With the official US launch of the Google Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL set for May 7 during Google I/O 2019, we are merely days away. We were expecting an Indian launch for the mid-range handsets, and thanks to online retailer Flipkart, it seems we have an official Pixel 3a launch date of May 8 in the country (via FoneArena).
Alphabet this afternoon reported Q1 2019 net income of $6.6 billion on $36.33 billion in revenue. The stock is down over 7% in after-hours trading following a revenue miss. During the earnings call, Alphabet CFO Ruth Porat noted a similar decline for Pixel sales. Google also confirmed the May 7th hardware announcement for I/O 2019.
Made by Google’s Pixel 3a mid-ranger has been thoroughly leaked in recent weeks. In fact, the more recent ones from case makers do not contribute anything particularly new to the conversation. The same can be said about tonight’s, but it is notable for revealing the phone in purple.
For the past several months, Nest has been plagued with stories about its cameras getting “hacked.” The underlying issue is bad password management and reuse, with Google encouraging 2FA and actively reseting compromised passwords. A new report today reveals that Nest accounts could eventually use Google log-ins.
Last year, Google was reportedly in “advanced negotiations” to open a flagship retail space in Chicago. A follow-up report now reveals that Google has canceled plans for its first store.
Over the past several weeks, there have been a slew of Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL rumors. The names were officially confirmed by a Google Store leak, while we reported on a handful of specs. Made by Google today teased that “something big is coming to the Pixel universe” on May 7th.
The “Pixel watch” running Wear OS has been rumored in earnest since last year, but in the meantime the Made by Google team created a wristband that measures biological responses and is very much in line with the company’s design aesthetic. However, it’s so far only meant for a temporary art installation in Milano.
At Cloud Next 2019, Google hosted a session focussed on “Google Hardware for Business.” After recapping the current Pixelbook and Pixel Slate lineup, the company laid out what’s coming next.
Amazon’s acquisition of Eero in February signified another big smart home entry by the online retailer following voice assistants and other connected devices. However, consumers decried the lost of another independent hardware brand. A new report today reveals that Amazon bought Eero in a fire sale, and that Google and Nest posed serious competition.
In the build up to last year’s Made by Google hardware event, we shared our three leading guesses for the in-development devices most likely to be Google’s Chrome OS flagship for 2018. Two of those, “Nocturne” and its failed predecessor, “Meowth”, were accounted for by the Pixel Slate, leaving “Atlas” unexplained. Knowing Google’s recent history with hardware leaks, it was only a matter of time before Atlas revealed itself. The time has come, as leaked two videos purported to be of the Atlas Chromebook have come to light, offering our first glimpse of what could be the next Made by Google laptop.
As we reported before, Google today announced hardware for its Stadia game streaming service. The Google Stadia controller works over Wi-Fi, and connects to Google’s data centers directly.
Google tomorrow will present the “future of gaming” at GDC 2019, with Project Yeti rumored to feature hardware. Ahead of that keynote, Made by Google appears to have expanded its purview to include “Services,” according to several new job titles.
In 2017, Made by Google released its first laptop with the Pixelbook, while last year saw the launch of the Pixel Slate. While the former is widely praised, the latter is not. A new report this evening claims that Google has reassigned employees working on laptops and tablets, and canceled future projects.
The Pixel 3 adding the ability to wirelessly charge is most definitely a smart move from Google. Well, we thought it might be about time we took a look at our own Pixel 3 Starter Kit full of premium wireless charging options.
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Six Google-made devices — both identifying as a “smartphone” — have just passed through the FCC this morning. These models line up with a previous leak about the Pixel 3 Lite and Pixel 3 XL Lite.
Before products can be sold to consumers, most countries require that electronic devices get approved by the national regulatory agency. Late this evening, A4R-1701AA1 passed through the FCC as a possible new Google Wifi router.
With the launch of the Pixel 3 in October, Google revamped AR Stickers to Playmoji and added a slew of new functionality. Alongside a redesigned interface, the company also teased an exclusive Childish Gambino pack that finally launched on Friday. At the Grammys this evening, Made by Google advertised the Pixel’s exclusive AR feature.
With the Pixel Buds in 2017 and the rumored Pixel Watch, Google is clearly interested in the wearables space. Google is now looking to hire a Vice President of Hardware Engineering for Wearables with extensive industry credentials.
Night Sight rolled out to all Pixel phones in November and the results have lived up to the hype. It was compared to the iPhone XS during the Pixel 3’s launch event and Google is now continuing that photography lead with a new advertising campaign.
While originally rumored for the 10/9 Made by Google event, the Pixel Watch obviously did not launch last year. This morning, two codenames for what are possibly Google devices emerged in AOSP with evidence suggesting that they are smartwatches.
DxOMark has been testing smartphone cameras for a while now, but has just introduced scoring for front-facing selfie cameras. The Google Pixel 3 and Samsung Galaxy Note 9 have hit the top of the very first selfie leaderboard with a score of 92 respectively. The iPhone XS Max sits much lower with an overall ‘Selfie Score’ of 82.
Like the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL last year, “Lite” variants of the Made by Google phones have been thoroughly revealed. The latest Pixel 3 Lite leak comes in the form of a “pre-production sample” that has been subjected to a video review.
If you’re a Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL user and also a Netflix subscriber, then you might want to check your app to see the new HDR support for the Google handsets (via Android Police).
Last month, alleged photos of a device referred to by many as the Pixel 3 ‘Lite’ leaked suggesting that Google was developing a mid-range phone. This reveal was followed by a notch-less Pixel 3 XL ‘Lite’ in early December, with both Made by Google phones reportedly launching this spring in the U.S.