Google to unveil new Pixel hardware on August 20 with AI in focus

[PHILADELPHIA] Alphabet’s Google will debut new Pixel-branded hardware at an event on Aug 20 in New York, with the lineup expected to include several smartphones and a smartwatch, all powered by the company’s artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

Google is likely to unveil four new smartphones, the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL and Pixel 10 Pro Fold, along with the fourth-generation Pixel Watch. The folding model will debut just a few weeks after Samsung introduced its impressively thin Galaxy Z Fold 7, which goes on sale Jul 25 for US$2,000.

This year’s batch of Google products are expected to closely resemble the Pixel 9 series, but with upgraded processors, slightly refined hardware and other iterative upgrades. Additionally, Google’s in-house Tensor G5 processor, which will power the entire Pixel 10 lineup, is believed to be fabricated by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, which would mark a major supplier shift for Google after years of using Samsung for chip manufacturing.

Google is unlikely to match Samsung’s ambitious Z Fold 7 design, but the company is certain to demonstrate new features that make heavy use of its Gemini AI software. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold is also expected to be more affordably priced than Samsung’s top foldable. All of the phones will run Android 16 and are set to feature a redesigned, bolder user experience that Google revealed in May at its annual developer conference.

The company shifted its “Made by Google” hardware showcase to August for the first time last year in a bid to draw buzz for its new products several weeks before Apple’s iPhone event, which typically falls in September.

Google’s market share in the US smartphone segment is tiny compared with Apple and Samsung.

Still, the phones have built a following among tech enthusiasts thanks to their camera performance and the fact that they are the first to receive Android software updates and new features. BLOOMBERG