Technologies
Google Pixel Products We’re Expecting in 2023: Pixel 8, Pixel Fold and More
Google’s Pixel line might get a new foldable, and we’re waiting on the new Pixel Tablet, too.
Google usually announces new Pixel products throughout the year, but 2023 could end up being a particularly important moment for the company’s device line. Google is rumored to be releasing its first foldable phone, which would directly compete with Samsung’s proven line of Galaxy Z Fold devices.
Google also introduced its own ChatGPT rival, Bard, which it opened up to the public in March. It wouldn’t be surprising to see new developments to Bard and hear about Google’s other AI ambitions during its I/O conference in May.
Both potential announcements would further signal that tech giants are thinking about what’s next for the smartphone and the apps that run on these devices in 2023. Samsung and Motorola, for example, both introduced new concept devices earlier this year with slidable and rollable screens, which could one day succeed today’s foldables. And Microsoft has its own revamped version of Bing that uses AI to provide more direct and conversational answers, giving Google stronger competition in the search arena it’s dominated for years.
Here’s a look at what we’re expecting from Google this year, based on rumors, reports and the company’s typical product launch schedule. We’ll be updating this story regularly as more leaks and reports surface.
Pixel 7A
Google’s Pixel 6A from last year.
Lisa Eadicicco/CNETIf history repeats itself, Google will release a cheaper version of the Pixel 7 known as the Pixel 7A in the spring or summer. Google introduced the Pixel 6A at Google I/O last year before putting it on sale in July. That means we might be just weeks away from learning about the Pixel 7A, if Google does decide to announce it at its annual developer conference again this year.
We won’t know anything for certain until Google debuts the Pixel 7A, but some leaks and reports have provided clues about what it might include. Developer Kuba Wojciechowski, who claims to have found details possibly referring to the Pixel 7A in the Android codebase, suggests the Pixel 7A could have a screen with a higher 90Hz refresh rate and wireless charging.
That might not sound too exciting, but it’s notable because these two features are absent from the 6A. By bringing them to the Pixel 7A, Google would further close the gap between its premium and budget-friendly phones.
Another purported leak from Vietnamese website Zing News suggests the Pixel 7A will have a 6.1-inch screen just like the 6A and a design that resembles the Pixel 7.
If the Pixel 7A follows in the Pixel 6A’s footsteps, we can expect it to have the same Tensor G2 processor as the Pixel 7, but a camera that’s a step down.
Pixel Fold
Samsung is currently the leader when it comes to foldable phones like the Z Fold 4, but maybe Google could give it some competition.
James Martin/CNETAside from Apple, Google is one of the only major phone-makers that hasn’t released a foldable phone or discussed plans to do so. But that could change in the near future. Reports from 9to5Google and WinFuture suggest Google’s first foldable Pixel device could arrive as soon as June.
The phone could avoid the Samsung Z Fold series’ tall, thin design in favor of a shorter, wider format with a look that’s similar to the Oppo Find N or Microsoft Surface Duo, according to reports and leaks from 9to5Google and YouTube personality Dave2D. Code in the beta for Android 13, which Wojciechowski says he discovered, also suggests the Pixel Fold would have a camera with main, ultrawide and telephoto lenses.
Google is known for undercutting rivals like Apple and Samsung on price with its regular Pixel phones. If Google does release a foldable phone, I’m hoping it takes a similar approach. Samsung currently dominates foldable phones with 62% of the market in the first half of 2022, according to Counterpoint Research, so it’ll be interesting to see if Google can give Samsung some worthwhile competition.
Sales of foldable phones are growing, but they still make up just a fraction of the broader smartphone market. Global shipments are expected to grow by 52% year-over-year in 2023, according to Counterpoint, reaching 22.7 million units. But when you consider that 304 million smartphones are estimated to have been shipped in the fourth quarter of 2022 based on Counterpoint’s findings, 22.7 million in a whole year seems like a drop in the ocean.
Pixel 8 and 8 Pro
Google typically releases new flagship Pixel phones in the fall, and we’re expecting the company to follow that same pattern in 2023. We won’t know what’s in store for Google’s Pixel 8 and 8 Pro until it announces those devices.
However, Google’s updates have been very camera-centric in recent years, with the Pixel 7 lineup gaining improved zoom and the Pixel 7 Pro receiving a new macro photography mode. With the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, which were the first Pixels to run on Google’s Tensor chips, we saw new features like Magic Eraser, Face Unblur and Real Tone. With that in mind, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Google push the camera even further on the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro, although we won’t know exactly what that looks like just yet. Both phones will also likely have a new Tensor processor, too.
Leaks have been scarce so far, but there have been a few reports claiming to provide details about Google’s next pair of Pixels. WinFuture reports the new phones will run on Android 14, which is expected to be the next major version of Android, and will have 12GB of RAM. Well-known gadget leaker Steve Hemmerstoffer also partnered with blogs MySmartPrice and SmartPrix to publish what are said to be renderings of the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.
Android 14
Android 14 is currently available in a preview mode for developers, with the final consumer-ready version expected to arrive in the fall. Google releases new Android features and Pixel-specific features throughout the year, but its annual version upgrades usually provide sweeping platform-wide improvements.
Android 13, for example, introduced more color options for Google’s Material You interface, end-to-end encryption for RCS group chats in Messages and more privacy protections, such as the option to grant apps access to a limited selection of photos instead of your whole library.
Based on what we know about Android 14 so far, it seems like Google will continue building on these themes by making improvements related to power efficiency, privacy and accessibility. We’ll likely find out more at Google’s I/O developer conference in May.
Pixel Tablet
Google is taking a fresh approach to tablets with its upcoming Pixel Tablet, which will have a speaker charging dock that turns it into a Nest Hub when docked.
The company hasn’t revealed much about its upcoming tablet, but it did provide some details during its last Pixel event in October. Other than its speaker dock, we also learned that the tablet will have a nano-ceramic coating inspired by porcelain and will run on the Tensor G2 processor found in the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro.
Google said it plans to launch the tablet in 2023, although it didn’t provide specifics. We’re expecting to learn more at Google I/O or in the fall, when the company typically holds its Pixel product launch event.
More AI in Google Search and elsewhere
Joining the Bard waitlist only takes a few taps/clicks.
Nelson Aguilar/CNETFollowing the success of ChatGPT, generative AI has been everywhere in 2023 — and that includes in Google’s products. The company already introduced its AI-powered search chatbot Bard and announced new AI features for Gmail and Google Docs for generating drafts and rewriting emails.
But we’re expecting AI to be a dominant trend at Google I/O conference this year, especially as it seeks to keep pace with Microsoft and other rivals. Google reportedly issued a code red in December after ChatGPT debuted, according to The New York Times, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see Google use its conference as an opportunity to assert its authority in AI.
AI has been a prominent theme at Google I/O before. Last year, for example, Google discussed improvements to automation, like auto translation and transcription for video, as well as updates to Search that make it better at handling questions that combine text and images. With all the attention Microsoft’s Bing has garnered thanks to its incorporation of AI, Google will likely make AI and Search a centerpiece of its I/O presentation.
Pixel Watch 2
Google hasn’t discussed plans for future Pixel Watches, nor have there been many leaks or rumors about what’s next for Google’s smartwatch. But since Google’s Pixel phones follow a yearly cadence — as do the Pixel Watch’s biggest competitors like the Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch — it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Pixel Watch follow suit.
Based on Google’s current direction for the Pixel Watch, we can probably expect to see the same round design on its sequel. The latest version of Wear OS, which we’re expecting to hear more about at Google I/O, will also likely make an appearance. I’m also hoping to see longer battery life and a few extra health and fitness-tracking features, such as auto-workout detection.
Technologies
Tim Cook Riffs on Retirement Rumors, AI, Phone Addiction and Trump
The Apple CEO discussed a range of topics on Good Morning America.
Tim Cook isn’t going anywhere just yet — not during Apple’s 50th anniversary celebrations, not with the company preparing to introduce its first foldable phone, not while the tech giant is trying to figure out how to beat the AI race.
In a sit-down interview with Good Morning America host and Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan this week, Cook, who turned 65 in November, said there was no truth to the rumors that he is considering retiring from Apple. He became CEO of the company in 2011, 13 years after joining from Compaq.
«I love what I do deeply. Twenty-eight years ago, I walked into Apple, and I’ve loved every day of it since,» Cook told Strahan. «We’ve had ups and downs, but the people I work with are so amazing. They bring out the best in me, and hopefully I can bring out the best in them.»
Strahan interviewed Cook during the Apple CEO’s visit to Wadleigh Secondary School for the Performing & Visual Arts in Harlem, where students use Apple technology through the company’s partnership with the nonprofit Save the Music.
Speculation about Cook stepping down has been circulating since last November, when the Financial Times cited unnamed sources saying that Apple was preparing to usher in a new CEO «as soon as next year.» Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman threw water on that report, saying he «would be shocked if Cook steps down in the time frame outlined by the FT.»
During Cook’s tenure as CEO, Apple’s revenue has nearly quadrupled, with the tech giant adding dozens of new iPhone models, several more iPads, and updated Apple Watches and AirPods. This year, Apple has launched several new products, including the MacBook Neo, which at $599 has disrupted the budget laptop market. The company’s first foldable phone could come later this year.
Touch some grass
The GMA interview was short but wide-ranging, including Cook’s thoughts on how much people use their iPhones. Many studies estimate that people across most generations spend at least 4 hours a day on their phones, with millennials and Gen Z spending 5 to 6 hours.
When asked what he worries about most regarding Apple products’ impact on society, Cook weighed in, telling Strahan he doesn’t want people using iPhones «too much.»
«I don’t want people looking at the smartphone more than they’re looking in someone’s eyes,» Cook said, «because if they’re just scrolling endlessly, this is not the way you want to spend your day. Go out and spend it in nature.»
More on Apple from CNET:
- Watch Steve Jobs Introduce the Original iPhone
- The $500 Check That Kickstarted Apple Just Sold for $2.4 Million
AI and privacy
Cook told Strahan that AI «can be so positive,» but his response when asked whether he was «worried» about it was fairly flat.
«Technology doesn’t want to be good, and it doesn’t want to be bad,» Cook said. «It’s in the hands of the user and the hands of the inventor.»
Strahan questioned how much of iPhone users’ private lives are feeding Apple’s AI learning machine. Cook told him that because the smartphone is encrypted, Apple doesn’t have access to it. He went on to say: «When we can’t answer a question on your device, we send it to something called private cloud compute, which is essentially a big device in the sky that has the same kind of security and architecture as your phone.»
On its website, Apple says that it «does not use our users’ private personal data or user interactions when training our foundation models.»
To date, Apple has been cautious in diving into the AI scrum. While Amazon, Alphabet, Meta and Microsoft are spending nearly $700 billion combined on AI tech this year, Apple is «only» investing $14 billion.
Trump and tariffs
Cook has been criticized for being too cozy with the Trump administration: donating $1 million to President Donald Trump’s inauguration; giving him a 24-karat gold plaque; and attending a White House screening of Melania, a film about the First Lady.
The Apple CEO told Strahan that he’s «not a political person» on either side.
«I’m kind of straight down the middle, and I focus on policy,» Cook said. «So, I’m very pleased that the president and the administration is accessible to talk about policy.»
One of those policies has been tariffs, which Trump has imposed on many nations to varying degrees during his second term in office, purportedly to pressure companies to shift their manufacturing to the US. The president has largely spared Apple, which promised to invest $600 billion over four years to make more products in the US.
Cook told Strahan that the glass for the front and back of an iPhone will come out of Kentucky by the end of the year, and that 100 million chip engines will be manufactured in Arizona this year. He also noted that 20 billion semiconductors will be made in the US. «We’re a very proud American company, and we want to do as much here as we can,» Cook said.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for March 19, #1012
Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for March 19 #1012.
Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.
Today’s NYT Connections puzzle features another tricky purple category, where words hide inside the clues and you have to dig them out. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.
The Times has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.
Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time
Hints for today’s Connections groups
Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.
Yellow group hint: Children’s stories.
Green group hint: Lucky charms.
Blue group hint: One color, then the next.
Purple group hint: Hidden words relating to music.
Answers for today’s Connections groups
Yellow group: Folk tale characters.
Green group: Good luck symbols.
Blue group: Things that change color.
Purple group: Ending in music genres.
Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words
What are today’s Connections answers?
The yellow words in today’s Connections
The theme is folk tale characters. The four answers are Chicken Little, Frog Prince, Gingerbread Man and Goldilocks.
The green words in today’s Connections
The theme is good luck symbols. The four answers are evil eye, four-leaf clover, horseshoe and rabbit’s foot.
The blue words in today’s Connections
The theme is things that change color. The four answers are chameleon, mood ring, sunset and traffic light.
The purple words in today’s Connections
The theme is ending in music genres. The four answers are baby blues, pet rock, scrap metal and soda pop.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for March 19, #542
Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle No. 542 for Thursday, March 19.
Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.
Today’s Connections: Sports Edition is tricky. Remember that many athletes’ surnames look like common words, so if you’re having trouble sorting the answers, think about whether a particular word could be someone’s last name. If you’re struggling with today’s puzzle but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.
Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.
Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta
Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups
Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.
Yellow group hint: Football division.
Green group hint: They catch the pigskin.
Blue group hint: College hoopsters.
Purple group hint: Where’s the glass slipper?
Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups
Yellow group: NFC East teams.
Green group: Hall of Fame wide receivers.
Blue group: Stars in this year’s men’s NCAA tournament.
Purple group: Notable NCAA tournament Cinderellas.
Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words
What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?
The yellow words in today’s Connections
The theme is NFC East teams. The four answers are Commanders, Cowboys, Eagles and Giants.
The green words in today’s Connections
The theme is Hall of Fame wide receivers. The four answers are Bruce, Monk, Moss and Rice.
The blue words in today’s Connections
The theme is stars in this year’s men’s NCAA tournament. The four answers are Acuff, Boozer, Dybantsa and Peat.
The purple words in today’s Connections
The theme is notable NCAA tournament Cinderellas. The four answers are Patriots, Peacocks, Ramblers and Rams.
-
Technologies3 года agoTech Companies Need to Be Held Accountable for Security, Experts Say
-
Technologies3 года agoBest Handheld Game Console in 2023
-
Technologies3 года agoTighten Up Your VR Game With the Best Head Straps for Quest 2
-
Technologies4 года agoBlack Friday 2021: The best deals on TVs, headphones, kitchenware, and more
-
Technologies5 лет agoGoogle to require vaccinations as Silicon Valley rethinks return-to-office policies
-
Technologies5 лет agoVerum, Wickr and Threema: next generation secured messengers
-
Technologies4 года agoOlivia Harlan Dekker for Verum Messenger
-
Technologies5 лет agoiPhone 13 event: How to watch Apple’s big announcement tomorrow