What to expect at Google’s ‘Launch Night In’ 2020 hardware event

On September 30, Google will hold its annual hardware event. Due to the pandemic, the event will be livestreamed to the public at 11 a.m. PT. 

To help boost morale during these trying times, the tech giant has also thrown in a ‘Launch Night In’ theme, assuring viewers that the best seat in the house is actually your couch. (I can confirm that after almost seven months at home, it is not the best seat.) 

Anyway…

While an invite sent to Mashable a few weeks ago confirmed the event’s announcements would include a new Chromecast, Pixel phones, and a Nest smart speaker, the company remained tight-lipped on any other information. 

But tons of rumors and leaks have been circulating for months now. So, it’s fairly easy to piece together the details behind all the devices being announced tomorrow. Don’t worry though, we’ve done all that work for you. 

Here’s everything you can expect at Google’s 2020 hardware event:

The Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5

Google isn’t keeping this one a secret — news of the Pixel 4a 5G and Pixel 5 was announced in a press release last month. And while specs haven’t been confirmed, it’s fair to assume the 4a 5G won’t be any different from the Pixel 4a other than the addition of a 5G chipset. 

As for the Pixel 5, known phone leaker (along with ) posted a render on Twitter of what the flagship phone could look like. Other than a slightly larger 6-inch display, it’s not all that different from its predecessors. And like the more budget-friendly Pixel 4a, the Pixel 5’s screen is also rumored to feature 1080p resolution.

Based on the render, we can see that the phone’s display houses a single hole-punch selfie camera, which has been moved all the way to the top-left corner of the screen. The back has a matte finish, a triple-camera module complete with a flash, and a fingerprint sensor. On the bottom is a USB-C port and dual speakers. 

While the processor remains unconfirmed, rumors point to a midrange Snapdragon 765G chipset (with 5G connectivity), which is a step down from the Snapdragon 855 chipset in its predecessor.

Jon Prosser (another known and reliable leaker), recently tweeted that the device will be available in just two colors: black and sage green. He also claims the Pixel 5 will have a starting price of $699, which is $100 less than what the Pixel 4 was priced at last year.

Nest Audio

It’s been four years since Google released a new Google Home speaker, but it looks like we might finally be getting a new iteration. It was sort of confirmed back in July, when the company attempted to get ahead of a leak by providing reporters with official assets of the device.

But aside from a promotional image and a video that shows the unit being moved around the home (to showcase its portability), no specs were confirmed. We do know, however, that it’ll come in either gray or blue. 

Recently, someone was able to purchase the new speaker at a Walmart and posted an “unboxing” via Reddit confirming that it’s called the Nest Audio. According to a photo of the instruction manual, touch controls are located on the top front of the device. Like the Google Home, it’s said to be priced at $99.99.

However, unlike how it was depicted in the earlier promotional video, the Nest Audio apparently isn’t portable. When asked if it was, the Reddit user replied that “Nothing in the box or in its behavior infers a battery.” Seeing as how those promotional assets were sent directly from Google, I can’t help but wonder if maybe Nest Audio is only one of two speakers the company plans on announcing.

Google Chromecast 

As for the new Chromecast, rumors point to an updated streaming device that will purportedly be powered by Google TV. And, rather than forcing users to control the interface via smartphone, it’ll also apparently come with a bundled physical remote 

According to another Reddit thread (first spotted by Pocket-lint), someone was able to purchase the next-generation device from … you guessed it … their local Walmart. It’s called the “Chromecast with Google TV,” and it has support for 4K HDR. The thread also includes a short clip of Google TV’s UI, which incorporates streaming services like HBO Max, Netflix, Prime Video, Spotify, and more.

While the device does come with its own remote, there’s also support for HDMI Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) — this allows you to control the Chromecast with your main TV remote instead.

Both a photo of the remote and instruction manual were also posted. Based on the diagram, you can not only use the remote to navigate the TV, but also to trigger Google Assistant for voice commands using the built-in microphone. The new Chromecast was apparently listed at Walmart for around $50. 

Of course, all of this information is still very much up in the air and we won’t have full confirmation until tomorrow’s event. But if you’re too impatient, you can probably head over to your local Walmart and stock up on these devices now.