If you are a fan of tech then the fall is the best time of year. All of the biggest releases are revealed to the world just in time to figure out what items you want to put on your holiday wish list. First, we got to see the Galaxy Note 8. Bezel-less display, S-Pen, dual sensor camera… The only thing that didn’t make us drool was the price. Then Apple had their big event and introduced the world to the iPhone X – a sexy new look for their smartphone line which was the biggest change in iPhone design since we first were introduced to Apple’s smartphone 10 years ago. Plus, we also got to see the Apple TV 4K and Apple Watch. There’s been no shortage of new tech releases to get excited about. Best of all: the releases aren’t done.
On October 4th, Google will be having their big launch event where we expect to see some new product launches from the tech giant. The iPhone X, Galaxy Note 8, and Google Pixel 2 XL are expected to be this fall’s hottest flagship smartphones. Can Google deliver a device that’s able to compete with the big boys on the block? Plus, what else is up their sleeve? Let’s take a look at what to expect from Google’s October 4th event!
New Pixel Smartphones
After a relatively leak-free summer for the Google Pixel 2, we got a dump of information as the launch event grows closer. Leaked images, leaked colors, leaked pricing… It looks like the wind has been taken out of Google’s sails a bit. Still, the same thing happened with the Galaxy Note 8 and iPhone X but people still tuned in to see what all the hype was about. Plus, pictures can only tell us so much. What kind of new features are packed inside under that body? Will there be bundled wireless headphones? We will have to wait for Google’s October 4th event to find out the answers to a lot of the questions we still have.
Thanks to FCC certification leaks, we know that HTC is the manufacturer tasked with building the Google Pixel 2 and LG will be responsible for the Pixel 2 XL. This is consistent with leaks that suggested we might see a squeezable frame in the Pixel 2 – much like what you can find on the HTC U11. For the Pixel 2 XL, there is expected to be a bezel-less display much like the design used in the LG G6 and LG V30.
As for specs, there seems to be some debate still swirling about the SoC used in the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. A lot of rumors had originally suggested the Snapdragon 836 would be used while some more recent rumors seem to indicate that there is no such thing as the Snapdragon 836 or the chip has been delayed into 2018. That’s quite a bit of difference in those two rumors and we may have to wait until Google’s October 4th event to find out the truth. In any case, I imagine that Google will be using a flagship chipset in their new devices. If the Snapdragon 836 is, in fact, non-existent or delayed then we expect to see the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL sport the Snapdragon 835 like the Galaxy Note 8, for example.
It also looks like the 3.5mm headphone port is dead and gone in the new Pixel devices. We will wait for official confirmation when the devices are shown on stage but, if you’re an owner of fancy 3.5mm headphones, things are looking grim. Of course, you can always live the dongle life.
Google Home Mini
If you weren’t a fan of the Glade Air Freshener look of the original Google Home then Google has the product for you! Droidlife got a first look at the Google Home Mini which, as the name suggests, is a miniature version of the Google Home. It’s not immediately clear what the differences will be between the Google Home and the Google Home Mini. I imagine that the Google Home Mini is a solution for people who want a Google Assistant in their home but don’t need the speaker capabilities of the OG Google Home. As well, we can see from the images that the device is wired which seems to pour cold water on our hopes for a wireless Google Assistant speaker.
Google Pixelbook
In addition to the Google Home Mini, Droidlife also got a sneak peek at the Google Pixelbook which is a Chromebook with a MacBook Pro price tag. The 128GB Pixelbook model will set you back a cool $1,199. Yes, you read that right. There will also be a Pixelbook pen that you can buy but you will have to shell another $99 for the accessory. I understand that Pixelbooks are meant to be reference devices and not necessarily built for the masses but I still can’t wrap my head around that price tag for what is, essentially, a glorified internet browser. Yes, I’m sure the display will be beautiful and the build quality will be the industry standard but this admitted Google fanboy still can’t understand the price and feature combination of the Pixelbook. Oh well, it will still be a very cool product to check out!… I just won’t be owning one anytime soon.
Other Surprises?
Could there be other surprises in-store for Google’s October 4th event? We are expecting to learn more about Bisto – the code name for Google’s wireless, assistant-powered headphones. With the 3.5mm headphone port likely gone from the Pixel devices it only makes sense for Google to provide a solution to help music lovers get over the loss of their beloved headphone jack. Of course, nothing is official until Google makes it official. Will you be tuning in to watch Google’s big event? Are any of these products on your wish list? Let us know your thoughts!