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Welcome to Pixelated episode 111. I'm your host, Will Saddleberg. This week, it's made by Google Prep Time as we look forward to next week's official unveiling of the Pixel 11 series. Join us as we make absolute fools out of ourselves trying to guess the host 3 hours before Google announced it was Trevor Noah. Spoiler, no, we don't figure it out before we dive into some final leaks, rumors, and predictions surrounding the Pixel 11, Pixel Tag, and Pixel Watch 5. It all starts right after this message from our sponsor, Proton. Grab your phone and take a look at your app drawer right now. You've probably found yourself relying on these same old apps and services since the Nexus days, and what suited you best
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so much more. It's what's best for your current phone, not whatever you were using back in 2013. Upgrade to Proton today and save 30% on your annual subscription by heading to proton.me/95 Google or by clicking the link in the show notes. That's proton.me/95. me/95 Google. Thanks to Proton for sponsoring Pixelated Made by Google is looming. Um I was just saying off air briefly that my timeline is now based on years of pixel launches. This is like my eighth. I think this is my eighth, maybe my ninth, but I'm not sure. I'm working out of my brain. Whatever it is, there's a long time. My time is but a flat circle. And we hit pixel launch after pixel launch. We have
this coming up. Who do you think is going to be like? We had that really weird show last year with one of the jimmies, one of the famous jimmies. Which Jimmy should it be this year hosting the made by Google launch? I feel they're Are they're going to bring Fallon back, right? Like that feels it's I don't think it's Fallon. Um, I like late night host, so it's I'd love to for it to be called Bear since he's open. Unfortunately, he's available. Um, I think if it's somebody else No, I think it's late night. I feel like that feels right, especially since this one is at night, right? So, what time is it going to kick off uh like local in New York?
6 p.m. Eastern. 6:00 p.m. Eastern, right? Okay. So, that'll be like 10 p.m. Yeah. Compared to what was it 10 uh last year? Yeah. What do you think in terms of like because obviously this is the weirdest thing is that I think Google threw a spanner in the works initially doing it in summer and then now this year they've done as in pixel launch now they've done this thing where they've tried to make it more of an entertainment experience and I mean I know a lot of people will call it cringe. I actually didn't think it was I didn't think it was anywhere near as bad as some of the things that we see from
companies who take themselves too seriously. I feel like it felt I don't know. I guess it felt more it did feel infomerally which I quite like. I quite like that idea. I think if they gonna do it just lean into it and just go whole infomercial QVC all those shopping channels cuz it felt like realistic. It felt like there was a something there were humans behind it rather than something being overly scripted. I don't know like what do you think what do you think? Do you think you'll do it this year? So behind the the logic of that is that announcement is for the mass public. It's not for the tech audience so to speak. That's and I think that's fair.
They're trying to target a new audience, trying to go mainstream. Um so that's their rationale behind it. I absolutely think they're going to repeat that format again given the timing and I think that was it was that their most watched keynote last year? I'm not sure. had a really high viewership on YouTube. Yeah. Yeah, definitely. I guess you look at it at marketability of the actual host and that is a big thing, isn't it? Like I mean I don't really know much of which Jimmy was it Fallon shows how little I know of these uh US late night TV host but um I thought he did a great job. I think there was so there's a couple of things. There was a moment and I don't know how long it was into the keynote where they were
talking about they were talking about the tensor processor and I think he just went heyo tensor and then I was just I was fully laughing out loud. It was phenomenal. It was so good. But yeah, I want them to definitely lean into the absurdity of it because when we start when we start looking at it, we've had this we have this blandness in Android and I think that being critical I think companies like Samsung do this a little bit too much where they kind of they're like oh let's let's talk about oh how it's changing people's lives. Well, I mean yeah just let the absurdity of it makes it more funny. More people are going to watch it and maybe go viral off the back of it if it's just yeah just go whole hog. Just
don't don't like hold back. just go for the absurdity of it. I think it makes it even so much more fun to watch. And I'm guessing from people who aren't interested in tech, they don't care about specs. They don't care about all that kind of stuff. So yeah, I'm see Samsung at Spider-Man at the Yeah, the foot Spider-Man shot king Spider-Man. It's it's it's all of them are weird. I don't know. I think trying to target a mainstream audience is fine. That I do think they need to avoid the QVC feel because that's just that is the cringiest aspect to me. Um but and another good point you raising themselves too seriously. That's really just
I don't know. It's the tech audience will always be critical of how this is announced. But as long as by their metrics it's winning or it's it's a better than previous years, I think there's something there. I mean, I was nodding there so much that I nearly hurt my neck because I do agree with you. I think we can be hyperritical of stuff and I think like to me as I'm getting older, it must be my age now. I'm I think it's more endearing that Google is willing to like and I guess it's not with a launch because I don't think they did last year. I think it was something different and it people were paid attention in a different way. I think if you double
down and go for it again, people will resonate with it more like, oh, they're not out here trying to sell us well, I guess they are trying to sell a product, but trying to tell us something different. There's a different story behind it. I do wonder how much value there's going to be uh to the audience given that it looks the exact same as last year's phone. I do I wonder how that they're going to sell that. I mean, I'm What would your dream lineup be for someone in announcing the Pixel 11, which is I mean, the Pixel 9 Plus++, isn't it, at this point in time, like in terms of who's there or Yeah. Who would who Yeah. What would your dream keynote be like? Cuz I think everyone has a different expectation of
what a tech announcement should be. I think I guess like best case scenario is it's somebody that I find like funny, right? But like I don't that's I don't know. I don't know how else to do it beyond thinking of it as like a like can I get like genuine entertainment out of this info. It is an infomercial regardless of whether they design it to look and feel like an infomercial like they did last year. It is at the end of the day all of these tech events dating back to the jobs era are essentially infomercials for the product they're launching. Um, yeah. I don't know. Like it I He would never I don't think he would do it, but get Conan O'Brien up there and like have him joke around with
with Rick. I'll watch that. Like I will I think my dream keynote like this kind of backs I said earlier, but I think there is a way to do a tech keynote that might be interesting to a general audience. Um, I think Apple keynotes are evidence of that. Maybe not the most recent ones, but the earlier ones in terms of people's interest and Jobs's ability to translate um technical concepts through a public audience and get them to care and evangelize for it. Um, so I do think there's a format that would work. Um, historically, Google does not like talking about specs on stage. Let's take the camera as an example.
Consistently, Apple when they announce the iPhone, the latest iPhone Pro camera, they go into specs, they go into deep dives in a way that you would expect that's honestly surprising for a mainstream audience. Uh, because people care about the camera. Uh, people care about the end result. And I think there is a way to do that, but Google hasn't. They've never talked about specs. Maybe in the very first two or three keynotes, but since absolutely not. So I think there is a way to I would be curious to see a modern version of that by Google. And I think for me this is more in the weeds, but having Sunda open a keynote uh made by Google keynote would be would help reflect how
serious they are about this lineup or if they ever they have a big year or a big generation rather. I think that would be a sign that Google that there is a companywide this that they have something big for the year. My interpretation has been that Google has always kind of done the thing of show don't tell in their keynotes. Do you know what I mean? Like, oh, here is Night Sight. Here is um I can't even think of anyone off the top of my head, but let's just say Gemini. I'm thinking so broadly into the future and in the past at the same time. It's it's crazy. So, yeah, they tend to show off these uh live demos, and I think they probably speak louder than maybe the specifications would. And I guess it
probably doesn't help that this year if the processor is not what people are expecting that they will instantly turn off all the tech nodes. I mean then again you could argue that those people are so plugged in they don't care. But yeah that I feel like the show don't tell is a is kind of the best way for Google to do things I guess cuz they're not going to get it on pure specifications alone outright. Sure. Again they never even really talk about the tens except like the first two years. Yeah. I wonder if this just comes down to being to them needing like as good of a communicator as possible. Like I think they just need to put and I'm not
saying like external like they I think the longer they have someone like and I don't mean this is in disrespect to anybody else either people whose names they don't know or people who I'm not naming. But like I think Rick is always pretty good on stage. I think obviously, you know, deer cut his teeth for 10 years making video content at the verge that people still like comment to this day that they miss on that website. And it's and like I think getting him on stage as much as possible to communicate to an audience is smart, especially, you know, that maybe doesn't chase so much that doesn't win you over the general audience that Google is or is not chasing here, but you know, it kind of wins some
cred back over from the nerds who are talking about Abner. Um, yeah. I don't know. It's it's it's there's no easy way to do this. I almost wonder if like trying to make this into something that is for a general audience is just never going to happen in that way. Other than like, you know, I have no idea how much of that ad or how much of the view count comes from does Google put this uh presentation in front of, you know, as a pre-roll on YouTube. Like I wouldn't be surprised. I don't I have premium. I have I truly don't know if they did that last year. I don't know premium gang. Um, but uh but yeah, I don't I it's to me it's like I think trying to make it as entertaining and as fun as possible while also not totally disconnecting
from the fact that like regardless of what you do like it is predominantly enthusiasts watching this like I think it's their best uh best step forward. I think what Rick should do Rick and Sundai should come on stage. It should have huge sledgehammers. There should be a load of like tech on it. smash everything to pieces and then just swipe it off the desk and just slam down the brand new phone and be like this is your next phone and then like I don't know then they'd say something like I know Q video and then that's it and then it's literally just a montage of all this crazy stuff. I think that would be the
that would be my way of doing it. That's good. That does get a little bit too close to that Apple ad everybody hating probably. That's true. Uh, I think they should make a proper thin and light pixel and then pull it out of a manila envelope. No, they could put it in referencing the MacBook Air. They could post they can put it in one and then post it. Do the opposite and it arrives at they I don't know someone infiltrates Apple Park and they have this super thin super thin phone that they pull out and they're like, "Oh my god, that would be phenomenal." I guess the most realistic thing is that if it's not a late night host, it's probably a YouTube creator. Um Oh, it's Oh god, did they get Mr. Beast?
Is it going to be Mr. Beast up there? Who else could it be? Who in the YouTube space could it be? I mean, they're not going to get Marquez to do it because Mar that would confident. No. Yeah. It's not going to be a tech YouTuber. It would be a general Yeah, it would be a Mr. Beast or a Mr. Beast like figure, but I don't know. I'm disconnected enough from I don't know who that would be besides him. No. Yeah, that's a really good That is a really good shout out now actually. I think like they've tried to they teased it last year, didn't they? Well, I say teased it. They made them who was the what they called the Jonas Brothers. The
Jonas Brothers music video thing. I think I felt like that was Do you know what? I actually didn't mind that. I think sometimes those come across as really odd, but that was quite I quite enjoyed it. I think that those are the kind of things musical guests back. I want some the jobs thing of like having Coldplay out for two songs or whatever. Yeah. What did they do that during Apple keynotes? Yeah, they like ended on two songs at the end of Apple keynotes and then the year Kanye was there. I have no recollection. I don't remember any Apple keynotes. I am I remember I don't remember Kanye being at a keynote.
This is out of my brain. It was early Kanye and it was as weird as you'd expect it but yeah that happened. Amazing. They did for years they did musical guests. You two I think they did no one else. I think the YouTube thing never always rubs people up the wrong way. I think Bono doesn't help himself but yeah for jobs. I have the So, so Kanye performed Gold Digger and All Falls Down at the iPod Nano uh introduction keynote in 2005. Okay, that's on my watch list now. That is I'm putting that on my watch list right now. I was too young for this. I and I just I guess I've never learned about it, but uh yeah, that's crazy.
Okay, I'm going to add that to my watch list cuz as a early Kanye Stan, not so much now, but he's Oh, you're not a fan. No, you're not. Yeah, that's insane. Anything post Jesus I'm not really interested in. But yeah, that is okay. I'm going to watch that when I get the opportunity. I will stand up for the life of Pablo, but this is getting a little conversation we would do in the bonus episode. So, you got to pay us for that.
We will um we will I guess we will get a really good approximation probably what by Tuesday, Wednesday. When are they going to announce this? Do you think like did they announce Fallon ahead of time? They announced it last on like on Friday and everybody got on the internet got super mad so I don't think they're going to announce it. Yeah. Okay. Well, my approximation of knowing who it might be is completely off. I guess my last thought on that is like it matters for like that one hour, but afterwards nobody talked about it again. So if you hate that they do that, it's over after an hour.
Yeah, true. I think some of the supplementary stuff that Google did was really cool. Like I re I thought the Hot Ones um little brief thing with uh it's Sean, isn't it? Sean and Rick was I thought that was great. I think they should do more of that. It does obviously it does feel very fake, but at the same time I thought that was one of the most real things that they've done for quite a while. And I like the idea of them leaning into more stuff with creative people because when you see Samsung do the same with like have they done one with like Sydney Sweeney or something last year or the year before with a flip and it was like a few years ago.
She was at a couple of them. Yeah. One of the keynotes two or three years ago and it's like this is this feels so forced. This is so unreal unrealistic. And at least with the Jonas Bros on, you can see they clearly had fun doing it. They were performing something. There's a there's like a pushpull kind of 5050 almost. They get a bit promotion of their single. Well, they were active in it, but Sydney Sweeney just like I remember them cutting cuz I was not there. I think this was the one that was in South Korea 2 or 3 years ago. And I and but she was at I know she was at two of
them, but I remember this one being they like cut to her and she's just like sitting in the crowd like smiling and then she like come back to stage and I'm like what? Like what are we doing? What is going on? Yeah. At least the Samsung keynotes. Look, I'm sorry. They're I think they're terrible. I think Samsung does a really bad job. I think it's like the worst parts of like Apple's current keynotes crossed with like I just like the like I mean they're just playing videos at you for the for a large portion of that. Like it's not even like they're they're cutting to pre-recorded segments like Apple. They just like they're like here's like a
threeminut ad and then we'll play another three-minute ad after the fact and eventually you'll see cut down versions of these ads on you know before football games. It's just the worst man. I It's just boring and like I Yeah, I mean I'm not a big fan of Apple's current format, but at least it's like very it's polished to a tea and I think it comes across it's too much but like at least it's got that polish. Google is uh fun and experimental at the moment. Um yeah, who's your guys' final guesses on the host and then we can talk a little bit broader about the phones. Who would think it might be announced by the time this episode goes live? So
yeah, that's true. The listener might already know. Who's your guys guess? I think it probably is going to be Fallon again cuz I think he was pretty good to be quite honest with you. I think it was pretty I don't think it's Fallon again. I don't know who but who do you think it is? Abner. Who's your shot in the dark? I think it's a YouTube creator. I don't know who a beast or a beast like. Yeah, basically. No, who's who's a guy? Who's the guy that Oh, okay. I'll I'll throw out two. Mark Robber and Veritassium.
Those two. One of those two. Yeah, that could make sense. My uh I'm I'm going to go completely a name we haven't talked about. A profession we haven't really talked about. No, I'm going to say Jack Black. That's what I'm going to say. I shot in the dark. That's all. He's He is kind of a YouTuber. Uh he loves paid gigs from what I No. Okay. If it was paid gigs, he's Kevin Hart. Oh my god. Kevin Hart would do it, too. He's got um Jack Black has uh he's off he's coming off Mario Galaxy. Uh and then he's got Jumanji, so you know, he can promote his stuff while he's there. That's my shot in the dark. I don't
actually think it's going to happen, but I don't know. Maybe it's just a name that popped into my head. No, I think they're good. I think we've got some good shouts there. But I mean, if anyone has any others, please, by all means, if you're in the um announced, throw one in the Discord if it's not already been announced. If it has been announced, laugh at our stupid uh guesses. Um but yeah. Hey there. If you're enjoying Pixelated, don't forget to sign up for 95 Google Pro to gain access to our weekly bonus show, Pixelated Pro. This week, we're talking musical performers at 2000's Apple keynotes, the joys and pains of nostalgia bait tech, and each
of our five favorite games of all time. You'll never guess Abner's pick. Sign up today for just $5 per month at 95google.com/pro. I guess we can get into the phones and stuff. We've had a ridiculous deluge of leaks, as is always the case the week before. I feel like I know everything about these. It feels weird, doesn't it? We're talking about a keynote trying to get excited about a device that potentially we know every single uh component of it. But um I always find with any device, leaks never only tell you what
60% of the story. I think sometimes you need to get something in your hand. What do you think in terms of like I'm going to go with we're going to bring it back to colors because I always think that when we see colors from these leaks, they've been pulled from websites or whatever or someone's found them somewhere and they never quite match up to what they the real deal looks like. Like what do you think so far? Do you think where you seeing your attention being drawn to in terms of like devices, colors, all that kind of stuff? What's the most exciting for you guys? So, I think the matte uh matte obsidian pixel you have in pros. Uh yeah,
obviously because of the texture. That being said, I am so tired of black phones um that I will probably This pissed me off. This just proves they know matte is the right way to go and they're still not doing it for all the other colors. But what if it's a test? What if it's a test for that? It's What are they testing? Every other phone maker is making that phone. Oh, I'm sorry. I was just trying to try trying to play devil's advocate. I mean, maybe devil's advocate argument is it's stupidly shiny and horrible.
Yeah, it's it's annoying. It's it's like uncomfortable to hold. Like I And like I'll fess up to having sweaty hands, but that's that's only half the problem. It's it's freaking weird in the summer like when you're out. It's terrible in the summer. Yeah. But I mean, didn't didn't we site a study on this a few maybe last month or the month before that we saw that like people like overwhelmingly buy the plainest color because they put their phone in a case anyway? Yeah, it's the cars thing. Everybody buys the plain car colors.
Well, doesn't that make it even make less sense to make the black one the matte one then if the black one is the one everybody's buying to put in a case? I make a good point. Like gold one. Shouldn't that orangey gold one be the all matte one? Cuz that's the flashiest color and therefore the most likely to stay out of a cave. You've made some ridiculously good points there. I don't know what to say. I'm just mad that to really test Highlight this year, which is the name of Pixel Grow that has solidified at this point. I have to use an actual freaking case because I'm not
putting glass down on a when Oh yeah, because the rumor is yet you have to it only pix highlight only works when you uh flip your phone when you put your phone face down a lot like flip the shush and I'm I'm not putting my I'm not putting it my glass face down to be honest. Yeah. No, 100%. And I have to be honest with both of you. I you know, basically since it became obvious that this is just a modern notification light built into the camera flash, I have like I just I'm not going to use this. Like I'll use it during the review period to see how it goes, but like I know once the once my review is live of whatever, right?
Like I'm not like I just don't see anything here. It's just a notification light. I already have the always on display. I agree with you, Abner. I don't want to put my phone face down uh you know on a table or whatever, especially because like you I prefer to use you know as uh either no case or as thin a case as possible if I'm going to do that and I don't want to have to like worry about micro scratches or even deeper scratches because I'm trying to use a notification light that is still not as like I just I'm not seeing the advantage here over the always on display that already exists. I guess is that it's for Gemini status light which okay that sounds like a smart speaker and the other one is calls which
does anybody take and place calls I have a place of calling I do but like I never I don't I just don't like I don't know yeah go ahead I don't know my for me it's it's weird actually My the people I call, they know to text first before calling me. And that's the same with me. I give them like a courtesy text to say, "Hey, I'm going to call you because nobody it's disruptive. Otherwise, it just feels disruptive." So, [snorts] I just don't Yeah. Where does it sit in terms of like functionality that people complain about? Probably pretty low down the list. I mean, okay, I'm the one in the group where I do put my phone face down quite a lot when I'm working. I put my face down.
People I agree. People do that on. So, but if it but if I'm doing that, I don't want to be disturbed at all. I don't want the notification light. I'm doing it to not look at the always on display. Yeah, you're right. Actually, that's a good point. Yeah, you're making a lot of points today, will that I haven't thought of. Maybe I didn't Maybe I woke up on the like low IQ side of the bed today. I'm not trying to say that. I'm not trying to imply that at all. That's that's but it's more so that I'm like, you know, it's just it's one of those features where I really am I have been trying to be um I've been trying to think about what I would what I'm going
to use out of this. But this most recent leak where again, as Abner saying, we learned basically at least in this advertisement that leaked, it's it is for contacts calling you. And honestly, even if you were to add contacts messaging you, it's still not that useful to me because I would rather just see like my right, my friend texted me, uh I can see it on the always on display that it's not an important text. I'll I'll respond in 5 minutes when I'm finished with this task. As opposed to, oh, my light is flashing. I want I need to stop what I'm doing and pick up the like and then the Gemini thing it's like that's just a gimmick like that's a it's meant to as you said Adner like uh replicate a smart speaker but like that
adds nothing to the actual experience of using Gemini and honestly if I'm talking to Gemini on my phone I'm probably holding my phone. Yeah. And want to see the screen response cuz it's faster to digest. I don't know exactly. It does seem stupid that they wouldn't use this LED to just make it turn like red when you're recording video. Like that would be useful. Maybe it will and it's just not in this ad. But like I agree with immediately I'm like that's a better like you've already pitched me a better thing than the two that we've seen in this leak.
I mean if it's a colorful light as well you could have Phil light like okay do you know what I've just had a really big epiphany there. So if once [snorts] we find out what the situation is like if that ad shows there is limitations to it which I mean we don't even know that's that's the saddest thing about it. This is the problem when we talk about leaks we just make ourselves look like idiots but because it might have sh it might have I nearly swore then a ton of features. It might have a ton of features and my dream would be to have something like this and I think nothing were the only ones who were thinking about this. You could have that. You could have the LED flash, which I'm hoping it will be because we thought, was there
not rumors it was going to be an like a RGB like strip, a power strip type thing? Not a power strip, like a little I think that was always people's assumption, right? I think because that would have been a waste. That would have been a real waste. I think that would have been terrible because that would have been a visual flourish. [snorts] ASOS did it with their RG phones for Oh, it's how many years? 100% pointless. It just drives up the cost in a year where we don't need that. But at least I would be like, "Ooh, but it looks different than the last one." As opposed to this where it's like, "Okay, I guess technically if the flash is
going, it looks a little different." But like other like when the flash is not going when highlight is not operating it, it's going to look like a Pixel 9 and 10. So, but if they had this and if there is some camera functionality, which I'm dreaming that they do this, they could have like color filters and you could be like, "Okay, take a picture and it has like a red light for instance, or a blue who knows? I mean, I don't know. Is it not as bright as a flash? I'm not sure if it's as bright as a flash or close to it. would be It would be way too jarring, wouldn't it?" If it's Yeah, that's a good point actually. just blinding you in you put it face down on your nightstand and it just blinding you all night.
Okay. Well, there was I have to I've been put in my place today by you guys. I'm throwing out some stupid ideas. Okay. Just play fair with me. If they did work like that and it had the soft light and it is a little bit not quite as bright and you could do those things and you could have like accented colors for your photos and videos. Now that I could get behind for Gemini, I'm not sure because realistically I wouldn't put my phone face down to talk to Gemini. I would pick it up and put it to my face. So there's a few things that are like really confusing. You saying it is making me laugh cuz it's such a ridicul like I'm I'm imagining them developing this feature and they're like and then people will put their phone down after they've
activated Gemini Live and I'm like weird. I don't like what are like oh I look I'm not trying to bully anybody who works at Google or lives in Silicon Valley in general uh works or lives in the valley go outside go talk to a normal person like talk to people about how they're using their phones because like and this is not just a Google thing but there are there the current like tech industry at large is filled with a lot of devices or a lot of features that make me go you have not talked to normal people in a bit Like you have not gone out and talked to like your mom about how your mom's you like nobody's going to do this.
No, I have to disagree a bit. People do put their phone upside down when they're working. That's the thing. They are tapping. So I am that person. They are tapping into the correct idea, but the long implementation they got I'm talking more about the Gemini aspect of it. The Gemini sync. Not even so much the light in general, but like that feature in particular. Well, frustrations around this pixel glow highlight. God, terrible name. That's horrendous. It's really bad. Can we This is the other I don't think highlight had leaked last week when we were talking. So, like, let's just none of us like this name, right?
I mean, I don't know. Pixel Glow was such a win, man. It's just I don't know. I just don't see the benefit to calling it highlight. No. Like, I don't like especially with the capital L. I just don't I don't see what they're trying to go for. Puns girl likes puns. That's the only reason. What's the pun? I don't know. It said it's introduced. Hello. No, it's Oh, hi. Okay, I know. I get I see. I literally I truly that went right over my head until right now. And maybe that makes me dumb.
Yeah. Well, you get one and I've had 16. So, um, as for the rest after the rest of the stuff, like we talked adnauseium about the devices, I think, into on the pod and we'll probably get more into it when we potentially get some hands-on time pre uh post launch. Yeah. Um, and we'll talk I was going to say previews. This is the preview. I'm talking rubbish. Um, the reviews I think the biggest sus the biggest surprise that happened over the last week or so is we're going to get a pixel tag. like we are getting a tracker first party from Google and I'm 100% certain on this pod I have said and I don't want to quote myself cuz I can't remember what exactly I said but it was something like I think Google would were
maybe not doing this before because they were scared of any potential privacy risks uh or the optics of that why do you think they're doing it now of all times like do you think this I think this should have been launched alongside find hub when they rebranded it and we wouldn't be looking at it and like why is it taking so long? What was the reasoning for this? I don't know. It kind of feels like they didn't have enough this year in terms of they're not doing new buds. So, I don't know. They need a third thing.
What do we think? Do we think this is going to be the killer application for Android trackers? I'm exc I'm I'm genuinely excited for it because they change the default behavior. Wait, have they changed the default behavior yet? It's pixel. They've made minor changes to it, but I don't think they've changed the that specific setting. Oh, dang. I think it's still Let me I'll look. Is it in high traffic network, high traffic areas on I can't remember the exact wording, but god that kind of kills it. That kills my uh excitement for it. But hey, first party tracker.
I'm I'm going to be excited for it. We've only seen one image. Um and it just looks like a little pillshaped. It's we don't know battery. We don't know if it's a coin cell battery. We don't know if it's wireless charging, which the design kind I don't know. It would be cool, wouldn't it, if it was wireless charging? It would be cool if it's wireless charging. It does look different to what's available currently on Android. Is the Moto Tag the only UWB one? Am I correct in thinking that? kind of looks like the Samsung.
I still think that the end game of all this is that FineHub and Samsung merges their networks because why not? Let Samsung sell more t more tags. Yeah, Samsung tag is one of the best I've used, I will say. And they look nice. It has a built-in Yeah, we don't know what the built-in there's. I It looks like there's no built-in on the Pixel Tag. Yeah, the Samsung ones look nice. I just yeah I just think it's inevitable that they merge. This feels like a hybrid though, doesn't it, of what Apple are doing with the Air Tag and what Samsung have done in terms of like shape. And I don't Well, again, we don't know anything
about size. I would love to know what size it's going to be cuz if it's massive, it could be like as big as your palm and that would be terrible. But I don't imagine it would be. I mean I want something about no bigger than my thumb realistically. Something like that to put into a bag or something or a side bag or stuff. But um yeah, I guess there's no competition on the official Android side of the fence apart from Samsung. So I guess this could be a home one's good. I guess the Moto one is I don't know. I haven't tested it. But the Moto one is smart because it is the same exact size as a as an Air Tag. So any Air Tag accessory works with it. Or like if you buy a suitcase that has an Air Tag uh like holder spot right on it that is designed
to fit an Air Tag, you can put a Moto Tag in it and have the same effect. Oh, very good. I mean, yeah. What we think? What we thinking in terms of like response to that? I guess maybe people might not even care about trackers now until Google reveals it. I guess I don't know. I'm I'm really unsure because it almost feels like there was such a big play pre launch and then that initial setting almost killed any potential momentum that might have had with an Android find my and find hub network. Yeah. And I can't find anything that says that they have. I don't believe they've changed that setting. They have made or at least were working on making changes to both the setup process and which that's live. That's on the Pixel. That is live. Yes.
The other change they were working to make was uh I think just more prompts. Yeah. Well, I don't think they've changed the default yet. I still think it is it's set to the weaker default that keeps it from being like a as good. It's gotten better. Like it's certainly better than it was in like 2024 uh their network, but it is it's it's got that disadvantage over Apple, I would say, still like built in. And unless Google finally just pulls the trigger and like makes the more or the less secure or less private setting the default, like it's that's it's sort of always going to be one step behind. I think it does feel frustrating, but I guess we'll wait. We'll have to wait and
see from the keynote. I think that's one that at least surprise I think we were talking about surprises a couple of weeks ago and we had no idea, but at least there's one. Like I mean Yeah. Did you mention you wanted to see headphones? I was like, I can't ever see that happen. Not even. So, no, I don't know what I would want to see. I guess the idea of a surprise is that you can't predict it, right? And so, like I I don't know what I would tell you would make me super excited that Google could get up on stage and announce. It wouldn't be the Google book because we know that's coming and we have talked on the show about how I'm not excited about it. It wouldn't be the
glasses just because again, we know they're coming. It wouldn't feel like a true surprise. is it would be like, oh, here's the next phase of the announcement. It would have to be something that we just had no inkling was happening or that Google was working on. It would have to be, again, I can't even predict what it would be. But, uh, yeah, I don't know. I'm really surprised we're not we're not seeing or hearing anything about potential Google book launch on the day. Like, I think it would have been interesting to see that. Did something leak this week, Abnner, in terms of like s one brand of Google book? How do you know? Couple two Lenovo and Asus, right?
Acer or Acer? Acer. I think Acer. Yeah, they look like laptops. I don't They look like laptops. Well, I mean, you would hope I would You would hope that was the case, but I'm I'm I'm surprised that Google hasn't really spoken about uh the Android build for Google Books a little bit more extensively in the time since I am. It's been weird, isn't A lot more details haven't revealed, but yeah, they I guess they feel confident that there are enough development devices out there like tablets and Chromebooks for developers to optimize apps that way. And I'm sure behind the scenes there's been massive developer reach out to optimize apps. But yeah, it's Google Books. It's it's honestly surprising that what's it's coming this fall like
stuff is launching this fall and that there wasn't a need for a bigger prelude. Yeah. I mean I guess it would it in my mind it would make sense for Google to kind of hold it towards the end of the keynote and say we've got more stuff coming along like oh there's more stuff coming in future. I could see them doing it but at the same time like will they do it? I feel like I can't remember how the last year's wrapped up. It felt like Oh, yeah. Did it have a post show or anything like that? I do think they Yeah, it's had a po it had like a separate live stream um afterwards, but I don't know. I think it's going to be short and sweet. It's again I'd love a surprise, but um I think this we know
everything that has leaked. Do you know one thing we haven't talked about briefly cuz I feel like we should definitely touch about is the Pixel Watch 5. Like some stuff's leaked about that recently. I'm currently wearing the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 or two Ultra, I don't know what it's called. So, I don't really have much room on my wrist for another wristwatch. So, I want to hear what you guys are thinking in terms of like where does this wearable sit if it's not as much of an upgrade as potentially some of the other aspects of So, yeah, the specs have the there is some sort of Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 accelerated chip. Horrible name. Um, it's so it's it's not the way Elite that
everybody thought was coming when it was announced earlier this year. It is an accelerated version. So, I guess what faster clock speeds or whatever. um the extra gig of RAM that's going to be I'm very curious to see how if that impacts any perform general performance or whether that's purely dedicated to I guess some kind of um AI models on device maybe even though 3 gigs is pretty small I guess the surprising thing we learned 64 gigs of storage is a lot that's a doubling Samsung's still on 32 um Apple has been on 64 for one or two generations. I don't know what you use 64 gigs for. Um maybe it's models. I was going to say, have they are they thinking about putting local models?
Yeah, that's the only reason. But like even the Gemini uh um Gemini Nano 3 is like 4 gigs. That's still a big jump. What if it's health models? What if it's like big health models? kind of analyze the ondevice stuff cuz obviously then like the only way I can think of it is and I've never been one of these people cuz I've never had an e in a watch but if you went off grid offrid if you left your phone at home is what I'm trying to say if you left your phone at home and went for a run and you had access to all this sort of stuff and then you want the fitness data instantly without your phone there like maybe there's some processing elements that it could do. I don't know. I'm definitely reaching
there massively. The only other thing I would potentially use it for is tons of offline music playlist, but even then I fill them. So, I don't know if you can fill up that much music on I don't know. Do you think maybe YouTube and Spotify and I mean any other streaming service? Do you think they're maybe going to support lossless playlists on the watch? That could work maybe for more space. That would be obvious. Yes. It does feel it does feel like what is what's ridiculous is I think Google should have done the just reduce the price and kept the storage the same [snorts] like 64 GB feels overkill keep it 35 knock $50 off the start price £50 whatever it is that I think that would go a longer
way than doing what they're trying to do I don't know how they're trying to justify it especially since this is like a like feels like a 4.5 in terms of generation but at the same time Like Apple watches have stayed the same for so many years. Like their gener their tech bumps are also minimal. So I guess this is just new year, new model, new version bump. That's it. Yeah, it makes sense. I saw some of the colors at least. I think there's some nice colors this year. Uh I think they nailed it last year anyway.
Just do more of the same. I think in terms of Google's product portfolio, for me, I think the Pixel Watch 4 is probably the most perfect product that Google have made so far. Nine, nine out of 10. Um, wow. For as a smartwatch, I don't think there's many better in terms of a smartwatch for what you what I want from it. Obviously, that's I'm the taste maker there, so I'm saying nine out of 10. You might have a different opinion, but I think it is definitely Google's premier product in my mind. Uh, even more so than the phone. So, more of the same is always good. But yeah, I don't understand the 64 GB storage thing. Just it baffles me slightly to be honest.
Yeah. But as a uh Fitbit Air connoisseur, I don't think I'm I don't think it's going to make me switch anytime soon. I'm I'm definitely in the no notification gang now. So, I don't think I'm going to get to switch away from that soon. If Google could have done a Fitbit Air 2 in the time it took announced it, I would have been first in line. But um yeah, I think that kind of wraps up all of our thoughts and feelings ahead of Made by Google, which is God, it's crazy. It's came up so fast. We were just reminiscing about when it could be. I don't know if um Are you guys excited or you just kind of like just get it over and done with now?
Somewhere in the middle. I don't know if I'd call myself excited, but I'm not like dreading it either. I genuinely think that uh that goldish orang-ish uh Pixel 11 Pro we were talking about earlier uh looks great. I again I wish it was matte, but like I that color looks so I'm I'm hoping it looks as good in person as it does in those leaked renders we've seen. Um but and you know I'm excited to see what they are going to promise out of Tensor G6. Uh you know regardless of what that chip ends up being. But yeah, I'm it's new Pixel hardware. It's exciting to a certain extent. And the leaks haven't really captured what software is coming.
Um that's true. So I'm very curious. It's always the [clears throat] very curious. Yeah. And you will be there in person, won't you, Abnner? So you will be our man on the ground at Made by Google. So yeah, if you're watching the live stream, um because we won't be recording till after Made by Google, keep an eye out for Rabba. He will be I'm hoping we're going to get him front and center. He might even be on the couch alongside Jimmy and uh and Rick at some point. I might try and say to him, "Just get on stage quick. Go and sit there." Jimmy should do crowd work.
Oh yeah, 100%. But yeah, I'm uh stay tuned for our coverage. Like I say, we will have all of our when we get our greasy mitts on these phones in the next week or so after the keynote. My affirmations sweaty. We'll give you all of our thoughts and feeling feelings. Um and yeah, stay tuned. If you want to hang around, hang around. We're going over to pro right now. Uh we're going to talk. We're going to kind of shoot the breeze, talk about all sorts of things. You've got some fold eight takes. I do have some fold eight takes. Yeah. Come over and get my fold eight takes having been using this properly. Uh my main sim is in it right now. I have some uh yeah, kind of got some conflicting thoughts.
So yeah, come over and join us. We'll talk all sorts and uh we'd love to have you. links down in the description below. As always, Will and Abnner, it's great fun to hang around with you and we're gonna be hanging around over there having a good time. So, come join us. Speak to you soon. Bye. Thanks for listening to Pixelated, a 9to-5 Google podcast. If you enjoyed the show, we ask that you rate and review it on the podcast platform of your choice and help spread the word by sharing the show with friends or on social media.
