Google’s Pixel 8 event set for October 4

We’re rapidly approaching a hardware season for the ages. A day after Apple officially set the date for its iPhone 15 unveiling, Google has planted its Pixel flag. The latest version of the company’s proprietary handset is set for an October 4 debut in New York City. The event will almost certainly debut the upcoming Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro flagship, following I/O’s announcement of the Pixel 7a and Google’s first foldable, the Pixel Fold.

If past is precedent (and it usually is), we’ll see a spate of new hardware at the annual fall Made by Google event that will also include the company’s latest wearable, the Pixel Watch 2. Last year’s Pixel Watch was something of a mixed bag, but received overall good marks as Google’s first true Wear OS device. Many of the device’s positives were a direct result of the company’s 2019 Fitbit acquisition.

Meanwhile, after a bit of a rocky start, Google’s phone line has been on the glow up since 2021’s Pixel 6 marked a radical shift for the line, with a new premium design, improved optics and the first-party Tensor chip. The leaks have already begun, including early images of the device (it looks an awful lot like the Pixel 7) and word that the Tensor G3 chip will feature nine cores and be built atop the Arm Immortalis architecture.

As far as what else to expect, the Pixel Tablet isn’t due for an update, though it’s been a long time since we’ve seen meaningful updates to the Nest/Home line. The company does appear to have deprioritized its smart home offerings, so this could, perhaps, be an opportunity to rectify that in a meaningful way.

The event kicks off at 10 AM ET and will be livestreamed over YouTube. We’ll be in there in person, per usual.