Just what is Google announcing at the October 5th hardware event? And what will it all cost?

With just under two weeks until the October 5th Google Hardware event we’re beginning to get a clearer picture of what they may be releasing and what it all may cost. Now before we go any further go fetch your salt lick and some water, you’re going to need a lot of both.

We’re confident we’ll see these… Pixel phones, Google Home and 4K Chromecast Ultra

Just what do we think they will be releasing? In the almost certain pile site the Pixel and Pixel XL Android-powered phones, we’re confident that they will release those based on the outline featured in the #MadeByGoogle sculpture that’s going around Australia and the US. The phones have cleared the FCC so they’re definitely ready to launch.

We’re also very confident about Google Home, the physical embodiment of the Google Assistant that showed up this week in their Allo app. Google Assistant represents a big step forward for Google and Home is the next step for Google Assistant which Google says will soon be appearing in your phone, tablet, car and with Google Home – your house.

Google is intending for Home to be out and on display in your home, making it look good enough to want to have it out on display. The device will also have swappable bottom covers to help it blend into your decor so we may get a look at their designs. Google Home will be a hub for your home, as well as featuring Google Assistant and as Google teased at Google I/O, the ability to interact with Chromecast, so of course we want a new one of those.

Despite only releasing Chromecast version 2 last year, there’s been massive calls for 4K support and with Chromecast Ultra, as the rumoured dongle is rumoured to be called, that will now be possible. We’ll be very happy to see the 4K support with a lot of different 4K capable televisions on the market it would be good be interesting to see this option made available.

Of course in order to make Chromecast Ultra, Google Home and anything else Google wants to announce work, great Wi-Fi will be key. This adds credence to the Google Wi-Fi home mesh network router we heard about earlier this week. The release of these products as a combined release makes sense as a way of ensuring users have high-quality Wi-Fi.

We’re not so sure about watches, tablets or even a Chromebook

In the “rumours have gone cold category” fall a few devices we’d still dearly love to see. Just because rumours are cold doesn’t mean we won’t see them, just that no leaks are appearing.

First on the list are the two Google designed and produced Android Wear devices – codenamed Angelfish and  Swordfish – that spiked up on the rumour radar once but haven’t appeared again. The watches were apparently set for release, but since we haven’t heard anything since our confidence in these is low – but we’d still love to see a set of Google designed Android Wear watches.

The reality is we’re probably less likely to see them; Google would have to be happy that traditional watchmakers are jumping on Android Wear as a smartwatch platform, and given they’re finding a fair amount of success, the call for technology companies to develop their own watches (without a watchmaking heritage) is a little bit diminished.

The other product is the rumoured Huawei-built 7″ tablet, the apparent spiritual successor to the Nexus 7s, perhaps a Pixel 7?

https://twitter.com/evleaks/status/772894822193623040

Evan Blass has a good track record on rumours, a Huawei exec was quoted as saying they were involved with the Nexus program again this year, and from interactions we’ve had with Googlers, they’re certainly fond of the 7″ tablet form factor. Age and technology has progressed beyond what the 2013 Nexus 7 could offer so we’d love to see a Pixel 7 (and that branding sounds neat, too).

In the not even had a rumour but wouldn’t it be nice category sits anything really, but why not through a Chromebook in the mix. The Pixel Chromebook 2015 has been discontinued, and while a new one has not been rumoured why not through that on the pile too?

When will we see this stuff?

Availability is key for the products, Google has previously released phones here so we’re confident the Pixel and Pixel XL will be released here. Telstra will be carrying one Pixel phone, which we’re pretty sure will be the Pixel XL as an exclusive. This would leave the Pixel as an option for Vodafone and Optus. Of course you should be able to buy them outright through the Google Store online. Expected date for the release here in Australia is October 20th, but we’ll hopefully find out more information on this soon.

We also confirmed with Sundar Pichai himself at Google I/O that though Google Home won’t launch in Australia immediately it will be coming, so there’s that, but we’re waiting on more word from Google after the event. It’s a matter of stay tuned on this one.

Google has been getting better on releasing Chromecast here, but still it tends to lag behind the US in availability so we possibly won’t be seeing that until next year, maybe around March/April – but this is pure speculation based on previous Chromecast launches. But of course we can hope that this will be released here sooner.

Availability of the Google Wi-Fi Mesh router is unfortunately not looking good for release here based on availability of the OnHub router series that Google released only in the US. Of course we can always hope but confidence in a local release here is fairly low.

If a new tablet were to be released, a Pixel 7 if you will, release here in Australia would almost be certain, and it should be relatively fast to reach our shores based on the speed at which the previous model Nexus 7’s arrived in Australia. Google has previously relied on the retail channels of the OEM making the tablets to distribute them throughout the world and Huawei if they are involved has excellent distribution options here in Australia. We have high hopes on this one if released.

In terms of any watches Google announce, we just don’t know. It depends on the way Google views these devices, we got day one launches of the Samsung Gear Live and LG G Watch, but those were OEM releases. Google branded hardware like the Pixel has started to appear outside the US with the launch of the Pixel C, so we can but hope.

What could this gear cost?

So that’s the rumoured hardware, our thoughts on availability, and now what about potential pricing?

However you shake it, if you’re wanting more than one of these things the likelihood is you’re going to need $1500 AUD as a starting point if you want to use the mesh feature of the Google Wi-Fi, you can add another $250 – $500. Want a watch we could see those retailing anywhere from $399 – $600 AUD and beyond. Longing for a replacement to your Nexus 7? Don’t expect the Pixel 7 to be as cheap.

The Pixel line started life as a premium brand and it looks like Google will continue that trend. One thing is for sure if Google releases half of this stuff we’re in for a great/ expensive few months!

How much would you pay for each of the rumoured Google devices? Let us know below.