Sundar Pichai teases Google’s ‘deeper investments in hardware’ and roadmap next year

Alphabet today hosted its Q3 2020 earnings call. Sundar Pichai was asked by an analyst about Google’s approach to phones and hardware in 2020. The CEO notably hinted at what’s coming next year.

Pichai started his answer by noting how Google had some deeper investments in hardware, and that they take some time to mature. 

We’re doing some deeper investments in hardware, which some of it takes two to three years to come together. I’m excited at the terrific roadmap ahead.

He then spoke about the Pixel 4a and Pixel 5 offering a “clear value proposition” and how Made by Google “will build on that.”

At the end of his answer, Pichai came back to the beginning of his remarks.

I’m excited about the roadmap ahead and next year you will see us lean more into, you know, some of our deeper investments will come into play there.

Assuming the CEO is talking about the same “deep investments in hardware,” Made by Google’s research and development (R&D) might be ready to start rolling out to consumer products. One example last year was Soli radar making its way into the Pixel 4 and just this month the new Nest Thermostat.

Google is rumored to be working on its own chipsets. Axios in April noted that it could be ready in time for next year’s phones. Codenamed Whitechapel, it’s built on a five nanometer process and designed in cooperation with Samsung. Similar to how Pichai spoke about Assistant, the report suggested that a portion of the chip would support the always-on capabilities of Google’s smart assistant.

The full passage is bellow:

We’re doing some deeper investments in hardware, which some of it takes two to three years to come together. I’m excited at the terrific roadmap ahead.

I think we’ve definitely shown with Pixel 4a, Pixel 5 clear value proposition and we’ll build on that. We are thoughtfully thinking about what are the important form factors, which matters.

We do think about it with the view of where Search and Assistant will be important as well. In many ways hardware is there to strategically benefit both how we guide the Android ecosystem, how do we make sure information is right there at user’s fingertips.Those are both strategic views we take into it as well, but I’m excited about the roadmap ahead and next year you will see us lean more into, you know, some of our deeper investments will come into play there.