Technologies
Rumored Google Products We’re Still Waiting to See in 2023
Google announced several new gadgets at I/O, but we haven’t yet seen the Pixel 8 or new Pixel Buds.
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Google announced a ton of new gadgets and services at its I/O developers conference, from the Pixel Fold to the Pixel Tablet, Android 14 and more AI features for its search engine. But if Google’s history is anything to judge by, there are likely still more devices to come later this year.
The most significant product we didn’t hear about at Google I/O was the expected Pixel 8 lineup, which would serve as Google’s answer to the rumored iPhone 15 and Samsung’s Galaxy S23 family. We also didn’t hear much about the Pixel Watch at I/O, although the company typically introduces its new mobile products in the fall timeframe. There’s also a chance Google could say more about the mixed reality platform it’s developing in partnership with Samsung and Qualcomm.
While Google largely laid out the vision for its approach to new products at I/O, its fall Pixel event is where we get a closer look at how the company is executing on that approach through fresh hardware. Here’s a look at what we’ll be watching for later this year based on rumors and the company’s previous product launches.
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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. The most recent comes from leaker Kuba Wojciechowski, who shared a video with the blog 91mobiles claiming to show the Pixel 8 Pro. The video suggests the phone will have a thermometer for measuring body temperature. WinFuture reports the new phones will run on Android 14 and 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.
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. Blog 9to5Google also reports that Google is indeed planning to announce a new Pixel Watch in the fall alongside the Pixel 8 lineup.
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 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.
Mixed reality platform
The Samsung Gear VR headset pictured above launched 2015. At its Unpacked event, the company announced that it’s partnering with Google and Qualcomm on a new mixed-reality initiative.
Google, Samsung and Qualcomm have teamed up on a new mixed reality platform, as Samsung announced in February. However, we haven’t heard much about it since then.
«We’re working towards a new generation of computing enabled by immersive experiences across brand new form factors that will further elevate what you can do with Google,» Hiroshi Lockheimer, Google’s senior vice president of platforms and ecosystems, said on stage at Samsung’s event.
Neither company has revealed details about the partnership yet, meaning it’s still unclear what types of products will result from the collaboration or what the software will look like. TM Roh, the head of Samsung’s mobile division, described the announcement as a «declarative» moment showing the company’s commitment to building an XR ecosystem when speaking with CNET in February.
But Sameer Samat, Google’s vice president of product management for Android, said during I/O 2023 that the company will share more about its «immersive XR» partnership later this year. The announcement also comes as Apple is expected to reveal its first mixed reality headset during its Worldwide Developers Conference, which starts on June 5.
New Pixel Buds A-Series
It’s been a while since Google released a new pair of Pixel Buds. If the company does have a new pair of wireless earbuds in its 2023 roadmap, there’s a chance we could hear about them in the fall. Google’s $99 Pixel Buds A-Series are particularly due for a refresh since the company hasn’t released a new version since June 2021, aside from new color options. Amazon just launched a new budget-friendly version of its Echo Buds that are competitively priced at just $50, giving Google more rivalry in the market for cheaper wireless earbuds space. While we haven’t heard many rumors yet, we’re hoping Google addresses some of our criticisms of the current Pixel Buds A-Series, such as their lack of volume touch controls.
Fitbit Charge 6
Google’s Fitbit brand also typically releases new products in the late summer or early fall. One of the major updates we’re expecting this year is the Fitbit Charge 6, considering the Fitbit Charge 5 launched in 2021. Fitbit’s next main fitness tracker will look nearly identical to the Charge 5, according to 9to5Google. It also wouldn’t be surprising to see the Charge 6 inherit some features from the Sense 2, such as Google Wallet support and the ability to continuously monitor for signs of stress throughout the day.
If the rumors prove accurate and Google maintains its previous product launch patterns, the fall could be a major moment for the company’s wearables division. As the fall gets closer, we’ll also get a better sense of how Google’s new devices compare to those from Samsung and Apple. Samsung usually releases new foldable phones and wearables in the August time frame, while Apple typically debuts new iPhones and Apple Watches in September.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Aug. 21, #332
Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Aug. 21, No. 332.
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.
To solve today’s Connections: Sports Edition, focus on the endings of some of the words. That should help you see how they connect. Read on for hints and the answers.
Connections: Sports Edition is out of beta after making its debut on Super Bowl Sunday on Feb. 9. That’s a sign that the game has earned enough loyal players that The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times, will continue to publish it. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but now appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can continue to play it 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: What you want to do.
Green group hint: Football abbreviations.
Blue group hint: Home to hoops.
Purple group hint: Hidden hockey team names.
Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups
Yellow group: Objective.
Green group: NFL teams, on scoreboards.
Blue group: NBA arenas ending with «Center.»
Purple group: Ends with an NHL team.
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 objective. The four answers are aim, goal, mark and target.
The green words in today’s Connections
The theme is NFL teams, on scoreboards. The four answers are CHI, MIA, MIN and NO. (Chicago, Miami, Minnesota and New Orleans.)
The blue words in today’s Connections
The theme is NBA arenas ending with «Center.» The four answers are Barclays, Chase, Delta and Kia.
The purple words in today’s Connections
The theme is ends with an NHL team. The four answers are geoducks, spoilers, superstars and Vikings. (Ducks, Oilers, Stars and Kings.)
Technologies
Made by Google 2025: Everything Announced — Pixel 10, Pixel Watch 4, Pixel 10 Pro Fold
At a star-studded event hosted by late-night host Jimmy Fallon, Google announced new phones, watches, earbuds and Android features.
Even though the Pixel 10 leaks and rumors felt as if they arrived in a steady firehose before today’s Made by Google event — compelling the company to release a teaser video pre-announcing the new phone’s existence a month ago — Google still delivered details it somehow managed to keep private until it was ready to share.
And that delivery was refreshingly fun for a tech event. The Tonight Show host Jimmy Kimmel led the proceedings in a very late-night talk show format, bringing on several special guests from media, sports and yes, Google’s own experts to show off the products and features they’ve been working on for today’s announcements.
Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL are real
Surprise, Google announced new phones! OK, this was the least surprising part of the event, but it still feels good to finally know what exists and when it’s coming. Preorders for the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL begin today and will be in stores and shipping starting August 28.
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Pixel 10 Pro Fold opens the next chapter of foldables
Folding phones so far have shared an Achilles Hinge: small particulates like sand can get inside the case and really mess things up. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold is one of the first to have an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, meaning you can take it to the beach.
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Pixel Watch 4 talks to Gemini and is your new health coach
The Pixel Watch 4 includes new fitness options like real-time guidance while exercising. And if you forgot to start a workout, the watch (with AI help) can detect the activity in the background and remind you of it later, giving you credit for the effort you made. It’s also the only smartwatch that can detect a loss of pulse and call emergency services automatically.
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Pixel Buds 2a are more affordable earbuds
Joining the Pixel Buds 2 Pro in the market are Pixel Buds 2a, an affordable ($130) pair of wireless earbuds that feature active noise cancellation, a smaller and lighter for all, and a twist-to-adjust stabilizer feature for setting a comfortable fit.
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Google’s New Pixel Buds 2A Look a Lot Like the Pro 2, but Cost Way Less
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Pixel Buds Pro 2 owners will see new features
Coming in a software update next month, Pixel Buds Pro 2 owners will be able to answer calls or send them to voicemail with a nod or shake of the head. You’ll be able to talk to Gemini live in noisy locations, and benefit from adaptive audio that applies noise cancellation while letting important sounds come through. At the other end, a new feature will protect your hearing from very loud sounds.
Magic Cue is a Gemini assistant that pulls data from your correspondence
In the rollout of all the various AI technologies in the industry, the current stretch goal is «agentic» interactions with software: Having an AI that knows all sorts of details about you and can act to get the important stuff in front of you when needed. (And do it in a privacy-first way, one would hope.)
Magic Cue is Google’s implementation. It’s a new Gemini-based feature that can look through your earlier messages, emails and photos to pull details about things like restaurant reservations and flight times. Magic Cue runs on the Pixel device itself, so sensitive data stays private and not shared to the cloud.
A lot of Gemini AI intelligence is still coming soon
At the start of the event, Kimmell sat down in typical talk-show format with Rick Osterloh, senior vice president of platforms and devices, to chat about Gemini and the marvels of AI. Aside from Magic Cue, which will be shipping on the Pixel 10 phones, a lot of the features we’ve been hearing about are still on the horizon.
«For instance, Gemini could do something like plan a team celebration dinner for 12 people tonight,» he said. «It might go find a restaurant that’ll accommodate that group…. Look for a karoake place nearby and maybe even order custom T-shirts for the celebration.»
And when will that be possible? Kimmell asked. «A lot sooner than people think,» Osterloh replied. «This kind of thing is coming this year.»
The Pixel 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL can zoom to 100x with AI help
Pro Res Zoom on the Pixel 10 Pro phones pushes zooming far beyond what would seem to be possible with typical small cameras. Usually when you zoom beyond the optical limits of the cameras, details get fuzzy as the software upscales the image. With Pro Res Zoom, when you go beyond 30x zoom, it uses generative AI to build a sharper version. CNET’s Andrew Lanxon got both impressive and head-scratching results while making photos in Paris using the Pixel 10 Pro XL.
Camera Coach uses AI to encourage better photos
Smartphone cameras have employed AI for several years, such as identifying subjects in order to blur the background for Portrait modes or quickly snapping several shots at multiple exposures and blending them together to create well-balanced lighting throughout. Now Google is using AI to help you take better photos.
Camera Coach is a new feature in the Pixel Camera app that looks at the scene in front of the lens and generates multiple suggestions for how to improve the photo before it’s captured. To show this off, podcaster Alex Cooper brought Fallon out to be her model and sat him down on a couch. When she activated the feature, Camera Coach suggested that she move the camera closer to the subject, position his head in the upper portion of the frame, lower the camera to eye level and turn on Portrait mode.
«To all the girls that are watching, I personally know how hard it is to train your boyfriend or your husband to get that perfect shot,» said Cooper. «And now Camera Coach can just train all the boys for us.»
Pixel 10 supports Qi2 magnetic charging
The Qi2 spec includes not just faster charging but also an array of magnets on the back for connecting to accessories. Sound familiar? The presenters mentioned Apple’s MagSafe system, then paused with the realization that they probably shouldn’t have name-checked it during the Google event. On the Pixel 10 phones, it’s called Pixelsnap and should work with accessories made for Apple’s ecosystem too.
Pixel 10 will be available in Mexico
In an impressive segment demonstrating Gemini live translation during a phone call, musician Karen Polinesia, who speaks Spanish, announced that for the first time, the Pixel 10 will be available for sale in Mexico.
This article is being updated; stay tuned for more.
Technologies
Upgrading to Pixel 10? Here’s How to Prepare Your Old Pixel for Trade-In
Don’t send off your phone with a ton of personal information still on it.
Google just announced the Pixel 10 family, and several preorder offers are available right now. If you’re looking for an even better deal on these new phones, you might want to consider trading in your old Pixel for maximum savings.
The Pixel 10 family consists of the base Pixel 10 model, two Pro models and the latest Pro Fold. All of these phones feature the latest Tensor G5 Processor, Qi2 wireless charging and, of course, new AI tricks. We went hands-on with the new phones, and they made a good impression.
If you’re ready to leap into a new Pixel, you’ll want to make sure you’ve prepared your old phone properly before you send it off.
If you don’t check all the right boxes for trading in your phone, its trade-in value could be reduced. You also want to avoid sending your phone out with a ton of personal information still left on it.
Below, we’ll go over the steps to ensure a seamless trade-in experience when your new Pixel 10 arrives.
For more, we’ve wrangled all of the best Pixel 10 cases you can buy right now.
Turn off the activation lock on your Pixel phone
Before you trade in your phone, you’ll just need a factory reset to qualify for the maximum trade-in value. Some retailers want you to remove the activation lock from your phone first, which requires removing the device from your Google account before resetting it. (AT&T took off over $400 of the value because I didn’t do this to my Pixel 7 Pro when I upgraded to the 8 Pro a few years back.)
You can remove your Google account from your phone directly or via your online account.
From your Pixel settings
You can remove the activation lock right from your Pixel phone. H:
- On your phone, navigate to Settings.
- Tap Passwords & accounts.
- Tap your Google account.
- Tap Remove account.
Repeat this process for any additional accounts you need to remove.
From the web
Alternatively, you can head to your online Google account web page and handle the removal from there.
- From a web browser, navigate to your Google account.
- Select Security on the left sidebar.
- Locate the Your devices box, and select Manage all devices.
- Select the device you’re trading in.
- Select Sign out.
Factory reset your Pixel
With the activation lock removed, you’re now free to factory reset your device as you normally would.
- On your Pixel, navigate to Settings.
- Tap System.
- Tap Reset options.
- Tap Erase all data (factory reset).
That’s it. Now you’re ready to send in your trade-in without any hiccups that could drop the value you get for your phone.
For more, check out a closer look at the Pixel 10 Pro XL’s camera performance.
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