Developer season has officially begun, and Google I/O 2024 is just days away. The short answer to the question of what to expect is two letters. It's “AI”. Google I/O? Similar to Google A/I. Almost every Google announcement in recent years has included an element of artificial intelligence/machine learning, but this time CEO Sundar Pichai will be sick of the topic by the time he leaves the stage.
Things begin May 14 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time. That's the big keynote, and that's what comes to mind when you think about the event. “See how we're furthering our mission to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful,” Google said. This is the keynote speech by a former skydiver who famously paid for a shilling to buy a revolutionary augmented reality product called Google Glass that we all wear every day.
A few hours later, there will be a developer keynote at 1:30pm PT. Google explains this this way: “Learn about Google's latest developer tools and discover how they fuel innovation and improve productivity.” Can be a little unsettling, especially if you don't speak your development skills not.
This article will focus on the former.
Google Pixel Family Bundle Image Credit: Google
However, new Pixel devices may not appear at the event. Unlike past years when the company took some time to announce new devices, Google spoiled the surprise by announcing the Pixel 8a earlier this week. This was an interesting decision, especially considering that this low-cost device will officially start shipping on the day of the keynote.
The Pixel Fold was the star of last year's I/O, but a series of current rumors suggest the foldable device is about to undergo a major rebrand. Instead of the Pixel Fold 2, the much more unwieldy Pixel 9 Pro Fold will reportedly be released. The name is a little too long, so you'll need a foldable screen to watch it. That branding means the device will be announced in the fall along with the rest of the Pixel 9.
Image credit: Google
Does the hardware even exist? Perhaps some of the previous concepts will be updated. For example, what happened to Translation Glasses? Or what about Project Starline? At an event last year, I was shown a demo of this sophisticated experimental video conferencing system, and then nothing seemed to happen to him for 12 months.
Nest lines have been ignored for a while. Google probably pulled out because the smart home business was starting to cool down. Or maybe your company is working on something new. What we'd love to hear in the press box is what the arrival of Google Gemini means for his Google Assistant. Will the former completely replace the latter? Can they coexist peacefully?
Image credit: Lorenzo Di Cola/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesImage credit: Lorenzo Di Cola/NurPhoto / Getty Images
Whether or not Google brings up conversations with the Assistant, it's safe to say that Gemini will take center stage. The company relies heavily on its generative AI platform. It needs to prove that it surpasses major competitors such as OpenAI's GPT and Microsoft Copilot. There's a good chance we'll see a completely new version of Gemini next week. The platform will also be more deeply integrated into services like Maps and Chrome, not just Android.
The developer preview of Android 15 was released last month. There's a good chance that Google will come up with a more in-depth proposal for its next mobile OS. We can expect some significant new features for the OS featuring tight integration with Gemini.
There will no doubt be previews of new versions of Google's other platforms, including Wear OS, Android TV, and Android Auto. There will almost certainly be more AI developer tools planned for this event.
Maybe there will be another cameo. Our friends on the protest plane. Things start at 10 a.m. Pacific Time. Stream the event here and check out the latest news on TechCrunch.