We are finally here! Google’s Big hardware event of 2019 just went underway and the Mountainview giant (officially) took the curtains off the Pixel phones, second-generation pixel buds, new Nest Wi-Fi, Pixelbook Go, and second-generation Google Home Mini.
Google talked about its vision where technology throughout your home works as a single system and makes your life simpler. Several exciting announcements were made at the “Made by Google, 2019” event and here’s everything that you need to know!
1. Environmental announcements
- All Google Products launched today use recycled plastics. Nest speakers are made of recycled plastic bottles.
- Google committed to investing $150 million in renewable energy projects across different regions.
- Google operations have been carbon neutral since 2017
- The company has been able to match 100% renewable energy since 2017
- Google says that its Nest thermostats have helped consumers save “41 billion kilowatt-hours of energy, enough to power all of Denver for six years”.
2. Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL
- The new Pixel phones come in two sizes and three colors – Just Black, Clearly White, and Not So Orange (limited edition).
- The cameras have super-resolution zoom, HDR+, Live HDR+ (which gives you a better idea of the image in the viewfinder), and the app has new ways of controlling exposure and white balance.
- The portrait mode has also been improved further. It will work better with large objects and people who are farther away.
- The Nightsight gets better and can now be used for astrophotography.
- Display mate praises the AMOLED display on new Pixel phones.
- Pixel 4 is the first phone with a radar sensor; In other words, you can interact with it using gestures.
- Using motion sense, you can skip tracks, wave at Pikachu, or make your alarms quieter as you approach them.
- Google says the Pixel 4 has the fastest most secure Face Unlock.
- Pixel 4 phones have a new Assistant interface that aids better multitasking. It’s also easier to delete and manage your data.
- Pixel 4 will have a smart voice recorder that does AI processing on the phone. You can search through audio recordings.
- Pixel 4 will be available starting October 24 for a starting price of $799. Pixel 4 XL will start at $899.
3. Google Pixel Buds
- Pixel Buds will remain connected to your phone across three rooms indoor or across an entire football field outdoors
- 5 hours of battery life on a single charge, 24 hours when you use a charging case.
- Pixel Buds have a “spatial vent” that lets in outside air and environmental sound (a little) for better comfort. The software dynamically adjusts volume as you move between environments.
- Pixel Buds were just showcased today. More details and announcements will follow later.
4. Nest Mini
- The new Nest mini should deliver better bass and “more natural sound”.
- The fabric on the Nest Mini is made of recycled plastic.
- Nest mini will have a separate ML chip that will help it get better with time.
5. PixelBook Go
- PixelBook Go is lighter than the Pixel book but has a 15% larger battery. It has a grip able design, silent ‘Hush’ keys, and of course, runs ChromeOS.
- The PixelBook Go has fast charging support and a 13.3-inch touch-enabled display.
- PixelBook Go prices start at $649. The ‘Just Black’ version is available today, ‘Not Pink’ will come in later.
6. New Home App
- The Home app gets a redesign and will have a Home Feed bringing smart home devices closer.
- The new Home app will club notifications from all your devices, organize them, and highlight what’s important.
7. Google Nest Wi-Fi
- Google Nest Wi-Fi gets updated hardware and software, resulting in 2X speeds and 25% better coverage.
- It’s easy to set up and share with friends. You can pair two Nest Wi-Fi together for better coverage.
- Google Nest Wi-Fi will be able to talk directly to smart home devices using BLE and Thread support.
- It also has a speaker attached to it, which makes it work like Google Home Mini.
- It will be available starting November 4 (2-pack $269, 3-pack $349)
8. Stadia
- Stadia will start arriving at gamers’ doorsteps starting November 2019.
- Both Founders edition and premier edition entitle users to three months of Stadia Pro, with access to Destiny 2: The Collection.
8 Important announcements made at Google Pixel launch event 2019
These were some of the biggest announcements from Google’s annual hardware event. Google laid a lot of emphasis on its design philosophy, and how it has worked on integrating all its products and services into a single system.
