As with every other year, our anticipations are skyrocketing as Google’s I/O for the year is fast approaching. This year is even more interesting because there is a lot more besides “Android” that is to be covered. So we can surely expect some exciting 3 days ahead. The sessions are scheduled from May 17th through May 19th and the countdown has already begun.
There’s going to be discussions on App design, Cloud, Android, Firebase and more in the 4 primary themes of Beyond Mobile, Building on Mobile, Grow & Earn and Platforms. Here is a list of some of the topics to be covered in Google I/O which now is the talk of the town:
Google Assistant:
The Siri counterpart in Android, Google Now, is getting better with its revamped look as Google Assistant would now come with an open SDK. This is good news for all those aspiring to build with voice. This would help developers enhance user engagement with VUI. There is a session on the very first day where VUI designers from Google would be present for discussions. What more would you be able to do with Google Assistant? We would have to wait for answers till May 17th.
Android O:
“Oreo” still remains one of the strongest contenders for the “O” in Android O. But we still have no official remarks to support it. With the name on one side, Google I/O would have a session to focus on talks about the newest update. The developer preview of the app itself made heads turn. With a few noticeable features included and being one of the biggest updates in recent times, O is to be discussed deep. We would then have some official news about the actual features that the final version would be released with. For now, we simply know that the update brings better background app management and thus a better battery life. There is also going to be a PiP mode for videos, notification channels for clustered and categorized notifications, and so much more in the new update.
Android Auto:
It has been quite a while since Google rolled out Android Auto and Google I/O could be the perfect platform for it. The stage has been set but the trend is yet to catch up. We can see more cars coming with Android Auto integration in the coming years. There would be a separate Office Hours session with Google’s Android Auto team on the second day. This can be useful for the car makers to better understand the nuances of Android Auto and to put it to good use. Any new manufacturers who plan to venture into the incorporation of the feature in the upcoming models would also benefit from this session.
Firebase:
Building apps has been made so much better with the integration of Firebase with Google. To talk about everything that Firebase has in store, there is a session on the first day. Announcements for the year, any significant changes that are coming up, would all be revealed. There are further sessions on building apps with Firebase, Firebase analytics, developing games with Firebase, and lots more Firebase discussions to happen.
Android Wear, VR and others:
Daydream would one day help merge devices and apps running VR. So there is going to be sessions for discussions and announcements on Daydream and other VR-based releases. We can expect a lot more than Cardboard in VR in the coming years. We would also get to know which devices would be deemed Daydream-ready in addition to those that were already announced last year. There is also a major update coming up for Android Wear. This is great news for the smart watch fanatics. This update would inculcate functional improvements as well as new features making it even more exciting for the smart watch wearers.
And so much more:
The list is pretty long here. We also have Google Allo, Chrome OS, Google Home, Google Duo, IoT, Cloud, Project Tango, and lots of others on the line. There are no new Pixel phones to be released during the conference and that is one thing that we know for sure. But do not get disappointed- Google might be coming up with the next Pixel either at the end of 2017 or the beginning of the next year. Meanwhile, we can’t wait to know what is in store for the developers and the users in the coming months after Google I/O.
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