Google solves leaks by “leaking” Pixel 7, Pixel Watch, Pixel Tablet but there's One More Thing!

Not only did Google unveil some long-anticipated products like the Pixel Buds Pro, which I assume are supposed to take after the role of Apple's AirPods Pro in the Android world, but we also finally got the first A-series phone, the Google Pixel 6A, which carries Google's new design and brand identity, looking just as iconic as the Pixel 6, released in late 2021.

Those were the "immediate" releases - products that people will be able to buy soon. Although the launch frame for them is late June, so I'm not sure how soon that is...

Google Pixel hardware dump: Felt cute… might release later (Pixel 7, Pixel Watch, and Pixel Tablet)

Google Pixel 7 & Pixel 7 Pro: Five months early

Then… the crowd pulled out their phones and started snapping pictures of… the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro because those were on the screen. They were being unveiled for everyone to see! As it turns out, the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro's premature 2021 announcement wasn't an exception to the rule for Google.

The thing is that the Pixel 6 pre-announcement took place after a series (and by 'series' I mean a whole season) of leaks were already released by OnLeaks and Jon Prosser in the months prior to the official reveal. Furthermore, the Pixel 6 pre-announcement came about in August - two months before the phones were going to be launched.

Although this year we've certainly had a fair share of Google Pixel 7 leaks, they haven't been as detailed, assuming because there isn't going to be much new about the Pixel 7 series compared to the current Google flagships. Anyway, the point is that the Pixel 7 hasn't been as heavily leaked as the Pixel 6.

Also, this time around, Google's pre-announcement takes place in early May, which is almost half a year away from when the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are expected to debut in mid-October.

Google Pixel Watch: It's about GD time...

Then the super-hyper-ultra-long-anticipated and Pixel Watch followed. As you might know, this one was already 'fully unveiled' on Reddit, thanks to the fact that Google employees supposedly managed to leave it behind in a bar in Chicago.

Anyway, the Google Pixel Watch will also be released alongside the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro in October, so that's another five-month wait for those who might want to get their hands on it. Until then, try your local biergartens. Who knows!

Google Pixel Tablet: Twenty twenty three

And then there was the Pixel Tablet announcement.

First of all, absolutely no one saw that coming - the media wasn't given heads up about it; we've never seen it in any leaks, and frankly… It's almost as if Android fans had already lost any hope for a new larger Google-made slab after the Nexus tablet was retired in 2014. Also, Google essentially said the company was quitting the tablet business in 2019. Well, nah.

The weirdest part about this announcement was that the Pixel tablet isn't just expected to debut late, like in October or later this year. It's actually a 2023 release, which for some reason, had to be announced now. Out of left field.

It's almost guaranteed that the Pixel tablet won't see the light of day until May 2023 or even October 2023 since Google doesn't usually hold any events earlier than that. This means we'll probably need to wait a whole year or even a year and a half to see the new Google-made tablet, which is just teasing at this point. Totally out of left field.

Why is Google announcing its phones, watches, and tablets months or even years ahead of time?

Although I'm sure this could be explained by a shift in Google's product marketing strategy, we can't ignore the elephant in the room. Google devices are leaking left and right.

As mentioned earlier, we've already seen detailed real-life photos of the Pixel Watch, which was even compared to the Apple watch. Furthermore, we knew this one was coming more than a year ago, thanks to Front Page Tech's Jon Prosser, who leaked it in April 2021, alongside the Pixel 6, which itself ended up in the hands of a Nigerian who tested the pre-production unit of the Pixel 6, and used it to take sample photos and videos and share them on YouTube.

For the record, if we roll back the tape, we'll see that other Google phones also haven't managed to escape the leak threat. For instance, the Pixel 3 was seen in a metro station in Toronto, being used by someone, and even found in a cab in the US before it was officially unveiled.

Will Google's plan to prevent leaks work?

Before I tell you about Google's One More Thing, I want to clarify that no phone maker is immune to leaks...

For example, we saw Samsung's Galaxy S22 Ultra in real-life photos months before the official reveal, and we already know what Apple's iPhone 14 lineup is going to look like thanks to renders shared by a number of insiders. Also, let's not forget Apple's iPhone 4 bar story. The OG bar story.

But still, we haven't seen what's practically a full hands-on preview of recent Samsung or Apple devices - something we can't say about the Pixel Watch and Pixel 6. So, perhaps this is Google saying: "We take control of leaks by… leaking our own products". But what I'm not so sure about is whether this will play in Google's favor...

For example, I own a Pixel 6 Pro and having seen the now-confirmed Pixel 7 Pro design, I can now confidently say I won't be looking to upgrade. On the contrary, when the Pixel 6 Pro was leaked by multiple sources in 2021, and we were all excited about the new design, riding the hype train, I bought into it. It worked. I pre-ordered the phone and later regretted it because this one came with a ton of bugs.

One More Thing: Google didn't show off everything at I/O

Anyway, I don't know if you noticed but one much-anticipated product wasn't revealed during Google I/O! Of course, this is the alleged Pixel Notepad/Pixel Fold, Google's first foldable phone. That's controversial since this one hasn't been leaked yet, but it's surely been heavily rumored.

According to insiders, the Google Pixel Notepad is expected to debut in Q4 2022, which points towards an October release, alongside the now partially revealed Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, and Pixel Watch.

My educated guess is that if Google's intent is indeed to launch the Pixel Notepad alongside the Pixel 7 series in October, the company is ready to take a gamble in the name of surprise, knowing that the foldable phone might leak anytime now.

Wouldn't the company's first foldable phone be the perfect One More Thing during the October event? Yes, it would! Despite being a Cupertino tradition, it won't be a surprise if this one is borrowed by Mountain View this year. Apple doesn't seem to have anything as special as a foldable phone in the pipeline for now, so why not let Google take the spotlight!

I won’t count this as an “early announcement”, since it wasn’t really an announcement and because Google Glass (or whatever Google decides to call the glasses) is certainly years away from becoming official. But, man… was that demo impressive!

After asked whether Google's tablet might be a foldable, Alphabet Senior VP of Devices and Services Rick Osterloh said: "Oh... ah... you know... We just showed a little bit of a prototype of what we're build today, which is a standard tablet. There'll be a lot more detailed shared next year, which is when it comes to market." He was nervously smiling!!!

So, I'm not saying it but I'm saying it:

1. Pixel Tablet could be the Pixel Notepad/Pixel Fold?!

2. Pixel Tablet/Notepad/Fold could be delayed until 2023?!

3. Or maybe not.