Google announces event for Oct. 4, where new Pixel phone and smartwatch expected

Google has set Oct. 4 as the date for its annual fall hardware event, where the company is likely to introduce the next Pixel phone and its latest watch.

“You’re invited to an in-person Made by Google event where we’ll introduce the latest additions to our Pixel portfolio of devices,” Google said in the invitation. The press event will be in New York at 10 a.m. ET.

Google is set to debut the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, which will follow last year’s Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. The company’s flagship Android phones run on its in-house Tensor processor. The Pixel Watch 2 is also expected, following last year’s Pixel Watch, Google’s first smartwatch.

Pixel phones have minimal market share, and hardware doesn’t drive significant revenue for the company. Of the $74.6 billion in revenue parent company Alphabet reported in the second quarter, for example, $58.14 billion came from Google ads. Another $8 billion was generated by Google Cloud.

Still, Google has worked to beef up its hardware business in recent years with its Nest speakers and smart home products, Pixel phones, a new Pixel tablet and its watch.