How to watch Google Events: The live stream "Launch Night In" can be found here

How to watch Google Events: The live stream "Launch Night In" can be found here

Now it's Google's turn to unveil new hardware. And judging by what the search giant has already hinted at in its "Launch Night in with Google" event invitation, a variety of products are about to emerge from Mountain View.

The Pixel 5 has been the source of many rumors until Google's smartphone is released in the fall of each year, and will top the event. However, one can also expect the Google Pixel 4a 5G, a new smart speaker and a Chromecast device.

Our Google Pixel 5 event live blog will keep you up to date on all the news. But here is the wheat we expect to see this afternoon and the instructions for streaming this online-only product launch.

Google announced earlier this month that it will host a product launch event on September 30 at 2 pm ET/11 am CST. The event, called "Launch Night In with Google," will showcase the Made by Google hardware the company unveils each fall.

Google has launched a web page to watch a live stream of the event; by visiting Launch Night In Sight, one can pass the time until the event begins by tapping out tunes on their keyboard.

There is also a placeholder video on the Made by Google YouTube channel, which will probably switch to a live stream on Wednesday at 2 pm CST.

There is not much mystery regarding the agenda for Google's September 30 event. The company has already announced what to expect when it issues invitations to the streaming event. Below are the expectations Google has shared with us, along with some possible surprises.

The star of Launch Night In with Google is clearly the Google Pixel 5. However, the Pixel 5 could be quite different from previous models as Google tries to make it a device that stands out from the smartphone crowd.

Unlike past Pixels, which have been powered by Qualcomm's top-of-the-line chipset, the Pixel 5 will reportedly feature the less powerful Snapdragon 765G system-on-chip. This will provide 5G connectivity to Google's phone lineup, but will not have enough processing power to match or even come close to what Samsung's Galaxy S20 and Samsung's Galaxy Note 20 flagship models can do.

Google may be making these and other tradeoffs with an eye toward keeping the Pixel 5's price down. Allegedly, the Pixel 5 will start at $699, which is $100 less than the Pixel 4's launch price. Still, Google will have to use the Launch Night In event to really show off the Pixel 5, as models like the Galaxy S20 FE and OnePlus 8 offer more impressive specs for the same price.

The Pixel 4a 5G is also expected to make an appearance. This is, as the name implies, a cheap 5G phone based on the Pixel 4a that Google announced in early August. With a rumored 6.2-inch screen, the Pixel 4a 5G will offer a larger display than the Pixel 5, but the more expensive flagship will have a 90 Hz refresh rate.

Pricing for the Pixel 4a 5G has already been revealed; when the Pixel 4a was introduced, Google said the 5G version would cost $499.

Talk about removing all suspense. Google's promised update to the Chromecast streaming device has already been released and is available at select retailers.

The Google Chromecast with Google TV features a new oval design and comes with a remote control that simplifies operation of the streaming device. Priced at $50, it is cheaper than the traditional Chromecast, and early indications regarding the Google TV software suggest that Google is rebranding the Apple TV platform for use with the Chromecast.

The last item on Google's agenda is a smart speaker, and a series of leaks point to a device called Google Nest Audio; it is almost certain to have Google Assistant, but not much else is known about the promised features. There are no other promised features.

The leaked images show off a cloth-covered speaker that stands about 7 inches tall. Rumor has it that the Nest Audio will be priced at $100, but with Amazon rolling out a new design for its Echo speaker, Google will have to do more to make this device stand out.

Now, we have moved out of the realm of Google's pre-announcements and into pure speculation about a possible September 30 product. One of the potential products that has appeared at past Google hardware events is the Pixelbook lineup. In fact, at last year's Made by Google event, Google announced the Pixelbook Go, a cheaper version of its two-year-old Pixelbook.

While some have high hopes for the Pixelbook 2, it seems unlikely that it will appear at the Launch Night In with Google event, as the Pixelbook seems to be on an update schedule every other year, based on past releases.

Various accessories have been announced at recent Google events, primarily intended to accompany new Google devices; the Pixel Buds 2 debuted in the spring, and we may see a continuation of that this week. It seems unlikely that Google will launch new wireless earbuds. Nevertheless, from cases to camera add-ons, Google's attempts to build a Pixel ecosystem could garner some attention.

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