Google sets September 15 in New York for the big Googlebook presentation event

Google has finally set a date for the big Googlebook presentation event. The company has confirmed that it will hold an in-person event dedicated to the press next September 15 in New Yorkwhere it is expected that a good part of the unknowns surrounding this new category of laptops will be cleared up.

The confirmation comes after months of leaks about hardware from different manufacturers and a first presentation, more focused on software, during The Android Show this year. Now, Google is taking the step of calling its own in-person event to show both the platform and the first devices.

An event with direct access to the hardware

As confirmed by the company itself through the invitation sent to the mediathe event will include a presentation by Google management focused on the new computing platform and its software architecture. Attendees will also be able to access demo stations operated by Google hardware partners, with devices available for hands-on testing.

This direct access to the teams is, precisely, the most relevant thing about the event. According to the invitation, attending media will be able to photograph, film and even benchmark the first Googlebook systems, something that suggests that the September event will cover much more than the software platform and will include real hardware from several launch partners.

Manufacturers that are already confirmed

Google has already confirmed Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP and Lenovo as Googlebook launch partners. The company announced the platform earlier this year and then assured that the first devices would arrive during the fall, a forecast that the September 15 event fits perfectly within that time window.

This is a group of manufacturers that covers a good part of the consumer and professional laptop market, which anticipates a fairly wide range of Googlebooks from the first moment, instead of a launch limited to one or two flagship models.

The leaks of recent months have already revealed some specific designs. Renders of a Lenovo Googlebook, an ASUS model and information about one from Acer have been seen. The event on September 15 should serve to confirm whether these leaked designs match the final equipment that finally reaches manufacturing, or if the commercial models vary from what has been seen so far.

What remains to be confirmed

Despite the level of detail of the leaked itinerary, there are still important gaps to be resolved. Neither Google nor the press that has had access to the invitation have confirmed the final name of the operating system that will power these devices, although previous leaks suggest that it could be revealed precisely at this event.

Nor has Google published the date of September 15 through its official channels so far, something striking considering that The invitation itself has already circulated among several specialized media. Perhaps it is simply a press event, but the fact that filming and sharing of benchmarks is allowed is usually a sign that the commercial release is embargoed until that same date, or very shortly after.

Price and specific availability by country are two other completely blank chapters for now. Google has talked about a “premium” launch for Googlebook since its first presentation, which leaves open the question of whether these devices will compete directly with current Chromebook laptops in price, or if they will be positioned in a higher step, closer to a conventional mid-range or high-end laptop.

A new category with a lot at stake for Google

Googlebook represents Google’s commitment to uniting Android and Chrome OS under the same umbrella of premium laptopsleaving traditional Chromebooks in the background, although the company has not confirmed that it will withdraw them from the market. The most distinctive visual element so far is the Glowbar, a light bar designed so that these devices are also recognizable with the naked eye, not only due to their internal specifications.

With the event on September 15, Google is playing a good part of the initial perception that the public will have about this new category. Rumors have been generating expectation around the hardware for months, and it will be in New York where the company has to sustain that expectation with specifications, indicative prices and real equipment on the table.

There are less than four weeks left until that date, so the wait is almost over. Until then, the only things confirmed for sure are the date, the city and the five manufacturers who will accompany Google on stage in New York.