Now that we know when Google I/O 2023 will take place, here’s what we’re expecting to see at Google’s annual conference, along with our biggest stories of the past week.
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What to expect from Google I/O 2023
One of the biggest highlights of this week is that Google launched the official save the date puzzle for its annual I/O developer conference. After a few hours of puzzle-solving, we learned that Google I/O 2023 is going to take place in a single day – May 10, to be precise – which is a major shift from years past. There also still will not be a major in-person component to the event, though a lucky few will still be in attendance.
That said, the single-day format may make for a bit of a time crunch, as we’re currently predicting Google I/O 2023 to have a jam packed lineup of announcements, both for consumers and developers.
Since 2019, Google I/O has served as an excellent launch event for the Pixel series’ mid-year releases. This year, we’re firmly expecting to see the Pixel 7a announced – possibly with a same-day launch – and hopefully the release of the Pixel Tablet, first teased at last year’s event. Beyond that, leaks regarding the Pixel Fold have been ramping up as of late, and our team has been tracking multiple new Nest speakers which could also make a showing at the event.
It’s also been all but confirmed that Google I/O 2023 will act as a showcase of every practical application of AI and machine learning that Google has been working on. The first signs of Bard AI arriving in ChromeOS (surely just one of many places it will ultimately appear) seemed well timed for a Google I/O demo debut, and our team is even aware of yet another potentially AI related tool coming soon to Google Chrome in general. Keep an eye out for that on Monday!
By the time the conference rolls around, we’ll have already gotten our hands on the first release of the Android 14 Beta. While we’ll have gotten a pretty decent feel for the update by that point, Google will likely unveil the broader picture they’re trying to paint with Android 14’s many features, tweaks, and improvements. With a codename like “Upside Down Cake,” there’s a chance the update may be set to turn Android on its head.
And all of that is before we even get into what is debatably the event’s true purpose, getting developers excited to continue building projects on Google’s many platforms. Undoubtedly we’ll see major news from Android Jetpack, Flutter, Firebase, and more, along with a bevy of in-depth talks and training sessions.
Suffice it to say Google has a lot of ground to cover in a single day.
This Week’s Biggest Stories
March 2023 Pixel Feature Drop was delayed, but leaked anyway
Longtime Pixel owners were probably mashing the “Check for update” button on Monday, in anticipation of the March 2023 Pixel Feature Drop which by all estimations was supposed to launch this week. Instead, that update was delayed, though the monthly Android Security Bulletin did launch on schedule.
Despite that delay, a conveniently timed leak revealed the full details of what to expect when the patch does finally launch.
The blurriest Pixel Fold leak you could ever ask for
While we’ve seen plenty of renders of the Google Pixel Fold, the company has been suspiciously capable of keeping images of the real foldable from leaking out. That being the case, the incredibly blurry images shared this week by redditor onetaketeo are quite interesting, despite it being hard to be sure we’re looking at a Pixel Fold at all.
Google TV gets a Quick Settings revamp
Owners of either Google TV powered Chromecast saw a new update this week (via the Play Store, not a system update) that brought a significant homescreen revamp, first announced in February. What we didn’t know was that Google TV would also be getting a major shakeup to its Quick Settings area, adding useful shortcuts to Wi-Fi/Bluetooth settings and a new “Tip of the day.”
More top stories:
Widgets for days: Here’s how to get more space for widgets on Android Auto ‘Coolwalk’
Unwelcome changes: Google Messages rolling out the new icons for read receipts
Take note: Google Keep ‘Single note’ widget rolling out on Android
Incredible deal: Google One brings VPN to $1.99/month plan, adding dark web info monitoring
Spacing out: Pixel Buds Pro spatial audio with head tracking update rolling out
What’s coming up this week?
Considering Google missed the typical first Monday of the month target for the update, it’s increasingly likely we’ll see the March 2023 Pixel Feature Drop arrive in the days ahead. Meanwhile, for the adventurous Pixel owners out there, Google has also confirmed that the Android 13 QPR3 Beta should begin next week.
Our APK Insight team is also continuing to dig into Android 14 DP2, as there is surely more to uncover in the coming days.
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