Fall tends to bring new hardware from Google, which mainly involves new Nexus smartphones built in tandem with OEM partners. This year, things could be quite different since Google has a number of hardware projects in the works, and the Nexus brand is reportedly being replaced with a Pixel-badged line of smartphone devices.
All will be revealed on October 4, according to a new report from the generally reliable Android Police. At an event dedicated to hardware on that day, the Android-maker will reveal two Pixel phones, one called Pixel and one called Pixel XL, which will be 5-inch and 5.5-inch phones respectively. These will be HTC-built devices, according to the publication, which is different from other Pixel hardware, including the Chromebook Pixel and Pixel C tablet, whose design is handled in-house by Google itself.
Other hardware set to get show time at this event include the Google Home smart speaker, which the company showed off at I/O this past May, and a headset for Daydream VR created in-house. Daydream VR was also part of I/O’s announcements, and is the VR platform built into Android Nougat available to all Android smartphones that meet its minimum hardware specs. Finally, there’s also going to be a version of the Chromecast that supports 4K. Chromecast last got a refresh in late September 2015.
As mentioned, the timing fits in terms of Google’s past practice with refreshing Nexus hardware. Typically, Google follows shortly after Apple’s introduction of its own devices, and starts shipping the new kit pretty much immediately thereafter.
