The Made by Google event kicked off today at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST (or 4am AEDT on August 14 if you're in Australia), and we brought you all the news and announcements as they happened, courtesy of this live blog. We've kept the entire blog in place if you'd like to read our coverage as the event unfolded.
Google typically hosts its annual product launch event in October, but this year it opted for an August date. Regardless of the change, we were still expecting to see successors to the best Pixel phones, with the Google Pixel 9 Pro and Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold confirmed by Google before the event started.
We'd heard rumors of the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, too, as well as the Google Pixel Watch 3 and the Google Pixel Buds 2 Pro. To follow our reactions in the moment, check out this live blog and read our beat-by-beat breakdown of everything announced at today's Made by Google event.
Made by Google cheat sheet
- A livestream of the keynote will kick off today at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST / 4am AEDT (on August 14)
- To watch along, follow our how to watch the Google Pixel 9 launch guide
- Here are 9 things to expect from the Google Pixel 9 launch
- We'll have a full, official look at the Google Pixel 9 Pro and Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold
- A Google Pixel 9 and supersized Google Pixel 9 XL are expected, too
- We're also expecting to see the Google Pixel Watch 3
- We could see new earbuds, likely the Google Pixel Buds 2 Pro
- Expect to hear more about Android 15 and Google Gemini
Good morning, folks! Phones Editor Axel Metz here (insert wave emoji). I'll be setting the scene for today's Made by Google event, where we're expecting to lay eyes on the Google Pixel 9, Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Google Pixel Watch 3 and other Pixel-related goodies for the first time.
Proceedings are due to kick off at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST (or 4am AEDT on August 14 if you're in Australia), and we'll be walking you through the biggest talking points ahead of, during and after the event.
If you're keen to tune into the California-set showcase yourself, check out our guide on how to watch the Google Pixel 9 launch.
Today's Made by Google event is taking place at (surprise!) Google's headquarters in Mountain View, California. We'll be dialing in remotely and from the event itself, where our on-the-ground correspondents – TechRadar's Editor at Large, Lance Ulanoff, and US Managing Editor for News, Jacob Kroll – will be reporting live.
So, what do we actually expect to see come this afternoon (or this morning, depending on your location)? Here's what I think Google will announce:
The Google Pixel 9: Google hasn't yet mentioned this phone by name, but it seems a formality given the confirmed appearance of the Pixel 9 Pro at today's event
The Google Pixel 9 Pro: official product imagery has already confirmed a redesigned camera module and polished sides
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: rumors suggest this will be Google's first extra-large handset (it'll likely exceed 6.7 inches)
The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold: the name has been confirmed, as has the rear design
The Google Pixel Watch 3: expect a brighter screen and minor design tweaks
The Google Pixel Buds 2 Pro: we're hoping for noise cancelation and call quality improvements
Android 15 and Google Gemini: expect demos for new features and a rollout timeline
As a reminder, Google has already shared a teaser image for the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, which we know now to be the official name of the Google Pixel Fold 2.
The image in question shows a new square camera block and slimmer bezels for the upcoming phone, so we're expecting a significant design upgrade over the original Google Pixel Fold.
Sticking with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, we've heard that it’ll simultaneously be one of the thinnest and heaviest foldable smartphones on the market.
According to leakers, the upcoming device measures “155.2 x 77.1 x 10.5 mm when [closed] and 155.2 x 150.2 x 5.1 mm when [open].” When folded, it's reportedly 1.6mm thinner than the first Pixel Fold, and 0.7mm slimmer when unfolded.
As for the weight of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, it'll reportedly weigh 257g, which is almost 30g lighter than the previous generation, but still some 18g heavier than the recently released Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6.
Will these design upgrades, coupled with the aesthetic tweaks mentioned below, be enough to convince prospective foldable phone buyers to side with Google this year? I'm not too sure, but Google's phones do at least offer the cleanest, most accessible version of Android, so here's hoping we see some foldable-optimized Android 15 features announced later today, too.
Right, onto the wearables. The Google Pixel Watch 3 hasn't yet been confirmed by Google, but I'm 99.9% sure we'll see it unveiled later today.
This presumed successor to the Google Pixel Watch 2 has been the subject of myriad leaks in recent weeks, so it seems a shoo-in for today's Made by Google event.
On the upgrade front, we're expecting the Pixel Watch 3 to come in two sizes (likely 41mm and 45mm) and boast a brighter screen and smaller bezels than its predecessor. Leakers suggest it'll use the same Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 5100 chipset as the Pixel Watch 2, so you might not notice much difference in raw performance, but battery life will presumably be improved, too.
And what of Google's next-generation earbuds? Well, they'll almost certainly be called the Google Pixel Buds Pro 2, and like the Google Pixel Watch 3, they're pretty much nailed-on to appear at today's Made by Google event.
Unlike the Pixel Watch 3 and Pixel 9 series, though, we haven't heard all that much about the Pixel Buds Pro 2 by way of rumored upgrades.
The most recent Pixel Buds Pro 2 leak teases a case that looks a little more bulky than before and a new cutout next to the USB-C port, but beyond that, we're relatively in the dark about what to expect from the upcoming buds.
What we want to see from the Pixel Buds Pro 2 is improved call quality and noise cancelation, since we criticized the original Pixel Buds Pro for having "wooly and compressed" sound in our Google Pixel Buds Pro review. Here's hoping Google brings those upgrades to the table.
Today's event is taking place at Google's futuristic Mountain View headquarters in California. The campus hosts 4,000 employees, totals 1.1 million square feet, and boasts a four-building lodging complex with 220 rooms.
The main building's dragon-like canopy rooftop is made up of solar panels, which work in tandem with subterranean geothermal piles to cool the structure in hot weather and heat it during cold weather.
It's an impressive place, rivaled only by Apple Park for Silicon Valley silliness, so let's hope Lance and Jake send in some goofy on-the-ground selfies later today.
As a reminder, things kick off at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST (or 4am AEDT on August 14 if you're in Australia).
Speaking of selfies, here's the big man himself, Lance Ulanoff (TechRadar's Editor at Large), at last year's New York-set Made by Google event, which played host to the launch of the Pixel 8 series.
That event (and most Made by Google events before it) took place in October, so Google's decision to host its Pixel 9 launch in August this year is a little out of the ordinary. Why the change? Perhaps we'll hear an answer from Google itself later today, but it seems like the company is trying to steal a march on Apple and its iPhone 16 line, which looks set to launch in September.
Rick Osterloh, Google's SVP of Platforms & Devices (pictured above), made a big hoo-ha about artificial intelligence (AI) during last year's Made by Google showcase, and we're expecting the company to name-drop AI even more frequently at today's event.
Google released its latest large language model (LLM), Google Gemini, in February this year, and while the majority of today's event will surely be dedicated to the company's new Pixel phones and (we think) Android 15, it's possible that we'll hear some Gemini-specific updates, too.
Incidentally, we've heard that the Pixel 9 series could get a clever camera trick that lets you add the photographer seamlessly into group shots, and we've also heard that Gemini could soon let you make fine edits to AI-generated images. Presumably, we'll see both features in action today.
Let's talk the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, which hasn't been officially teased by Google ahead of today's event, but leakers seem certain that it'll make an appearance.
So, what is it? The Pixel 9 Pro XL looks set to be a new addition to the Pixel lineup, and will reportedly be a slightly bigger version of the Pixel 9 Pro, measuring roughly 6.7 or 6.8 inches (approximately the same size as the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra).
The Pixel 8 Pro measures 6.7 inches, so if the Pixel 9 Pro XL is indeed bigger than its Pro sibling, then the Pixel 9 Pro could be slightly smaller than last year's Pixel 8 Pro (we've heard rumors of a 6.5-inch display and a 6.3-inch display, so the jury is out).
The remaining specs of the Pixel 9 Pro XL are tipped to be similar to those of the Pixel 9 Pro, so it sounds like these two phones will be positioned in a similar fashion to the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
We've got our first report from Lance in Mountain View, California:
"Right now, it's dark (5AM) and my hotel has a view of a concrete wall."
It looks like we'll be waiting a few more hours for campus pictures...
Check out Lance's latest Instagram story for his glorious view.
Okie dokie, let's turn our attention to the standard Google Pixel 9. As mentioned, Google hasn't yet mentioned this phone by name, but its existence seems a formality given the confirmed appearance of the Pixel 9 Pro at today's event (after all, a Pro phone isn't a Pro phone without a standard sibling).
Indeed, we've heard plenty of rumors about the Pixel 9, specifically. On the specs front, it's tipped to have a 6.24-inch OLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, a Tensor G4 chipset, 12GB of RAM, a dual-lens camera and a 4,558mAh battery. However, the more transformative changes could come to the phone's design.
Leaked Pixel 9 images tease a less curvy phone than the Pixel 8, with a completely redesigned camera block (as on the Pixel 9 Pro). We're expecting plenty of new AI-powered software tools to debut on the standard Pixel 9, too.
Need a quick reminder of everything we're expecting to see today? Here's Hamish, TechRadar's Senior Staff Writer, to talk you through the likely announcements:
@techradar ♬ original sound - TechRadar
Google's pre-event marketing is going hard on the AI aspect of the Pixel 9 series. "Oh hi, AI" suggests the company wants us to interact with these new phones using our voices. Is a big Google Assistant update on the horizon?
You had me at "Oh hi."Get ready for a whole new era of phones and tune in tomorrow for #MadeByGoogle at 10am PT: https://t.co/m7IiTGRaAb pic.twitter.com/xSEf0vyYqkAugust 12, 2024
Good morning from the US coast of TechRadar! I'm Phil Berne, your US Mobiles editor, and I'll be taking the helm of our Live Blog through the event today. Our Editor-at-Large Lance Ulanoff and our News Chief Jake Krol are both on the scene in Mountain View, California, to get more hands-on time with all the new products.
Lets be real, we know what's coming. What I really want are some surprises. I know about the Pixel 9, the Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL, and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. What about the Pixel Tablet? Things have been very quiet on the tablet front.
What about some AR/VR news about Google's partnership with Samsung? We've heard tiny rumblings from both camps on this project, it's not a secret. Will we get even a slide in passing that shows us a new headset?
Whatever happens, we're there and ready to pass along the news. Keep watching!
While we know a lot about the upcoming Pixel phones, Pixel Buds, and Pixel Watch news, another big question that remains is how today's announcements will benefit the rest of the Android world. Will Google announce features today that are exclusive to Pixel phones only? Or will there be some new AI software coming to your Motorola Razr, or Samsung Galaxy S24? We've only heard about Pixel news, but Google could surprise us.
Often, features that start as Pixel exclusives come to other phones. Google was generous with Circle To Search this year, dropping the feature on Samsung's Galaxy S24 family first along with its own Pixel devices. Other AI features, like the Google Photos Magic Editor, came later to other phone makers, but they still arrived.
We'll be sure to quiz Google about which features are exclusive and which might come your way, even if you don't buy a new Pixel phone.
This year's Pixel launch is the most exciting in a long time and I can tell you why in two words: camera bar. The Pixel phone is unique for its camera bar, introduced with the Pixel 6 phones in 2020. Instead of a bump in the corner, the Pixel spreads its cameras across the back, and hides them behind a symmetrical bar that runs the width of the phone.
Not any more! This year's Pixel phone is the biggest departure from the camera bar design since the Pixel 6 changed everything. It still looks like a Pixel phone, but the bar now sticks out more, with sharp edges all around. The rounded sides make it more like a camera pill than a camera bar.
Are there other fundamental changes coming to the Pixel phone lineup? We'll see once Google unveils everything in just a few hours.
The biggest announcement today might be the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, the sequel to the Pixel Fold. While the original foldable Pixel was well-received, it wasn't powerful enough to match the best foldable phones from Samsung and OnePlus. The latest foldable Pixel looks like a step in the right direction, but we'll have to spend time with it to be sure.
The big problem with the Pixel Fold wasn't performance, it was software. Google just didn't add anything to make the foldable phone special. It didn't have features to justify its high price tag. Plus, its squat design felt a bit odd, though it was much nicer to use than the tall and skinny Galaxy Z Fold 5 from 2023.
I'll be looking for new Google software innovations to justify spending more on a Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Hopefully it won't just be a bigger screen and pretty colors!
Let's not forget about the other products we expect to see today, the Pixels that aren't phones. We're expecting to see Pixel Buds Pro 2, as well as a new Pixel Watch 3. The Pixel Buds Pro are my go-to earbuds, and I love the way they easily connect to all of my Android phones. I'm hoping Google doesn't mess with the Pixel Buds Pro 2 very much. Let's not ruin some good Buds with bad AI features.
On the Pixel Watch 3, I just want a bigger watch. I want a bigger screen on my watch. The Pixel Watch was gorgeous, and the Pixel Watch 2 looked exactly the same. The biggest problem, though, was the huge bezel around the display. Will the Pixel Watch 3 finally shrink that problem? Early photos from Google seem to suggest improvement.
How soon will you be able to get your hands on these new Pixel devices? Probably very soon. I expect Google will open pre-orders today, and most phone makers ship phones within a week or two of launch.
Of course, Apple is expected to announce a new iPhone 16 right on schedule in September, and Google has moved its Made by Google event up to August, instead of launching in October, as it did last year with the Pixel 8.
I suspect pricing and competition are the reason. The Pixel 8 launched in October, but when the holiday shopping season started in November, the Pixel 8 went on sale at a discount price. Less than a month into the new phone's life cycle and Google had to drop the price? I suspect the company wants more time before sales start to actually, you know, earn some money from its new phones.
So, I'd bet that these phones will be available before the iPhone 16 launches, or at least before the new iPhone hits shelves. That would give Google a couple of months to rev up excitement before the first sales. But Pixel phones always go on sale, so if you want to save a bit on the higher launch price, you should consider waiting ... at least a month or two.
We're 90 minutes from the start of this year's Made By Google event and our editors are live in sunny California. We'll have more news, hands-on, and detailed product info as soon as the show starts, and we're hoping for more surprises and opportunities to talk with Google executives about what we can expect.
The answer will be AI. The answer is always AI these days. Apple has been trickling its Apple Intelligence features out with the iPhone's iOS 18 developer beta, and Google will surely try to match Apple's AI. Will the new Pixel phone listen to everything you say, like Moto AI coming to the Motorola Razr? Will it monitor everything on your phone, like Microsoft Copilot? These AI features are so new, it's hard to predict what's coming.
While Google and Apple both launch products in the same part of California, the local vibe at each event could not be more different. Apple hosts its events at Apple Park, and they tend to be crowded and excited, with fancy catering and an air of mystery.
Google holds events at the Shoreline Ampitheater and the surrounding grounds. It's more like seeing a rock festival during the day. The vibe is more sunny and relaxed, with room to spread. Google also tends to install more large, gimmicky decorations to celebrate its launches.
We're getting some early hints of what's in store, and Google's Gemini AI will be a major part of today's show. Will we also see developments on Google Home software, or new Home products? It's unclear, but certainly possible. We checked out the latest Nest thermostats recently and were very impressed by the incredible new designs.
Today's hints are dropped on this map (above) of Google's campus. You can see the Pixel section and the Wearables section where we expect to see the Pixel phones, Pixel Buds Pro 2 and Pixel Watch 3. There's also a Gemini section, and it's no surprise AI will be an important part of today's announcement.
But what about that Home section? Is that just the starting point of the tour, or will there be Google Home news we haven't heard yet? I'd love to see improvements that make home more reliable, with better Matter integration. We'll be on the lookout for developments.
We're only 30 minutes from the start of Google's event, and the crowd is growing inside Shoreline Ampitheatre. As these events warm up, we like to scan the crowd for notable tech celebrities and other special guests. We haven't seen anyone recognizable yet, nobody more famous than our own Lance Ulanoff, but we've got eyes peeled.
Google doesn't need special guests like OpenAI's Sam Altman, who made an appearance at Apple's WWDC earlier this year. That's because Google makes its own AI to sell to other companies, and we expect more developments on Google Gemini as it takes on ChatGPT for mobile dominance.
Last minute prediction time! What will be the most exciting and noteworthy new product we see today? My call is the new Pixel Watch 3. Here's why:
The Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL will be fine new flagship phones, and I'm excited to review these devices. Still, it's new phone season. We just got new foldable phones from Samsung. We expect new iPhone 16 devices will be here within a month. There are a lot of new phones to ponder over.
The Pixel Watch 3, on the other hand, doesn't have as much competition. If you have an Android phone, you can't use an Apple Watch. Samsung just launched a new Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra, and the Ultra is a huge new wearable. The Pixel Watch 3 should be bigger than before, while retaining Google's winning Pixel Watch look.
As a technology geek, I want to get my hands on everything announced today, but the Pixel Watch 3 is the device I think most people will be asking about tomorrow.
Let's go! It's 1PM Pacific Daylight Time and Made by Google should be starting now. Google starts with a touching portrait of Susan Wojcicki, the former YouTube CEO who tragically passed away recently. Now we're onto the event. You can watch here, or follow this Live Blog.
We're starting Made by Google 2024 with generative AI. Google is running a commercial spot with influencers and folks creating images with a new image generator tool and talking to Google Gemini Live.
No need to wait for the news, we've got everything covered! We got hands-on time with all of the new Google products, and you can find our hands-on reviews already live:
- The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a makeover for the ages
- The Pixel 9 Pro is the smaller phone you've been hoping for
- Here's what you get with the larger Pixel 9 Pro XL
- Finally, the new Pixel 9 gives you a lot of the best Pixel 9 Pro features
Google's Rick Osterloh is on stage, and frankly he's not making AI sound very appealing. He started by declaring that Google today would demonstrate ways normal people could enjoy AI. Then he keeps repeating technical terms like "tech stack," and "infrastructure," and "layers." I'm not sure any normal person needs to care about Google's stacks or layers. We just want features that work.
The first new feature will be Gemini Live, a real life assistant "that you can work with." Gemini Live will let you have a more conversational chat with Gemini AI. Osterloh says it will understand more than your words, "it will understand your intent."
With your permission, it will also access your Gmail, your Calendar, and more of your personal info on the Pixel 9 phones.
In a fascinating turn of phrase, Osterloh says Google is working to make sure Gemini is available to everyone on every phone, starting with Android. I'm guessing this means there is significant development to bring Gemini to iOS and iPhone. Is there a possible deal coming with Apple to add Gemini to Apple Intelligence? No news today, we're all about Android here at Made By Google.
Google is talking about Gemini across many Android devices, we haven't touched on the Pixel 9 family yet or any other new devices. Google is talking about Gemini becoming multimodal, which means it will be able to work across text, photos, and audio input. You'll be able to take a photo with the new Google Gemini and ask questions about what you see.
For example, Google says you can take a photo of a plant in your house and ask Gemini for care tips. You can take photos of the food in your fridge and ask Google for a recipe.
Google is talking up the way Gemini can help with homework, which seems kind of dangerous, since most people (especially teachers) have strong associations between AI language models and cheating.
For its next demo, a Google rep takes a photo of a music tour poster and asks Gemini to check his calendar to see if he's free when the artist is in San Francisco.
Google Gemini failed multiple times before it offered an answer. In my experience, there is usually a longer delay for AI features. It's somewhat ironic that phones are faster and more powerful than ever, but the latest features introduce the biggest performance delay we've seen in years. It's questionable whether the wait is worth the results.
Finally we're getting a real Pixel 9 Pro feature. Google is talking about Gemini Live, a conversational tool with Gemini that lets you talk back and forth to Google's AI. Google's presenter looks very nervous, offering a demo live after the big fail on the last Gemini AI demo.
We're just listening to Google's voice options, we haven't gotten a real demo. The vocies sound very natural, not at all like a computer.
Gemini Live will be available on the Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold, but it won't be coming to the Pixel 9.
Google says Gemini Live is launching on Pixel, Samsung, and other Android phones. Um, what's going on? Google is launching new Samsung features at its Made By Google event?! Google is announcing features that will come to Samsung Galaxy phones, but not its own Pixel 9? I'm so confused, and maybe Google is, too.
We're finally getting to new hardware, maybe? The Google Gemini failure seems to have occurred on a Motorola Razr device, based on the frame of the phone. It's not clear anybody has been using a new Pixel so far, though the Gemini Live demo may have been shown on a new Pixel 9 Pro Fold.
Google is now dropping literally of the Pixel news at once. Every new phone has been officially announced, though you already knew that if you've been following this Live Blog, since we had our hands-on reviews ready to go when the show started.
The key features to note include improved durability: the Pixel 9 is twice as durable as the Pixel 8, according to Google. The display is the best on any phone in its price range, according to DXO Labs.
The Pixel 9 Pro XL and the Pixel 9 Pro have nearly identical specs, at least where it matters, so you don't lose anything if you buy the smaller phone.
Google says the new multimodal Gemini AI is 3X as productive as the last version of Gemini Nano that shipped months ago. The new phones have a ton of memory inside - 12GB on the Pixel 9 and 16GB on the Pixel 9 Pro phones - to run all of that new AI goodness.
The Pixel 9 family gets Satellite SOS, the first Android phones with the feature that Apple fans have been, well, not enjoying, but maybe appreciating for years. Satellite rescue calls will be free for Pixel 9 owners for the next 2 years, until Google decides what to charge for it.
Now Google is talking about the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and it's a truly impressive piece of technology. Google says the inner display is the largest screen ever on a phone. It more screen area than an iPad mini, so it really is like carrying a phone and tablet in your pocket.
Were you excited about the new calculator on the iPad? Well Google hopes you'll be just as excited about its new Weather app on the Pixel 9. It's the year of mundane apps, for sure.
Google is using AI with its weather app, because why not? If you got it, flaunt it. Gemini AI will create a weather report based on its weather data, in case you want to read superfluous text instead of just the numbers you were hoping to see.
Now Google is explaining how Gemini AI will listen to your phone calls and take notes. That's it. Gemini will listen to your phone calls. It will make a transcript of everything that was said. Then it will summarize, or answer questions for you.
Call Notes will tell your callers that you are recording, but this is still ... odd. Google is glossing over the discomfort of an AI listening to everything we say, as if it's totally normal. But it's not, we're entering a new age. The AI is listening now.
The other big new AI feature on the Pixel 9 phones is the exclusive Screenshots app. The new app will look at all of your screenshot images, assuming you use screenshots to gather random bits of data, as many folks do.
Screenshots then applies Google's multimodal AI to interpret the image and understand what it sees. You can then as Screenshots questions in a conversational tone, and it will produce answer. It will show you the screenshot it used, and offer a link to where the screenshot came from, if the source was online.
We've got a celebrity! Keke Palmer, actress (star of Akeelah and the Bee among other films and shows) and influencer just showed up to plug her book. I think there was a Screenshots feature involved, because the book is supposed to be a gift. Sorry, it was hard to follow.
Google is now demonstrating its Pixel Studio image generation tool. It works like any other image generator, with one exception, for now. In my hands-on time, I tried my standard AI image generator test to get the Pixel Studio to create some nice bigotry, but the Studio refused to create images with humans.
That's a good call, but the warning I got said this restriction was temporary. I hope Google stays away from making images of people with its AI. It always goes wrong.
"Okay, that's a lot of new AI helpfulness," says Google's demo rep. That's one way to put it, for sure.
After the AI demos, we're on to discuss Pixel cameras. I'm excited to hear more about this, because Google has wisely opted to use the same exact hardware for the main and Ultrawide cameras on every new phone. Whether you buy the base model Pixel 9 or the Pixel 9 Pro XL, you get the same main camera.
Improvements are mostly for low-light photos and videos. There is better low-light handling in the Panorama, and you can even take night-time panorama photos. This is a very cool improvement, as Google points out panorama photos haven't improved significantly in years, no matter which phone you are using.
One of the most useful new AI features on the Pixel 9 family is the Add Me feature in the Pixel Camera app. Basically, you take a photo of everybody else in your group, and then you hand the camera to somebody else. They get a preview to help you step into your shot and line you up with the rest of the group. Then the Google AI makes it look like you were all together.
It's easy to see the appeal of this one. I was thinking about how useful this would have been when I was a parent with a toddler, but Google also points out this is a way to get more people into a selfie with your favorite celebrity. Google invited Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat to demonstrate this feature with its presenters.
We know the flat phones will have great cameras, but what about the Pixel 9 Pro Fold? Google says the new Fold will have the best camera on any foldable phone. That isn't the highest bar to leap, but Samsung made solid improvements with the Galaxy Z Fold 6, so we'll have to put these claims to the test.
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold should make editing easier, for sure, and Google is showing new AI editing tools using the huge inner screen. You can 'reimagine' parts of a scene by tapping on a photo and typing in what you'd like to see instead. You can tap on a barren field of grass and ask Google to add wildflowers, for instance. Because everybody hates a stupid, boring field.
Then Google takes the beautiful blue sky and adds a hot air balloon. That way you can have a photo of a hot air balloon that you never actually saw. You can show people the photo and say "hey, it was a beautiful day, and also I drew this fake balloon that wasn't there."
As a journalist, I'm skeptical about making it so easy to fake photos, that's all I'm saying.
Google says the Pixel 9 family has been rated the best camera phone for shooting video, according to a third party lab. There is a new Super Res Zoom that can extend the 5X zoom lens to 20X zoom in videos.
The Pixel 9 starts at $799 in the USS. The Pixel 9 Pro starts at $999 and the Pixel 9 Pro XL is $1,099. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold starts at a whopping $1,799.
Frankly, I'd hesitate to buy any of these phones for the launch price. Not because they aren't worth it; it's because Google has a habit of offering discounts around the holiday season. Last year's Pixel phones were launched in October and got major discounts in November. I'd expect to see all of these phones on sale for hundreds less in a few months.
We're all done with phones! Google is showing a promotional video highlighting all of the new AI features on the phones, and how the phones are unique because of these capabilities.
Now it's time for the Pixel Watch 3! Honestly the phone and AI show went on so long I almost forgot this was coming. It's been more than an hour, Google, let's go! Where are my Buds Pro 2?!
We're spending time with the Pixel Watch 3, and Google is talking about new emergency features, including the Pixel Watch 3's ability to detect if your heart completely stops beating. The Pixel Watch 3 has a 'loss of pulse detection' feature that will determine if you are unresponsive, and then it will make a call to emergency services on your behalf to get help.
The Pixel Watch 3 won't just call for help when it can't feel your heartbeat. Google says it will use a combination of data with its AI analysis to determine if there is really an emergency. It calls this "an airbag moment."
The Pixel Watch 3 will finally come in 2 different sizes, a 41mm case and a 45mm case. The smaller Pixel Watch 3 will cost $349 in the US, and the larger watch will start at $399. Of course, there will be connected versions for both that cost more.
Now we're on to the new Pixel Buds Pro 2. The new Buds Pro 2 have a custom Google noise cancellation chip, the Tensor A1. This is Google's first custom chipset for its audio products.
The new Pixel Buds Pro 2 can connect to Gemini Live on your Pixel 9 Pro phone. You'll be able to have a more natural, back-and-forth conversation with Google's AI.
As an example, Google's presenter asked Gemini Live how to feel more in the moment while presenting on stage. Then the presenter asks Gemini Live for advice on how to approach somebody in the crowd. He points out Mark Rober, the influencer/engineer of Porch Pirates glitter bomb fame. It's an incredibly awkward exchange.
Pixel Buds Pro 2 will start at $229 in the US. Rick Osterloh is back on stage to close the whole Made By Google show.
Google's Osterloh says Gemini is real, and everything is launching in the next few weeks.
Now Google is talking about the more distant future and what's to come. Osterloh mentions Project Astra, the multimodal AI that I got to try at Google I/O. Osterloh says Gemini Live will use Project Astra technology to use your camera live and offer conversational tips based on what you see.
Osterloh says Google Gemini is being improved with advanced reasoning, planning, and memory. It will be able to think multiple steps ahead. It's unclear exactly how this intelligence will be applied, but Google is working on it.
Gemini AI will also be able to perform research with Gemini AI. It will be able to search for extensive amounts of information, and it will create a multi-step plan for how it will create a research report.
Osterloh asked Gemini to create a research report on opening a cafe in Seattle. While I'd love to think the results are trustworthy, I'm not sure I'd take legal advice on zoning and health restrictions from an AI. Google will need to prove the accuracy of its results before I would ever recommend using an AI for serious research.
These advanced features are coming later, not with the newest Pixel 9 phones, and Google is offering opportunities for folks to stop into stores and check out the new AI. If you're following along live, you can also tune in now to a live after party event with Keke Palmer, who was on stage with Google today to help present Gemini AI features. It's happening on Google's Made By Google YouTube channel.
That's all for the Made By Google Event! The music has ended and the disclaimers have been rolling for a few minutes.
There's no need to wait, you can read our hands-on reviews of all the new products, and in-depth reviews are on the way:
- The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a makeover for the ages
- The Pixel 9 Pro is the smaller phone you've been hoping for
- Here's what you get with the larger Pixel 9 Pro XL
- The new Pixel 9 gives you a lot of the best Pixel 9 Pro features
- Pixel Buds Pro 2 fit much better than before
- Not only is Pixel Watch 3 bigger, it's more focused on health
