We could be in for a bumper crop of announcements at Google's launch event today.
Last year’s event saw the reveal of the Google Pixel, Google Pixel XL and Google Daydream View. Not just that though, as Google Wifi and Google Chromecast Ultra also saw a launch that day. Simply put, it was a big deal.
While nothing more than the Google Pixel 2 has been teased for today's event, recent leaks have clued us into a potential boatload of new products, including the larger Google Pixel 2 XL, Google Home Mini, Google Pixelbook, and a refreshed Google Daydream View 2 headset. Of course, there could be more, too.
So, without further ado, here’s everything that we expect to be announced at Google’s October 4 event in San Francisco.
Google Pixel 2 and Google Pixel 2 XL
This one’s a given. Google’s 2016 smartphones were – and still are – a bold stroke of engineering prowess on the part of a fruitful collaboration with HTC (Google now owns its smartphone division) combined with stock Android.
Based on recent rumors, this year’s phones look to up the ante in just about every way.
However, for those who were hoping for a massive trimming of the front bezels, get ready for disappointment. We’ve been hearing that this year’s phones will fall in line with a front-facing design of the past. But a tour around some leaked photos show that Google has streamlined the look of its phones’ backsides.
For fans who enjoy a fat stack of features and power, these new Pixel phones are sure to please. Aside from obvious improvements to its already-stellar camera and the inclusion of the Snapdragon 835, expect a new “Active Edge” function that lets you squeeze the phone to activate select commands. Rumor also has it that Google might have snipped away the fan-favorite 3.5mm headphone jack, though waterproofing might just make up for it.
Like most flagships, the Google Pixel phones for 2017 won’t be cheap. But there are certainly more expensive phones out there. The smaller Google Pixel 2 is set to cost $649 (about £599, AU$1,079), while the XL is rumored to start at $849 (about £630, AU$1079).
It’s not long now until Google lifts the wraps from its elusive 2017 flagship smartphones.
Google Pixelbook
After Google launched two awe-inspiring, but egregiously expensive Chromebook Pixel models, some wondered if Google would – or should – ever again release its own Chrome OS product.
Recently, a leak surfaced a mysterious product that will supposedly be called Google Pixelbook. Now appearing to be aligned with the company’s smartphone lineup in both name and design language, this maybe-Chromebook, maybe-Fuchsia (formerly known as Andromeda) 2-in-1 laptop is intriguing, to say the very least.
The one and only leak that we’ve seen shows the Pixelbook running Chrome OS and sitting next to a smart stylus, which is said to be called the Pixelbook Pen. Also lodged in this cluster of info is the rumored pricing and storage configurations, both of which raise some eyebrows.
According the rumors, the Pixelbook will start at $1,199 (about £887, AU$1,496) and top out at $1,749 (about £1,294, AU$2,183). This puts Google’s purported 2-in-1 more in line with the Microsoft Surface Book than the more affordable Microsoft Surface Pro.
Lastly, it is said to be available in 128GB, 256GB and 512GB configurations, which has us asking ourselves, “What exactly could we need all of that storage for?” Typically, Chromebooks feature no more than 64GB of storage, so this rumor is puzzling, but nevertheless exciting.
Google Home Mini
As Amazon showed first, your smart speaker lineup isn’t complete without a miniature, cheaper version. The rumored Google Home Mini seems a lot like the Amazon Echo Dot, in that it’s a smaller, condensed version of the full-fat product.
Our first look at the unannounced project shows a small speaker that features the same mesh-like design found on the larger Google Home, though unlike the Home, it doesn’t look like you’ll be able to customize the look of the Home Mini with optional accessories.
While it’s smaller in stature compared to the Home, it still looks like this product may end up being more powerful than its similarly-sized Echo Dot. How? The leaked shot appears to show off a power cable, indicating that the power draw will be rather high, which could mean that sound quality will be quite nice.
The Google Home is listed at $129 (£129 / about AU$170), though if rumors are true, the Home Mini will launch in a variety of fresh colors and at a fraction of the cost at $49 (about £40 / AU$60).
Google Daydream View 2
Last, but not least, Google’s first-party virtual reality headset is rumored to be refreshed exactly one year after it debuted.
As our Michelle Fitzsimmons noted, the new headset looks primed for the next generation of Daydream-ready phones, which has already blossomed to include over 10 smartphones.
The headsets shown in the image above from Droid Life appear to have closed the gap between the articulated flap and the front of the headset, which should nix light leakage – one of our biggest complaints about the original.
It’s tough to tell exactly what is different about the design, but if Google has them to show off on October 4, we’ll certainly be among the first to strap them to our heads to see what’s new.
The last bit of information provided by this leak puts the Google Daydream View 2 at $99 (about £75 / AU$125), which is $20 more than the current version priced at $79 (£69 / AU$119).
To our knowledge, the above products are what we believe will be announced today. We’ll be reporting live from the San Francisco with the latest, including hands-on reviews of each and every one of them.
