Here are All the Important Announcements from the Google Pixel Event

Google’s Pixel Event has just concluded, and the 100-minute long “Made by Google” event marked Google’s push into hardware. While the tech giant has always been a software company majorly, the announcement of a number of new devices is the beginning of Google’s foray into the hardware territory. The major announcements include the brand new Pixel, and Pixel XL phones, which pack-in top of the line specs, an Amazon Echo competitor, in the form of Google Home. Also, there’s the new Chromecast that can stream in 4K, Google’s Daydream VR headset, as well as a router, dubbed Google Wifi. In case you missed the live stream, here is everything that was announced by the Mountain View based tech giant:

1. The Pixel and Pixel XL Phones

Google has finally started to move away from the Nexus line of Android smartphones, and has pulled an Apple, by making their own phones (actually, made by HTC), to run their own software. The Pixel, and the Pixel XL are the two variants of the first ever phones that are “Made By Google”, and are available in 3 colors, called “Quite Black, Very Silver, and Really Blue”. Naming creativity at its finest, I would say, but I kid. Weirdly enough, the phones are not water resistant.

Hardware wise, the Pixel, and the Pixel XLdiffer only by the screen and battery size, with the Pixel featuring a 5″ display with a 2770 mAh battery, and the Pixel XL featuring a 5.5″ display with a 3450 mAh battery, that reports claim easily lasts through a day of usage. Both the phones feature anAMOLEDdisplay, so you can expect completely black blacks, and super-bright colors. However, the 5″ Pixel comes with aFull HD(1920x1080p) display, at 440 ppi, while the Pixel XL comes with aQHD(2560×1440) display, that delivers a pixel density of 534 ppi. Either way, both the phones have sharp, clear displays. The “Pixel Imprint” fingerprint scanner is on the back of the phone, on the fused glass panel, that adds a bit of look to the devices.

Both the phones pack a12.3 MP camera, with f/2.0 aperture, andOptical ImageStabilization. The front camera on both the Pixel, and the Pixel XL is an 8 MP shooter. So, no matter which phone you buy, you’ll get the same camera, either way. The Pixel, and Pixel XL pack theSnapdragon 821processor, along with4GB of RAM, so the phones should perform well, even for demanding tasks. There is no support for microSD cards, so you’ll have to make a choice between the 32 GB model, or the 128 GB model, and stick with it. Google isn’t offering a 256 GB model of the Pixel, or the Pixel XL, either, so 128 GB is as high as you can go.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rykmwn0SMWU

On the software side, both the devices will come with stockAndroid 7.1 Nougat, which brings some UI changes, the brand newPixel Launcher, and Google’s Now on Tap has been replaced with theGoogle Assistant.

Pre-ordersfor the 32 GB version of thePixel starts at$649,while thePixel XLwill start at$770.

2. Google Daydream View

Google also launched a VR headset dubbed Google Daydream View. The headset is made out ofbreathable microfibre, and is meant to be comfortable for the users. Daydream Viewdoes not require any wiresto sync with the user’s phone, and the touch controller (which is included, by the way), can be easily packed inside the Daydream View headset itself. Currently, the Pixel, and Pixel XL smartphones are the only ones that are listed as Daydream compatible, on the Google website, but smartphones more manufacturers will surely follow.

Google’s Daydream platform already supports a lot of great apps, and content providers, including video streaming services likeYouTube, Hulu, HBO Now, etc., along with services such as Google Street View, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, and Google Photos. If you’re more into playing VR games, you’ll be happy to know that Daydream supports a lot of great games as well, with titles likeNeed For Speed, Fantastic Beasts, and a lot more already supporting the platform.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLLAA4ENIP4

The headset will be available at$79 in the Slate color, with Crimson and Snow coming out later.

3. Google Home

Google announced the smart Google Home speaker at theI/O conferenceearlier this year and the search giant has now revealed more details around the device. The smart speaker aims to disruptAmazon’s holdon the smart speaker market, with a stunning design, along withswappable basesthat come in a variety of colors. Like Alexa, in the Amazon Echo, Google Home will use the company’s own, AI powered, Google Assistant, to help users with their tasks.

Google spent a lot of time talking about all the great things the Assistant can already do, includingstreaming music from Spotify, queuing up Netflix videos, and answering users’ questions. Add that to the number of Google services people already use, and the fact that Google Assistant can tap into all of that information, and it’s easy to see how Google Home makes a strong case against the Amazon Echo, Tap, or Echo Dot devices.

The device features atouch panel on the topto adjust the speaker volume, and over-all, the design looks really great. Another great selling point for Google Home, is that Google Assistant uses neural networks, which means that the Assistant will get better over time, learning on its own.

Google Home is available forpre-order for $129, which is $50 lesser than Amazon’s Echo.

4. Chromecast Ultra

The Chromecast Ultra, is a great refresh to the Chromecast. It supports4K streaming, which is great, and it comes with an Ethernet port to handle the load of data better, if needed. The design is minimalistic, and looks great. It supports 4K streaming from services such asYouTube, Netflix and Vudu, and Google Play Movies will soon start supporting 4K content, as well.

The device seamlessly integrates with Google Home, so you can ask Google Home to play Daredevil on Netflix, and the Chromecast will start playing it. That’s really great.

The Chromecast Ultra will beavailable in November, for $69, which is significantly higher than the $35 price tag of the last generation.

5. Google Wifi

Google also announced Google Wifi, which is practically a router, that creates ablanket of WiFi signalsover your house, to ensure that there are no blind spots, or areas with low connectivity. Users can connect a number of these devices together to create a mesh of Google Wifi devices, that cover their house with WiFi signals.

The device uses Google’sNetwork Assist, to automatically manage, and optimize networks, while transitioning the user’s devices from one access point to another, as they move around their house. This will directly translate tobetter connectivity, in every room of your house, and if you want to extend the network further, all you need to do is add more Google Wifi units to your existing mesh.

The Google Wifi will retail at$129 apiece, and is available at$299 for a pack of three. Pre-orders start from November, with the units shipping in December, this year.

SEE ALSO:How to Use Google Allo, A Smart Messaging App

Like the Pixel Smartphones and Google Home?

One thing is obviously clear from the devices that Google has announced – Google wants to make a place for itself in your home, and in your pocket. The devices that have been announced are quite compelling, and for someone looking to invest in Google’s ecosystem, this might be the best time to do so. Google Home can work with Chromecast Ultra, and Google Wifi can ensure that all your devices get WiFi connectivity, no matter what room they are placed in. Plus, with the Pixel as a smartphone, Google is definitely looking to create a strong ecosystem of devices that simply work together, and give users a great experience.

So, what are your thoughts on the products that Google announced? Do you think the Pixel smartphones are worth the $649 price tag they come with? Can you see Google Home actually disrupting Amazon’s hold on the smart speaker market? We would like to know your opinions on these questions, and everything else that Google announced, in the comments section below.

Akshay Gangwar

Greetings, tech titans and fellow literary time-travelers! I’m Akshay, your tech-whisperer and Harry Potter’s number one stalker – seriously, don’t ask me how many times I’ve read those books; it’s borderline unhealthy.

Working in the tech journalism industry since 2016, I have 7 years of experience covering everything from technology news, to well-researched resource articles. Now the Content Strategist at Beebom, I often pen down op-eds for our website, sharing expert commentary on the latest in technology, AI, and electric cars.

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