Google I/O 2024: what it is, date, program, how to see it, Pixel

Google I/O is the annual developer conference where the most significant news across various product categories is unveiled. Below, we'll outline when it takes place, how you can watch it live, and what the most anticipated updates are in terms of mobile phones, artificial intelligence, and the Android operating system.

What is Google I/O?

Google I/O is Google's most important annual conference, in which the main innovations across its range of products, devices and technology are presented. We could say that it is the equivalent of Apple's Keynote, with the difference that Google products go further and integrate solutions in various areas.

I/O 2024 will kick off with an inaugural keynote by CEO Sundar Pichai at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California. The developer keynote and scheduled technical sessions will follow. Google will publish the program and session list closer to the event. 

Online registration is now open and free.

At a general level, this event allows you to watch different conferences from your home that cover various products in the Google universe:

• Mobile devices: Android, Google Play, BigQuery, or Google Wallet.
• Web: Chrome, Google Analytics, Workspace, Firebase, etc.
• AI: The latest in generative artificial intelligence, machine learning, Keras, Tensor Flow, MediaPipe, and more.
• Cloud Services: Google Cloud, Google Home, or Google API, among others.

Typically, after each conference and workshop, you can connect with other attendees through the I/O Adventure chat. Additionally, there's the opportunity to engage with a community of developers in your area to foster new connections or address your inquiries, all from the comfort of your home. In summary, this is an event you shouldn't miss if you're a Google enthusiast or seeking to enhance your utilization of their products.

When is Google I/O 2024?

The exact date of Google I/O 2024 is already known. This year, Google's developer conference will take place on May 14 at the technology giant's Shoreline Amphitheater, on its campus located in Mountain View, California, at 10:00 Pacific time.

For in-person attendees , there will be a second day of live programming on May 15 . Previously, Google I/O lasted three days, but for the past two years it has only been a one-day event.

Where can you see Google I/O?

Although the event takes place in person, you can also follow it online through its official site or its YouTube channel. Best of all, it is a free event; You only need to register as a developer through your Google email account, entering your personal information and the position in which you currently work. Don't worry, you can choose not to provide your professional details. If you prefer to follow the conference from YouTube, don't forget to click the bell to receive notifications from the Google channel.

Registering for Google I/O 2024 will allow you to stay up to date on the event's program and content. Plus, you'll receive relevant developer news in your email. As a registered participant, you can also create a developer profile to get the most out of the digital experience by saving and viewing content that interests you.

What can we expect from Google's big event?

As we mentioned previously, this annual event begins with an inaugural conference by Google CEO Sundar Pichai, and his 2024 speech will probably be one of the most important in his career. Why? During the artificial intelligence boom, the technology giant faces an enormous challenge to remain current against its competitors OpenAI and Microsoft. For this reason, various changes have recently been introduced in the company.

In this sense, we can expect an avalanche of artificial intelligence announcements and more news about Android 15. Likewise, Google I/O is the perfect opportunity for you to get details of Android XR, an Android for augmented reality. In terms of hardware, there is great expectation about the announcement of the Pixel 8a.

What were the main new features of Google I/O 2023?

Now that the event has concluded, we tell you what the most anticipated news was and what news the Mountain View company brings us in different areas:

Google Search, Gmail, Google Photos, Google Docs, Sheets and Slide (online office suite), Google Maps and even Android 14. None of the Google products will escape the arrival of artificial intelligence. In this way, Gmail will be able to help you write a complete email (or even write it for you) depending on the context with the "Help me write" feature.

An AI tool that can also be found in the Workspace office suite to complete a document, automatically generate a table, or even add comments to a slideshow.

Google Photos will also get new tools. After the magic eraser, which allows you to remove an unwanted element from an image in a few seconds, we will soon be able to take advantage of the magic editor. This is a tool that allows, for example, to move an object on an image in a few clicks. The AI will recreate the missing pixels and adjust the brightness to make the image look realistic.

AI chatbot Bard, whose capabilities have lagged somewhat behind what ChatGPT offers, is also gaining momentum. It is much more convenient and relevant, especially when it comes to laying out code or detecting possible errors.

Google I/O 2023: Android 14 thinks bigger

Android 14 is currently in public beta and will see significant progress. First of all, the operating system adapts to large screens. And for good reason, as Google now offers a tablet and a foldable smartphone in its product portfolio (see below). Therefore, most of its applications have been redesigned for these new formats. Android should also benefit from artificial intelligence to further improve customization. In this way, it will be possible to create a new wallpaper with parallax effects applied to an existing photo.

In addition, the Messages application will offer a writing aid to automatically compose a response to an SMS by varying the tones. As for Messages, Google made a joke with Apple (without naming it) indicating its intention to replace SMS with the RCS protocol. And to show that Apple isn't an enemy after all, Google has announced its partnership with Apple so that Bluetooth trackers and AirTags can detect and alert you to unwanted trackers.

Google I/O 2023: new gadgets

We were expecting a lot from this conference to see the new Google Pixel products. Only three were shown: the Pixel Tablet, the Pixel 7a, and the Pixel Fold. Therefore, we will have to wait a little longer to see the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro or a new Pixel Watch that were not mentioned at the event.

Pixel Tablet: a family tablet

Briefly shown off by the Japanese Amazon store ahead of time, the Pixel Tablet made its official debut at the conference. It has an 11-inch LCD screen with generous dimensions of 258 x 169 x 8.1 mm for a weight of 493 g. The gadget has an in-house Tensor G2 SoC (the same one that Pixel 7 smartphones are equipped with), 8 GB of RAM, and either 128 or 256 GB of storage space. 

The tablet is also equipped with Google Chromecast function to cast content from other devices, for example a smartphone, to its screen. The basic version will cost $499. Add $100 for the 256GB version. The Pixel Tablet is available for pre-order now and will go on sale in June.

Pixel 7a: mid-range smartphone with big ambitions

The Pixel 7 family of smartphones, as expected, welcomes a new member, the Pixel 7a. It has a 6.1-inch FHD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels) OLED screen with a 90Hz refresh rate (the screen of previous model only featured 90Hz). It also inherits the Tensor G2 powerhouse of a CPU, 8GB of RAM (versus 6GB on the 6a) and 128GB of storage space (256GB version is not available). When it comes to cameras, the favorite area of Pixel smartphones, the device has evolved from its predecessor. It now has a main module of 64 megapixels (against 12 in the 6a) and an ultra-wide angle of 13 megapixels (against 12 megapixels in 6a). Same for selfies with a 13MP sensor vs 12MP on the 6a.

So the new model is better than the 6a in every way? Not really. The battery capacity has slightly decreased from 4410 mAh to 4385 mAh. This loss, however, should go unnoticed thanks to the better power-saving performance of the Tensor G2. But the price has increased compared to the 6a, at the moment it's $499.

Pixel Fold: A high-end foldable smartphone, but not for everyone

Like some other players in the mobile phone market, Google now has a foldable smartphone model in its catalog. The first-born Google has a more compact format than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, an external 5.9-inch Oled screen, an internal screen, also Oled, which, when unfolded, has a 7.6-inch surface, SoC Tensor G2, and solid cameras. But the price... At $1,799 (сlose to the price of the Galaxy Z Fold 4), you'll think twice before placing an order.

Google I/O 2023: Google Home app

Finally, we get to the Home app for Android and iOS, which has been in preview since last fall and is now available after improvements based on user testing. The application is designed to control various Smart Home devices distributed across rooms from your mobile gadget (several houses/addresses can be added to the application). For example, control Wi-Fi and multimedia devices, show you the images from the Nest camera, adjust the lighting or change the temperature in a certain room. The good news is that the app can be used on smartwatches with Wear OS and supports Matter standard of Smart Home devices, which means it is compatible with gadgets from Apple, Samsung, Amazon and other manufacturers (in the iOS app, Matter support will be added in the coming weeks and will require version 16.5).