The Made by Google 2024 event just wrapped up, and there were plenty of devices and features on display. This year, Google had quite a bit of hardware to show off, including a total of four smartphones, as well as a new smartwatch and some earbuds. And, of course, it’s not a Google event without a few hundred mentions of AI or Gemini.
Hopefully, you’ve been following our Made by Google 2024 live blog so you don’t miss out on all the fun, but here’s a quick roundup of everything that was announced.
Pixel 9, 9 Pro, and 9 Pro XL
This year, Google launched not one, not two, but three mainline Pixel 9 phones. The best part is that you can get a larger Pixel 9 Pro XL and a smaller Pixel 9 Pro, which matches the size of the regular Pixel 9. This way, you have a choice of size for your next Pro device.
The Pixel 9 series has some fun colors and a new design language that could be seen as an evolution of the Pixel style we’ve seen in recent years. The display, frame, and back panel are completely flat, while the new floating camera visor mostly retains the iconic Pixel design cues.
Underneath, the phones are powered by the Tensor G4 chipset, which boosts AI performance and more. The base model has 12GB of RAM, while the Pro phones have 16GB of RAM, more than enough to juggle apps and handle on-device AI processing.
The cameras also received some upgrades, with a new ultrawide sensor for better low-light capture and improved selfie cameras. There are also tons of new AI camera features for users to take advantage of, such as Add Me, which lets users add themselves to photos, and upgrades to Video Boost, which can enable 8K video on the Pixel 9 Pro.
You can preorder the Pixel 9 series now, starting at $799. Depending on the model, they will ship in late August or September.
Pixel 9 Pro Fold
Instead of a Pixel Fold 2, Google unveiled a rather different Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Evolving from the company’s original foldable, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold adopts a similar design language to the Pixel 9 series, sporting a thin, flat chassis. The camera housing has changed from a bar to a more rectangular shape, and the device comes in only two colors.
The external screen is the same 6.3 inches as the Pixel 9 Pro, while the internal display is now a large 8-inch panel, bringing a more expansive view of content and apps.
However, unlike the last model, which ran a slightly outdated chipset, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold comes with the same Tensor G4 chipset and 16GB of RAM, making it quite a powerful phone.
You’ll get all the same AI features as the Pixel 9 series, although the camera specs aren’t as robust. The primary camera is a 48MP sensor, while the other cameras come with 10MP resolutions. Still, you should be able to take some great photos thanks to Google’s phenomenal computational photography.
You can preorder the Pixel 9 Pro Fold with a starting price of $1799 and two available color options. The phone should ship in September.
Pixel Watch 3
The third iteration of Google’s Pixel Watch may look exactly like its predecessors, but there are some notable changes and upgrades. Even though it has the same Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 chipset, 2GB of RAM, and 32GB of storage, the Pixel Watch 3 now comes in two different sizes: 41mm and 45mm. The bezels around the displays are also smaller, meaning you get a more immersive smartwatch experience and more room to play with apps and such.
Google has also included plenty of new fitness features aimed at runners, allowing users to create their own custom running routines and follow guides to warm up or cool down. Fitbit also now has new readiness and cardio load scores to help you prepare for the day and learn how hard you’re pushing yourself during workouts.
In addition, there are plenty of new and upgraded features, like the ability to view Nest Doorbell live feeds, unlock car doors with UWB, and toggle camera and video modes in the Pixel Camera app. There’s also a new live-saving Loss of Pulse feature that can detect if you’ve stopped breathing and alert emergency services.
You can preorder the Pixel Watch 3 now, with the smartwatch starting at $399 for the 41mm Bluetooth/Wi-Fi model.
Pixel Buds 2 Pro
Years after Google’s first Pixel Buds Pro hit the market, the new Pixel Buds Pro 2 land with a new Tensor A1 chip. This promises to bring enhanced audio quality, better ANC, and long battery life. There are also features like Clear Calling and Automatic Conversation Detection, which reduce background noise in calls and pause music when you’re talking.
The Buds Pro 2 have exceptional battery life, with 12 hours per charge without ANC and 8 hours with it on. The earbuds also support Google’s Find My Device network, so you can locate them easily.
These are also the first earbuds to have Gemini support, so you can access the AI assistant from your buds without needing to remove or unlock your phone.
You can preorder the Pixel Buds Pro 2 now for $299.
Gemini and other AI features
Gemini is getting plenty of upgrades. Google provided a new demo of Gemini Live, a conversational assistant coming to Pixel phones. The assistant allows users to have more natural-sounding conversations, which can help them come up with new ideas. The demo was pretty impressive, and Gemini Live is going live on Pixel 9 devices starting today, August 13, for users with Gemini Advanced.
Gemini can also be used to identify anything on your Pixel’s screen.
In addition to Gemini, Pixel Screenshots and Pixel Studio also bring new helpful and impressive AI capabilities. The former stores your screenshots and analyzes the information on device so that you can recall things later. The latter allows you to type prompts to create images, and it’s even good at generating legible text on these images.
The new Call Notes feature will record and transcribe/summarize your calls. It can also help you recall information made in a call in case you forget.
These are just some of the new features Google showcased during the event, which also included a host of upgraded accessibility features.
