Why is Google launching the Pixel 9 so early?

Earlier this week Google made a big and unexpected announcement. The Pixel 9 series will launch in August, roughly two months ahead of schedule. Why?

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Historically, Google holds its annual “Made by Google” event to launch its latest flagship Pixel phones in October. It all started on October 4, 2016, and has continued on roughly the same schedule ever since. One of the earliest was in 2020, when Google launched the Pixel 5 and other devices on September 30.

But August 13? this violently Early on, to a point no one would have really guessed. The event will also move to Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, California, after a few years in New York City. Clearly, there are big changes on the horizon.

Why the early date?

We won’t be able to know for sure for a while, but there are some possibilities that stand out immediately.

First, there’s the simple fact that Google’s next Tensor chip, the G4, is more of a stopgap than anything else. 2025 will see the arrival of a fully custom Tensor chip made by TSMC, and the G4 is rumored to be just a slight bump over the current Tensor G3. That should be good, as the Tensor G3 holds up better than the first two generations, but we don’t really know how much better it will be. Rumors claim that the device will be better with thermals and efficiency, and it will also adopt an updated cellular modem that includes satellite support. So given the minor upgrades, it could simply be that Google’s next Tensor chip will be ready to go a little earlier than last year.

However, I would consider the chip alone to be the least likely reason for the early date. I feel the stronger possibility is the sheer size of this year’s lineup.

If all the rumors come true – and it certainly seems so – there will be four new Pixel 9 models this year. Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold. The naming scheme looks chaotic, but if priced right, this could be a killer lineup on Google’s part. But you have to Which Having so many devices hitting the market at once, especially for a company that only holds a small (but growing) share of the smartphone market, seems crazy. I think Google may end up announcing everything at once, but spreading out the actual release over a month or more. I certainly hope, at the very least, that given the event itself, new Pixel Watches and updated Pixel Buds will also likely be introduced.

Finally, there’s another reason Google might delay this launch early, and I think it’s probably the most likely of all.

artificial intelligence.

What then? Google has been pushing AI harder and harder as the company feels the pressures of competition, and the Pixel is a key component of that push. Taking advantage of the quiet month of August gives Google a chance to showcase new AI ideas on the Pixel before Apple’s upcoming iPhones, which now look feature-packed. With “Apple Intelligence”. As Abner Lee noted on Friday, Google has already announced powerful new AI features coming this year, like Gemini Live.

Which of these three reasons might have inspired Google? I think it’s probably a combination, and about a billion other factors, but I’m very curious to see how it plays out. In an opinion poll, 9 to 5 google Readers overwhelmingly seem to think it’s a good idea to release the Pixel early, something I’ve always felt the company should take into consideration.

Fasten your seatbelts, friends; the next few weeks are likely to be busy in the Pixel rumor mill.

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