Google’s annual I/O developer conference is almost here, and all eyes will be on the company’s opening keynote. But for the first time in years, we know there’s little reason to hope for major Android OS announcements, since Google already did that last week.
Instead, we’re expecting I/O’s keynote to be (almost) all about AI, though we do know there’ll be at least a little time devoted to XR.
When Google I/O will happen and where you can watch
If you’re planning to watch, be sure to set aside ample time. I/O keynotes usually run for a couple hours, and even with no new Android announcements, we’d expect the same this time.
As my colleague Allison Johnson put it over the weekend, the fact that this year’s I/O keynote will be focused on AI shouldn’t come as a surprise. Gemini and its ilk have dominated the event for two years running, and Google is embroiled in an AI race with OpenAI, Meta, Microsoft, and more. In fact, I/O kicks off a day after Microsoft’s Build developer event, which should make for an interesting back-to-back comparison.
It’s likely that Google will have lots to say about new Gemini features coming to phones and other devices, updated models with increased power, and hopefully some ambitious Project Astra updates that will show us the pie-in-the-sky side of Google’s AI work.
There’ll be some XR, too
I/O won’t be entirely about AI, as Google has already promised updates on Android XR, too. The company’s extended reality OS didn’t get much screentime during last week’s Android Show, other than confirmation of Gemini support to come, but a closing tease from Android head Sameer Samat suggested that we’ll at least see more from Google’s prototype smart glasses.
Samsung still says its Project Moohan Android XR headset is going to launch this year, so this might be Google’s last chance to detail the software side before Samsung steals the limelight.
Don’t expect Pixel or Nest hardware
Google used to use I/O to launch Pixel phones and Nest smart home tech, but it doesn’t seem keen on the idea anymore. If we were going to hear about new phones, tablets, or wearables, then it likely would have happened last week, and Google wouldn’t want anything to distract from its AI updates. There’s a chance we’ll see new XR hardware, but you shouldn’t expect anything beyond that.
