Google Pixel 3 release – as it happened: Price, release date and features revealed for new Android phones and more

Google launches flagship Pixel 3 phone

Google has launched the latest version of its flagship Pixel phone – and plenty more besides.

The two new phones includes vastly upgraded specs, new selfie features, and a completely re-designed look. As well as the two phones – the smaller and bigger version – there was a new version of the Google Home voice assistant that has a screen, as well as a new tablet.

Most of the new devices had already been leaked ahead of the official unveiling, but Google still managed a few surprises, especially with its exceptional camera.

A full round-up of the event can be found below.

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[9 October 2018 16:20 · anthony.cuthbertson]

From out of a pedestal in the middle of the room, appear three devices: The Pixel 3, Pixel Slate and Google Home Hub.

Eager reporters are crowding around to get a picture, as Osterloh races through the announcements. 

[9 October 2018 16:27 · anthony.cuthbertson]

The Pixel Slate apparently brings "the power and productivity of a desktop to a tablet," according to Osterloh. Google definitely isn't the first to make that claim.

The Google Home Hub, as you might imagine, is for the home. "The smart home in 2018 is too complex," he says. I dunno if a brand new device is the way to make things any clearer.

[9 October 2018 16:29 · anthony.cuthbertson]

Diya Jolly, Google's vice president of product management, comes on stage to talk about the smart home, revealing that queries to Google Home has gone up 400 per cent in the past year. 

"Now imagine not just hearing a response, but being able to see a response. That is the power of Google Home Hub," she says, referencing the screen that accompanies the "hub," as she refers to it.

[9 October 2018 16:31 · anthony.cuthbertson]

It's a bit like the Portal device that Facebook unveiled this week, however there is one key difference. 

"We consciously did not put a camera on the Hub so that is comfortable to use in private spaces like the bedroom," she says. 

[9 October 2018 16:34 · anthony.cuthbertson]

Not including a camera is probably a smart move, given all the recent data scandals. It was a bold move by Facebook to feature one on the Portal, considering the social network giant is consistently ranked as the least trusted tech giant. 

Here's what Google Home Hub will be going up against:

[9 October 2018 16:37 · anthony.cuthbertson]

The Google Home Hub costs $149 and is available for pre-order from today. This is $50 cheaper than the cheapest Portal device, but still more expensive than Amazon's Echo smart speakers.

[9 October 2018 16:40 · anthony.cuthbertson]

Trond Wuellner, director of product management, is now on stage to tell us about Pixel Slate.

[9 October 2018 16:43 · anthony.cuthbertson]

The Pixel Slate features dual "front-firing" speakers, which is Google's new way of saying front-facing, apparently. Not just innovative engineering but innovative language too.

[9 October 2018 16:45 · Andrew Griffin]

There's lots of "digital wellbeing" here. It's been a major part of every announcement. The Hub, for instance, can be put into a special downtime mode so that it won't bother you; the Slate will start to go to sleep at night time. Like Anthony said about the Hub's lack of cameras, it's hard to read Google and Apple's focus on this stuff as anything but a shot at people like Facebook, even if they aren't doing it consciously.

[9 October 2018 16:49 · anthony.cuthbertson]

Here's what the Pixel Slate looks like: