Today we finally learn what Google's latest devices are, and what they're capable of. The Made by Google event on October 6 is expected to show off a lot of new stuff, with new phones and smartwatches guaranteed to show up.
The Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro phones have already been partly shown off earlier this year, as has the Google Pixel Watch, the first Pixel-branded wearable. We may end up seeing some new smart home products, the already teased Pixel Tablet, and perhaps some new tricks for Google Assistant too.
Still, some questions remain, such as their capabilities, more details about their specs, and price and release dates. Ongoing leaks are filling in some of the blanks, so read on for everything you need to know about as well as what to expect from the Google October event.
How to watch the Google October event
The Google October event livestream will take place this Thursday on October 6 at 7 a.m. PT / 10 a.m. ET / 3 p.m. BST, which is 12 a.m. AEST on October 7.
You can watch it at the Google Store or on YouTube. There's no placeholder video for the event just yet, but Google has other clips teasing the likes of the Pixel 7 Pro. For those of you active on social media, you can also get announcements and updates from the Made By Google account on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Check out our guide on how to watch the Made by Google event live stream for more details on streaming Google's product launch.
What to expect from the Google October event
We’re expecting to see at least three products from Google: a pair of new Pixel flagship phones, and the Pixel Watch. Both of these have been teased considerably over the past few months, but we’ll finally get the lowdown of each device’s specs and features.
But there’s always scope for Google to announce more, whether it’s a new price for the Google Pixel Buds Pro or Nest products, so here’s what we think you’ll see at the Google October event.
Google Pixel 7
Leading the hardware charge for Google, we can expect a no-holds-barred look at the Google Pixel 7. From the images Google has shared so far it looks like a minor evolution over the Pixel 6, with the same rectangular camera bar, only with a more distinct pill shaped module for the main and ultrawide cameras, rather than a more invisible visor-like look the Pixel 6 has.
A more compact design could be on the cards, too, if the rumors are to be believed. Google hasn’t shown off the display, but we’d expect it to measure in at 6.4 inches, potentially with slimmer display bezels offering a little more space for the display to breathe. Full Pixel 7 specs have leaked if you can't wait until October 6 for the official details about this phone.
Google has already announced colors for the Pixel 7: Obsidian, Lemongrass and Snow. That's black, lime green and white for those of you who don't speak marketing.
We also know the Google Pixel 7 will be powered by the Tensor G2 chip, which is a second-generation take on the Tensor chip first seen in the Pixel 6 phone and also the Pixel 6a. It may also be the Pixel 7's most important feature.
While not the most powerful system-on-a-chip in terms of raw power, the Tensor chip powered a lot of smart features for the Pixel 6 phones. So we can expect the same with the Pixel 7’s Tensor G2, only with Google likely to reveal even more smart features to give the phone the edge over the likes of the iPhone 14 Pro and Galaxy S22 (here's the five critical things we think it needs to do to beat Samsung's latest).
There's no official word on pricing, but a leak claims the Pixel 7 will cost $599, the same price as the Pixel 6. Google has said you'll be able to pre-order the Pixel 7 on October 6, the same day as the launch event.
Google Pixel 7 Pro
The Pixel 7 Pro is mostly the same story as the standard Pixel 7, in that it’s set to be an evolution of the Pixel 6 Pro, with a tweaked camera bar seemingly mixing the main and ultrawide camera in one pill-shaped module and the telephoto camera in a separate unit.
Speaking of cameras, we’ve not heard much in terms of hardware upgrades for the Pixel 7 Pro’s lenses or sensors. But as Google, like Apple, tends to push its sensors for several years before upgrading, we’re not expecting any major changes here as Google only moved from a 12-megapixel main camera to a 50MP one with the Pixel 6 range. What we can expect is for the Tensor G2 chip to power smarter camera features and improved computational photography to deliver photos that really stand out from rivals on our best camera phones list.
And thanks to a recent specs leak, it looks like we know pretty much al there is on the hardware side of the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. Plus leaked video adverts for the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro give us a good look at the phones' features, such as notably improved telephoto zooming.
Colors for the Pixel 7 Pro have been confirmed to be Obsidian, Hazel and Snow. So expect a rather muted look to the flagship phone. And pricing has yet to be confirmed, but we assume it would follow on from the Pixel 6 Pro’s $899 / £849 / AU$1,299 price tag — that's certainly what the latest pricing rumors claim. Pre-orders begin October 6, the same as with the Pixel 7, and one rumor claims you could get a free Pixel Watch as part of your Pixel 7 pre-order.
If you're curious about how it could take on our current best phones champion, then read our Google Pixel 7 Pro vs iPhone 14 Pro Max face-off.
Google Pixel Watch
Likely to be one of the most interesting products of the Google October event, the Pixel Watch will be Google's first foray into smartwatch hardware. And if it’s anything like previous Pixel devices, it’ll showcase the best possible version — in Google’s eyes at least — of Wear OS.
But unlike the Pixel 7 phones, Google has been more tight-lipped about the Pixel Watch, even after releasing a video that shows Google's upcoming watch from more angles. Sure, we've seen its rather attractive design and Google has noted there’ll be closer Fitbit services integration and a “new Wear OS experience” but what that’ll look like remains a mystery.
From the leaks and tips so far, we’re expecting there to be an LTE model, mix of straps for the watch, and a chip from Samsung Exynos range or Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear selection. Otherwise, we remain a little in the dark about what capabilities the Pixel Watch will sport underneath its circular face. Even an unofficial -pre-launch hands-on hasn't shown off much about the features.
Rather than expect a deluge of special features like blood oxygen monitoring, we figure the Pixel Watch will be pitched as the perfect companion device for other Pixel products, seemingly synchronizing with the Pixel phones, Pixel Buds and Google Nest smart home tech. Equally, we’d be prepared for Google to have some surprise up its sleeve for the Pixel Watch.
Pixel Watch price rumors have homed in on a $349 (roughly £300 / AU$540) starting price for the watch, though that's far from official. The Pixel Watch may not arrive until November, according to some rumors.
Speaking of prices, it would appear that the Active bands for the Google Pixel watch have been leaked, and you can expect to pay $49 (roughly £43 / AU$75) for the straps.
Google Pixel Buds Pro
Promotional images for the Pixel hardware showcase not only feature the Pixel 7 phone and the Pixel Watch but also a pair of Google Pixel Buds Pro.
Now these wireless earbuds were released in the summer, so they're too new for a hardware refresh. But we’d not be massively surprised if Google didn’t announce new features for the Pixel Buds Pro that are enabled via the Tensor G2 chip and smart synchronization with the Pixel Watch, say using the Watch’s GPS to cleverly tweak active noise cancellation levels to suit the environment a wearer is in.
Or perhaps we could see a surprise price drop to enable the Pixel Buds Pro to better compete with some of the best wireless earbuds you can buy today.
Google Nest smart home products
While Pixel products are set to steal the headlines at the Google October event, there a rumors that new Google Nest products will be revealed. We’ve already seen hints at a new Google Nest router, so we’d not be surprised if that was revealed alongside some software updates for the likes of the Nest Home Hub.
Speaking of which, it’s been a while since Google released a new Nest Home Hub, so there’s arguably potential that a third-generation model could be revealed. But we’ve not seem any rumors to back that up, and likely upgrades will come in the form of software.
We’d also not be surprised to hear about updates for various Chromecast devices, likely with tighter integration between them and the Pixel phones, as well as dedicated Chromecast app or watch faces for the Pixel Watch.
Google Pixel Tablet
Also first teased at Google I/O, we're wondering if Google will have anything to tell us about the Pixel Tablet at its October event.
We don't know a huge amount about the tablet, although the rumors suggest it'll run using a Google Tensor chip, have a Pro version and may also come with a dock, letting you use it for smart home controls like a Nest Hub.
Google said the tablet wouldn't go on sale until 2023, so don't expect to be able to preorder it after the event ends. But more details would still be welcome to get us excited for this new line of Pixel device.
Google October event outlook
We know quite a bit about what’s coming for the Google October event, but that’s not to say Google won’t have some surprises up its sleeve.
While design of the Pixel 7 phones and Pixel Watch have pretty much been revealed, there’s a lot more to hear about their capabilities. And we'd expect to be intrigued by a host of new software features for these devices that harness the strength of Google’s AI and smart progressing work.
In short, the Google October event is going to be one to watch. Rest assured we’ll be on point to bring you the latest news and any early impressions of the hardware as the event unfolds.
