Report: Google to unveil Pixel phones, Google Home, Daydream VR, and a 4K Chromecast on Oct. 4

Google is prepping for a massive hardware show on Oct. 4 that will not only reveal its next smartphones, but initiatives in television, virtual reality, and the smart home. Reports indicate the HTC-built smartphones will be called the Pixel and Pixel XL, mirroring an earlier report that Google is retiring the Nexus brand. Why this matters: At Google I/O the company first unveiled Google Home as its competitor to the Amazon Echo and revealed its virtual reality initiative with Daydream VR. But the news that Google would go with Pixel branding for its new phone is a little surprising, though it's part of a branding effort that's likely inspired from all the custom software features that will further distinguish Google's phones from others in the Android space. Android Police cites two "independent sources" as evidence that Google will dub the phones Pixel and Pixel XL.