demand. However, the export share of these companies has not been significant so far.

Google is hosting its hardware event on Tuesday, at which it is expected to unveil the Pixel 9 series, Pixel 9 Pro Fold and Pixel Watch 3. The company will also likely talk about its Gemini AI upgrades specifically for mobile devices.

Pixel phones get an AI-powered weather app

by with No Comment Tech

Image Credits: Google

Alongside the launch of new Pixel devices, the Pixel phone lineup is getting its own new weather app, powered by AI. Introduced Tuesday at the Made by Google 2024 event, the tech giant briefly showed off the app, which offers a custom AI weather report created by Gemini Nano — Google’s AI model designed for running on mobile devices.

With the new app, users “won’t have to scroll through a bunch of numbers to get a sense of the day’s weather,” the tech company touted. Instead, users will be able to customize the app based on what sort of weather information they want to see. For example, you could opt to keep an eye on the UV index by dragging and dropping that tile to a more visible location in the app.

The app also includes a dynamic design with a colorful background, an “AI weather report,” daily and hourly forecasts, and other standard weather app features.

The news of the app had leaked ahead of today’s event, showing off features like moveable tiles for humidity, wind speed, air pressure, and other items, except for the 10-day forecast.

Image Credits: Google

Google says the Pixel Weather app will ship on all of its new Pixel 9 smartphones, including the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL, as well as the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

Pixel Watch 3 adds a life-saving 'loss of pulse' detection feature

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Pixel Watch 3

Image Credits: Google

With the introduction of the Pixel Watch 3 smartwatches, which now come in two sizes, Google is also introducing a new, potentially life-saving feature: loss of pulse detection. At the Made by Google 2024 event Tuesday, the company announced the watch’s added ability to sense this particular health emergency alongside other new tools and features, like a “readiness” score for training, a cardio load score and personalized daily target load, which combines the former and the latter metrics to show how much intensity you can handle each day.

However, the more compelling addition, including for non-athletes, is the loss of pulse detection feature.

According to Google, a loss of pulse is a health event that could happen to anyone and refers to when the heart is “not beating in a life-sustaining fashion.” This could be caused by a variety of health conditions, including cardiac arrest, respiratory failure, circulatory failure, an overdose, poisoning and more.

The company pointed out that, today, we have the infrastructure in place to get people medical help as quickly as possible, but it’s all predicated on the idea that someone will be there to make a call to emergency medical services on your behalf. But many health emergencies happen when you’re alone and no one is around to help. In fact, more than half the time people experience these events, they’re by themselves, Google said.

Now, if the Pixel Watch 3 detects a loss of pulse emergency through this first-of-a-kind feature, it will make a call to emergency medical services and provide key information like the location of the user, so they can get immediate medical help. (A timer on the watch face will count down in case of a false positive, allowing people to stop the call from being placed.)

Google explained that the watch determines a loss of pulse event not only by checking for the pulse itself, but also by looking at other physiological and motion data, then tying those together via a smart AI-driven algorithm that lives on the watch.

“We hope this can be an airbag moment or smoke detector moment — something that can become standard to help keep us safe when life may bring the unexpected,” Google said.

The loss of pulse feature will initially be available on Pixel Watch 3, starting in select EU countries and the U.K., with more regions to come.

Pixel phones get an AI-powered weather app

by with No Comment Tech

Image Credits: Google

Alongside the launch of new Pixel devices, the Pixel phone lineup is getting its own new weather app, powered by AI. Introduced Tuesday at the Made by Google 2024 event, the tech giant briefly showed off the app, which offers a custom AI weather report created by Gemini Nano — Google’s AI model designed for running on mobile devices.

With the new app, users “won’t have to scroll through a bunch of numbers to get a sense of the day’s weather,” the tech company touted. Instead, users will be able to customize the app based on what sort of weather information they want to see. For example, you could opt to keep an eye on the UV index by dragging and dropping that tile to a more visible location in the app.

The app also includes a dynamic design with a colorful background, an “AI weather report,” daily and hourly forecasts, and other standard weather app features.

The news of the app had leaked ahead of today’s event, showing off features like moveable tiles for humidity, wind speed, air pressure, and other items, except for the 10-day forecast.

Image Credits: Google

Google says the Pixel Weather app will ship on all of its new Pixel 9 smartphones, including the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL, as well as the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

Pixel Watch 3 adds a life-saving 'loss of pulse' detection feature

by with No Comment Tech

Image Credits: Google

With the introduction of the Pixel Watch 3 smartwatches, which now come in two sizes, Google is also introducing a new, potentially life-saving feature: loss of pulse detection. At the Made by Google 2024 event Tuesday, the company announced the watch’s added ability to sense this particular health emergency alongside other new tools and features, like a “readiness” score for training, a cardio load score, and personalized daily target load, which combines the former and the latter metrics to show how much intensity you can handle each day.

However, the more compelling addition, including for non-athletes, is the loss of pulse detection feature.

According to Google, a loss of pulse is a health event that could happen to anyone and refers to when the heart is “not beating in a life-sustaining fashion.” This could be caused by a variety of health conditions, including cardiac arrest, respiratory failure, circulatory failure, an overdose, poisoning and more.

The company pointed out that, today, we have the infrastructure in place to get people medical help as quickly as possible, but it’s all predicated on the idea that someone will be there to make a call to emergency medical services on your behalf. But many health emergencies happen when you’re alone and no one is around to help. In fact, more than half the time people experience these events, they’re by themselves, Google said.

Now, if the Pixel Watch 3 detects a loss of pulse emergency through this first-of-a-kind feature, it will make a call to emergency medical services and provide key information like the location of the user, so they can get immediate medical help. (A timer on the watch face will count down in case of a false positive, allowing people to stop the call from being placed.)

Google explained that the watch determines a loss of pulse event not only by checking for the pulse itself, but also by looking at other physiological and motion data, then tying those together via a smart AI-driven algorithm that lives on the watch.

“We hope this can be an airbag moment or smoke detector moment — something that can become standard to help keep us safe when life may bring the unexpected,” Google said.

The loss of pulse feature will initially be available on Pixel Watch 3, starting in select EU countries and the U.K., with more regions to come.

Google begins shipping locally made Pixel 8 in India ahead of Pixel 9 launch

by with No Comment Tech

Google Pixel 8 on a fabric surface, showing the back of the smartphone

Image Credits: Darrell Etherington

Google has announced the rollout of its locally produced Pixel 8 devices in India, nearly 10 months after revealing its domestic manufacturing plans for the devices, and immediately ahead of the expected Pixel 9 unveiling later this week.

The Android maker confirmed to TechCrunch that the local manufacturing is currently limited to the Pixel 8 and does not include the Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel 8a.

In October, Google announced plans to assemble the Pixel smartphone lineup in India to expand its presence in the Indian smartphone market, the world’s second-biggest after China, and to bet on India’s growing manufacturing footprint.

On Monday, Google announced its follow-up and said the first batch of the Made-in-India Pixel 8 devices had started rolling off the production lines.

Google has not yet disclosed its local manufacturing partners. However, sources confirmed to TechCrunch that Google’s global manufacturing partner, Compal, has initially partnered with India’s Dixon Technologies to assemble the Pixel 8 models locally in the country. Dixon MD Atul B Lall also confirmed its partnership with Compal during July’s earnings call, without disclosing further details.

New Delhi has been pushing global electronics brands to produce devices locally in India to compete with China and other manufacturing hubs worldwide. The Indian government has allocated billions of dollars in incentives to offer cashbacks and subsidies to companies taking the local production route.

As much as 99.2% of the domestic mobile phone demand has already been met by locally manufactured devices, according to industry shared by the minister of state for electronics and information technology, Jitin Prasad, in the Indian parliament last week. The country has seen a whopping 8,138% increase in local production of mobile phones to $50 billion worth in the financial year 2023-24, up from from $2.25 billion in 2014–15. Similarly, locally made mobile phone exports have grown to $15.37 billion in 2023–24 from $186.54 million in 2014–15.

Alongside Google, Apple and Samsung produce their devices in India, which they sell locally and export to various emerging markets. Chinese companies, including Xiaomi and Oppo, also have domestic production in the country to fulfill local demand. However, the export share of these companies has not been significant so far.

Google is hosting its hardware event on Tuesday, at which it is expected to unveil the Pixel 9 series, Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and Pixel Watch 3. The company will also likely talk about its Gemini AI upgrades specifically for mobile devices.

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

by with No Comment Tech

Image Credits: Google

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. In July, Google showed off two new devices: the Pixel 9 Pro and the Pixel 9 Fold, the line’s most premium entries.

And on Tuesday, the company revealed a refresh to the device that gave Nest its name: The Nest Learning Thermostat 4, which comes 13 years after the release of the original and nearly a decade after the release of the Thermostat 3. The company also unveiled its latest set-top streaming box, called Google TV Streamer, and announced that Google Assistant is here to stay — at least for now.

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.

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

by with No Comment Tech

Image Credits: Google

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.