Google Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL Launch Event: Pixel Buds, Pixelbook Go, Nest Mini, Nest Wi-Fi Also Unveiled – Highlights

Google Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL price were revealed today. The Google Pixel 4 launch event began at 7.30pm IST on October 15, and if you recall, the two phones have been leaked multiple times with very few features not revealed ahead of the launch. At its Made by Google event, Google has unveiled the Pixel Buds, Pixelbook Go, Nest Mini, and the Nest Wi-Fi router. Lastly, the company also detailed the Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL.

Here’s how to watch Google Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL launch live stream.

Google’s SVP Rick Osterloh kicked off the event, first announcing that Google Stadia will go live on November 19. Next, Osterloh unveiled the Google Pixel Buds – the company’s truly wireless earphones that will take on Apple’s AirPods.

Osterloh says the Pixel Buds are small and light, fitting almost flush with the user’s ears. He also touted the sound quality of the earbuds. They feature a spatial vent on each earbud that let in the “just the right amount” of ambient noise. They are priced at $179 (roughly Rs. 12,800), and will be made available in early 2020.

At the Pixel 4 launch event, Osterloh also announced Google will be investing $150 million in renewable energy projects in key manufacturing regions. The investment is aimed to catalyse $1.5 billion of capital.

Next, Google’s design team chief, Ivy Ross, detailed some of the company’s recent work in responsible manufacturing and design. She revealed that all Google Nest products launching in 2019 will include recycled plastics. The Nest Mini features fabric is made out of recycled plastic, she added, with a single half litre bottle contributing enough textile to cover two Nest Mini speakers.

Google at its Made by Google event also unveiled the Pixelbook Go, which is priced starting from $649 (roughly Rs. 46,000). The base variant features an Intel Core m3 processor, while the top end variant features a Core i7 processor. It weighs in at just 900 grams, and is said to deliver 12 hours of battery life. It is just 13mm thick, and of course, runs on Chrome OS. Pre-orders will start in the US today, in Just Black, with the Not Pink colour variant going up for orders later.

After unveiling the Pixelbook Go, Google unveiled its new Nest lineup. To recall, Google had rebranded its Google Home lineup to Google Nest, and the first of the new products unveiled was the Google Nest Mini.

Priced at $49 (roughly Rs. 3,500), the Google Nest Mini will be made available in 23 countries – most probably including India – and will be available starting October 22. It has been put up fro pre-orders today. The Nest Mini will feature three microphones for better voice command recognition, and it is said to be faster. Intercom features will also be made available so that users can contact other people in their home or office who also have a Nest Mini.

Google also unveiled the Nest Wifi router, its new mesh Wi-Fi router system – featuring a router and a satellite. The Nest Wifi comes with BLE and Thread support, said to deliver better smart home device connectivity. It also features Google Assistant with a speaker built-in. The company revealed that Nest Wifi 2-pack will go on sale from November 4, and has been priced at $269 (roughly Rs. 19,100). The 3-pack will be priced at $349 (roughly Rs. 25,000).

Google Pixel 4 specifications

Next, Google’s Sabrina Ellis from the Google Pixel team showed off the Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, starting off with the radar-based Motion Sense gestures powered by the Soli radar sensor. Ellis said the Motion Sense developed with privacy built-in right from the start. Users can turn Motion Sense on and off at any point, and when it’s on, all the sensor’s date is processed right on the Pixel.

Ellis added that the Google Assistant is deeply integrated within the operating system on the Pixel 4 as well as across apps. Users will be able to quickly open apps, share what’s on your screen, and more. The new Google Assistant uses a hybrid model, with many functions happening on device. The Titan M security chip is also on the Pixel 4, helping protect user data. Transcription and search features were also detailed.

Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL will be available in Clearly White, Just Black, and a limited edition Oh So Orange. The company is also touting bundled 3 months of Google One with 100GB of cloud storage and 1:1 Pro sessions for tips. 

The company is touting four new computational photography features, with the first called Live HDR+. The feature is meant to correct exposure directly in the viewfinder before even clicking the picture. Users can also use brightness and shadows sliders to help compose more artistic shots. The second computational photography feature is enhanced white balancing, and the third is an improved Portrait Mode that also works on big objects. Finally, the last new computational photography feature is improved Night Sight, which can now also capture stars in the sky.

As for specifications, the Google Pixel 4 features a 5.7-inch full-HD+ display, while the Pixel 4 XL features a 6.3-inch QHD+ display – both capable of 90Hz refresh rates, with what Google is calling Smooth Display tech. The former features a 2,800mAh battery, while the latter features a 3,700mAh battery. Apart from weight and dimensions, these are the only differences between the smartphones.

Both smartphones feature single Nano-SIM card slots, apart from an eSIM. There are two rear cameras  – 16-megapixel (f/2.4) and 12.2-megapixel (f/1.7) – and a single 8-megapixel (f/2.0) front camera. The Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are both powered by the Snapdragon 855 SoC paired with 6GB of RAM. You can read more about the specifications in our Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL launch article.

Google Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL price

Google Pixel 4 price starts at $799 (roughly Rs. 57,100), while the Google Pixel 4 XL has been priced at $899 (roughly Rs. 64,000). Shipping starts on October 24, while pre-orders start today. The Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL will be available through every major US carrier, the company added. The Pixel 4 will not be launching in India.