Google Pixel 9 will launch sooner than expected, as new Made by Google event confirmed

Google's just given the tech release calendar a bit of a shakeup by announcing a much earlier than anticipated date for its next Made by Google event.

This showpiece is where it tends to announce its flagship Android phones each year, with the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro expected alongside a third device in the lineup for the first time, the Pixel 9 Pro XL. 

So, 2024's event will take place on 13 August 2024, instead of a date in early October like the last few years, which also crucially means that it'll almost certainly fall around a month before Apple's iPhone launch. 

This will give Google an advantage it hasn't had for ages, and the possibility of a bit more breathing room in terms of people's reactions and the news cycle to pump up its phones' profiles a little. 

Although this won't matter much to most watchers, Google is also switching up where it holds the event. Its official invite reveals that it's moving it to its main headquarters in Mountain View, California – again, this feels a little like it's watched Apple's recent work and decided to do the same. 

The invite's text (via 9to5Google) reads as follows: "You’re invited to an in-person Made by Google event where we’ll showcase the best of Google AI, Android software and the Pixel portfolio of devices."

This being 2024, we're clearly going to hear more about Google's many AI features too, and just how they might be built into the next lineup of Pixel phones (and other devices that might appear). For one thing, various reports indicate that Google will make a smaller version of the Pixel Pro phone that comes each year, which has only been available in a pretty large size for years now. 

This will be music to the ears of anyone with slightly smaller hands, or indeed those who don't tend to want a slab of tech in their pocket at all times. We're also expecting the new Pixel Watch 3 to be unveiled, alongside a Pixel 9 Pro Fold to update the folding phone lineup.

So, it should be a busy event, and doubtless all the busier thanks to Google bringing it forward by basically two months compared to last year. You can circle that date in your diary now to be ready.