Google, sorry, but that Pixel event was a cringefest

“I P 6 8! I P 6 8!,” shouted late-night host Jimmy Fallon, trying and failing to fake excitement about the new Pixel smartphones. Fallon, who likely had never heard the technical term before, didn’t seem to realize that IP68 — a rating that indicates phones can survive being submerged in water — isn’t all that interesting as a selling point, nor is this water-resistance feature new to Google’s Pixel line. It’s been around since the 2018 Pixel 3. We’re on the Pixel 10 now, for reference.

In a surreal moment that illustrated the tendency to overhype anything associated with AI advances, Google decided to pull out all the stops for its Pixel 10 live event on Wednesday.

Google’s new phones, of course, are interesting on their own merits, as they showcase how Google is integrating AI into everyday consumer experiences like taking photos, texting friends, translating phone calls, getting help out in the real world, and more.

The awkward event made Google feel out of touch, however. It also suggests that the company felt it needed buzz to cover up for a lack of tech advances, which is not the case. Whether people like it or not, Google is rushing ahead of Apple to put AI into the hands of consumers through its smartphones. Had the tech giant focused on that and shown real-world examples — not those involving celebrity racecar drivers, basketball stars, or Peloton personalities — it would have been better off.

Instead, it went for buzz with paid celeb appearances, including event host Jimmy Fallon and others like Stephen Curry, podcaster Alex Cooper, the Jonas Brothers, and more. The result was a watered-down, cringey, and at times almost QVC-like sales event, which Reddit users immediately dubbed “unwatchable.”

In large part, this had to do with Fallon’s performance.

Trying to shift his goofy late-night persona to a corporate event, he ended up coming across as deeply uninterested in the technology, necessitating an over-the-top display of decidedly less-than-genuine enthusiasm.

“This is exciting. It’s like a Taylor Swift album announcement for nerds,” he began, insulting the broad audience of people who would, in fact, tune in with interest to learn about the latest in smartphone and AI advances.

Attempting to be a stand-in for the “mainstream consumer,” whoever Google’s marketers believe that to be, Fallon interjected with banal questions, like what’s the meaning of “agentic” or why is everyone talking about AI in smartphones, or what’s a “walled garden?”

These high-level questions led only to basic explanations from Google’s execs, like Rick Osterloh, Google’s senior vice president, Platforms & Devices — a job that Fallon joked sounded “made up.” (It sounds like a pretty straightforward title to us, especially compared to much weirder tech jobs like chief happiness officer or digital prophet.)

Answers, as a result, were dumbed down for everyday users, despite the fact that they are probably very much interested in which AI models are being used, how they work, or whether their privacy is at risk when running AI on their personal devices.

During the event, Fallon showed little reaction or curiosity about the interesting tidbits, like when Osterloh noted that Google’s AI assistant Gemini is coming to its augmented reality glasses. Yet he pretended to be an avid user of some tech that he was clearly just shown how to use, like Circle to Search, which lets users do a Google search by tapping, circling, or highlighting anything on their screen.

At another point, Fallon held up signs with quotes from supposed Reddit users about how great Pixel phones are. “This first person says, ‘whenever I’m using a phone without Circle to Search, I feel like I’m in the Stone Age,” said Fallon. (C’mon, Google, no one said that. Ever. And certainly not a Redditor.)

Later, Fallon embraced Google Vice President of Marketing Adrienne Lofton like a BFF and feigned excitement over a table covered with smartphones, watches, and earbuds. (Osterloh had meanwhile gone for the handshake-quick-back-pat combo.)

Lofton, looking hip in a denim-tuxedo jacket, couldn’t make the marketing speak feel that casual, though.

Instead, it suddenly felt like we were watching one of those old home-shopping TV channels, like QVC or HSN, where salespeople gush about whatever product is in front of them and you can see sales numbers increase with every compliment.

Lofton: “We’re taking the world’s best smartphone, and we’re upping our own game with the 10. It’s powerful, it’s fast, and feel the satin finish on the edges and the camera bar.”

Fallon: “Ooh, silky!”

Lofton: “See what I’m saying? The design of the aesthetic is unbelievable, and it’s a Pixel. So the camera is unbelievable. And the colors, we think — look at this palette. We think these colors are sexy as hell.”

Fallon: “Well, hold it. It’s Wednesday afternoon. Let’s keep it PG.“

The cringe. The absolute cringe.

Later in the event, other stars popped in for their moments, both live and pre-recorded. The Jonas Brothers made a music video with a Pixel phone, which played at the event’s end.

Only a few of the celeb interactions felt natural. Cooper came across as herself, much like in her own interviews. The chat with photographer Andre D. Wagner was also a brief moment of authenticity, as he talked about his art and technique.

It’s understandable that Google would want to differentiate itself from the Apple event format to draw attention to its own hardware and software advances. But who are tech announcements for if not for the people who care about tech? If Google is trying to reach the mainstream tech enthusiast, it doesn’t need to do something like this. It just has to get its phones in the hands of creators who people actually watch, like Marques Brownlee. (Which, thankfully, it did, too.)

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