Google held its digital event ‘Launch Night In’ this week, announcing the Google Pixel 5, Pixel 4a 5G, new Chromecast with Google TV, and new Nest Audio.
Google Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G
The Pixel 5 includes 5G capability, Portrait Light and Night Sight features within portrait mode in the camera, and new Google One cloud storage services. Google have also updated their Pixel 4a phone up to 5G. Both the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G have the same Snapdragon 765G processor, the same camera setup (now with an ultrawide secondary lens), and very similar display size and battery. Aside from the extra features of the Pixel 5 listed above, the Pixel 5 has a 90Hz refresh rate display, 8GB of RAM (over 6GB), a bigger battery, wireless charging, and IP rating for waterproofing. The Pixel 4a 5G in comparison has a slightly bigger screen, and a headphone jack.
The Pixel 5 costs £599 and is available to pre-order now, with a release date of October 15. The Pixel 4a 5G costs £499 and will be released in the UK on November, 9.
Google TV
Google has released Google TV, similar to Apple TV, where you can stream from many different services such as Netflix or Amazon Prime. Voice control is available, and you can also create watchlists and set programmes to record from your phone. Google TV will work with other Google devices, such as Chromecast and Google Nest.
Chromecast
The new Chromecast has been built to work seamlessly with Google TV, now coming with a remote with buttons to instantly take you to Netflix and YouTube. You can also use the remote to speak with Google Assistant to play whatever you want. The new Chromecast with Google TV costs £60, in comparison to Apple TV’s cost of £149.
Google Nest Audio
Google has announced new Google Nest Audio, which is said to be 75% louder and has 50% stronger bass response than the original Google Home. Some adaptive features have also been added, such as Media EQ, where you can autotune the speaker depending on what you’re listening to, and Ambient IQ, which puts the volume up or down depending on the ambient noise level.