When a big tech company holds an event once a year, there’s a lot to look forward to. We’re talking about conferences that last more than one day, like Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference and Amazon’s annual fall event, where new products, services, and upgrades are announced.
In 2021, Google I/O, Google’s version of the annual big-tech showdown, took place entirely online. But Google I/O 2022 is coming back this spring. People will be able to attend in person, there will be great tools for developers, and there are a lot of rumors about what new Google gear will be in the spotlight.
Even though there’s no official word on what the keynotes will be about, we’ve put together this guide to Google I/O 2022 to talk about some of the event’s logistics and what new tech we might get to see and hear about.
When is Google I/O 2022?
This year’s Google I/O takes place from May 11 to May 12, with a keynote on May 11. This year, the annual developer conference is going back to a reallocation. In 2021, COVID-19 rules meant that the event could only happen online.
How to watch the 2022 Google I/O
The Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California, is where Google I/O 2022 will be held. Only a small number of people register at io. google/2022 will be able to attend in person, but the whole event will be shown live on the site.
If you can’t watch the event live, don’t worry. Google will record and post coverage of the conference so that you can watch it later.
What looks like Google I/O 2022?
During the two-day event, the keynote speeches will be about the company and product news, and the technical breakouts will be about in-depth product updates and discussions. Developers who have signed up will be able to use an interactive dashboard to talk to other attendees and event hosts.
I/O Adventure is a part of this dashboard that lets developers talk to Google employees, ask questions, and earn badges and other rewards during the event. Like last year’s event, there will be a “sandbox” where people can try out new Google products and features in a virtual way.
The dashboard will also give developers access to the Google I/O Learning Lab, where they can use self-guided learning modules to learn more about new Google-powered technologies.
What can we expect to see at Google I/O 2022?
Even though there have been no official announcements about what products and services will be talked about at this year’s conference, we have a good idea of what new tech will be covered.
Android 13
Last year’s virtual I/O event was where we learned a lot about Android 12. Since Android 13 is already in beta testing, we’re betting that we’ll learn a lot about Android 13 at I/O 2022. We’ve heard from Android Police that Google plans to make some more changes to its Material You customization suite. The mobile OS has also gotten better notifications and permissions, a QR code scanner that is easier to use, and more.
Pixel Watch
There are a lot of rumors that Google will finally make its own wearable. The smartwatch will be called the Pixel Watch. It will run on Google’s Wear OS 3 and have features like a heart rate monitor, step counting, and the ability to pair with your favorite Fitbit devices.
Since Google already owns Fitbit, which may get some new features at I/O, it will be interesting to see what kind of creativity the company will put into its own smartwatch. We can expect the price to be close to $400 since it is meant to compete with the Apple Watch.
Pixel 6A
There has been a lot of talk about Google’s Pixel 6A over the last few months, and it’s likely that we’ll get to hear more about it at I/O 2022. With the news that the phone will have the same Google Tensor chip as the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, the performance of Google’s cheaper “A” series phones will be more like some of the company’s more powerful phones.
A new Nest Hub with a detachable touchscreen
The flagship Nest Hub Max was released over two years ago, so it’s been a while since we’ve seen a new smart home hub from Google. That could all change, though, as 9to5Google reports that Google is working on a redesigned Nest Hub with a removable touchscreen.
We wouldn’t be surprised if more information regarding this device was revealed during Google I/O 2022. It may even be bundled in with Android 13 discussions, as Google’s regular Chrome OS platform may not be capable of supporting the kinds of functionality that a fully detachable display may provide.
There’s also a chance we’ll hear about improvements to Google’s existing Nest speaker portfolio, which includes the Nest Mini and Nest Audio.
Pixel Fold
With Google’s first foldable phone coming out later this year, there’s a good chance that it will get some attention at this year’s I/O event. Industry sources say the phone will cost around $1,799 and will be made with the Google Tensor chip. This makes it a good competitor for Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 3.
This article will be updated as new information comes out, so stay tuned for more.