Goodbye Techtember, welcome to Techtober!
In September, we got Apple’s ‘Wonderlust’ event where the company unveiled the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro, Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Ultra 2, and AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C. We also got Microsoft’s event where it announced updates to its Surface lineup as well as a number of updates in AI including its new Copilot assistant — the company’s official replacement for Cortana.
For October, Google is set to kick off the month with its own event. The company’s annual Made by Google event will officially kick off on Wednesday, October 4th at 10:00 AM PT / 1:00 PM ET. Here’s what to expect and how to watch from the comfort of your own home, office, or school.
What to expect from the Made by Google event
One of the longstanding traditions of a Google hardware event is that we usually know a lot about what is coming before the event happens, and this year is no different.
After the usual leaks, Google itself showed off a sneak peek at the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro ahead of the event last month. The Pixel 8 Pro will definitely be once again larger than the regular Pixel 8. From previous reports, the Pixel 8 is expected to feature a screen size of 6.2 inches in a casing that is shorter 150.5 mm vs. 155.6 mm), narrower (70.8 mm vs. 73.2 mm), and thinner (8.9 mm vs. 8.7 mm) than the Pixel 7.
For the Pixel 8 Pro, a previous report said that the new phone will feature a 6.52-inch display, meaning that Google is opting for a slightly smaller form factor this time around compared to the 6.7-inch display on the Pixel 7 Pro. The phones will come in at least a pink and gray color and feature a more rounded design compared to the previous generation, according to Google’s video below:
On top of all the specs and features that we already know about, a big last-minute leak also revealed Google’s Pixel 8 prices. Here are the price points we can expect for both the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, if this unverified information from leaker Arsène Lupin ends up panning out:
- Pixel 8 Pro (128, 256, 512): $999, $1059, $1179
- Pixel 8 (128, 256): $699, $759
In addition to a sneak peek at the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, the company also released a sneak peek at the Pixel Watch 2. The Pixel Watch 2 looks similar to the first generation, with a couple of small changes. It looks like the crown is more flush with the display and the markings on the back indicate that the second generation will feature IP68 water and dust resistance.
The back of the Pixel Watch 2 also reveals a more circular sensor design with smaller LEDs, indicating that the company could pack more sensors and, in turn, more health features. We’ll have to wait and see what else the new watch offers as it continues to play catchup with the Apple Watch.
The company also teased a new generation of Pixel Buds in the event announcement video, but we really don’t know any details as to what to expect outside of the color depicted in the video below:
How to watch the Made by Google event
There’s one obvious way to watch the Mage by Google event when it kicks off on October 4th: YouTube! Of course, Google will be streaming the event through YouTube. Thankfully, the company already has a placeholder video posted ahead of the event.
In addition to watching it live, you can set a reminder to ensure you get notified when the event starts. The notification will come in the form of an email and a push notification if you have the YouTube app installed on your devices.
I have embedded Apple’s September 12 event feed below, so you can set a reminder and watch it right here:
What if you miss the live event?
If you happen to miss the live event, you’ll still be able to watch it through YouTube. It’s always available immediately after the live stream is over, so just refresh YouTube, and you should see the video ready to watch.
We’ll all be tuning in on October 4th at 10:00 AM PT. Will you?
