From the rumors and leaks that have surfaced online so far, it looks like the Google Pixel 6a and Google Pixel Watch will launch soon, but maybe not as soon as we originally thought.
Previously, both devices were suggested to make an official appearance in May, but now well-known tipster Jon Prosser has said that the Pixel 6a could be delayed until the end of July, while the Pixel Watch could also be delayed.
One of the reasons is the global chip shortage that continues to affect almost every company in the electronics industry today. There are signs that this is smoothing out, but it continues to affect device release schedules.
As I mentioned on today's show: I heard that Google delayed the Pixel 6a until the end of July. (chip shortage) the pixel clock is still on May 26, but the source believes that it may also be boosted soon. https://t.co/iqoh9RlCzkMarch 4, 2022
Read more
Maybe, maybe not
A May 26 release date for the Pixel Watch has been announced since January - leaked by none other than Jon Prosser himself, in fact - but as we've seen in the past, these tentative dates can often be pushed back as media changes. situations.
More recently, sightings of the Pixel 6a and Pixel Watch in a US carrier inventory system hinted that a launch could be imminent, with some sources pointing to May. This is when Google holds its annual Google IO developer conference, which would be a good opportunity to announce new hardware.
Now, it seems that the launch window is in serious doubt, although Prosser says that the Pixel Watch is still scheduled for May 26 at this time. There's no guarantee they'll launch together, of course, and Google may decide to stagger ads.
Google introduced the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro in October 2021, so it makes sense that the Pixel 6a would appear around May, regardless of Google IO, which would leave plenty of room to breathe before the expected arrival of the Pixel 7 plus phones to end of 2022.
The Pixel Watch timeline is less predictable because Google has never released a smartwatch before. It's certainly fair to say that we've been waiting for the wearable for a number of years at this point, so it wouldn't be surprising to see it appear one day.
One thing Google could do (and something it has done in the past) is announce these devices months before they go on sale... so they can launch in May, but then they won't be available in July or anytime soon.
From a consumer perspective, that's a pretty frustrating approach, and it means the hype around these devices may be gone by the time people can buy them. We would say release dates and release dates are more likely to be close.