Update: Our Google I/O 2023 live blog is up and running. Follow along for all the big news.
It's the day of Google I/O 2023, and we've got plenty to look forward to. Google's already confirmed the Pixel Fold is coming today, and we should also get a glance at the Pixel 7a, Pixel Tablet and Android 14. Maybe we'll hear some things about Google's AI efforts too, such as the latest on Google Bard.
kicks off soon, and Google has confirmed that the Pixel Fold will appear on May 10, so expect to hear plenty about this new foldable phone.
Google I/O will be a single-day affair this year, a change from the past when I/O took up a couple of days. It sounds as if the event will begin as always with a keynote, and that's where we're likely to hear about Google's latest product news and announcements.
Here's more information about Google I/O 2023, including details about the event itself as well as what we're likely to hear during the opening keynote from CEO Sundar Pichai and other Google executives.
Google I/O 2023 latest news (Updated May 10)
- It's Google I/O day, but there are still Pixel 7a leaks coming out.
- Bard bombshell — Google AI plans just leaked ahead of I/O 2023
- Google’s AI search makeover just leaked ahead of Google I/O 2023 — what we know
- An Amazon listing has tipped the Google Pixel Tablet specs and price ahead of Google I/O.
Google I/O 2023: Date and location
Google I/O 2023 will take place on Wednesday, May 10. That's in line with when Google normally holds its developers conference — last year's edition took place on May 11 and May 12, for example.
There will be an in-person event at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, Calif., a venue that's just down the street from Google headquarters. Most people will attend virtually, though since Google streams its developer conference.
The Google I/O 2023 website promises a kickoff keynote that gets underway at 1 p.m. ET/ 10 a.m. PT/ 6 p.m. BST on May 10. A developer keynote will follow afterward, diving into more detail on tools available to Google developers. You can find a full Google I/O 2013 schedule listing the different presentations.
The Google I/O 2023 agenda doesn't provide any specific details about what's in store on May 10. But we can make some educated guesses about what's on tap, given Google's past announcements and rumors about the company's current plans.
Google I/O 2023: Bard and AI
Google Bard is just the start of the company's grand plans for AI-powered search. According to a report in The New York Times, Samsung is considering ditching Google as the default search engine for its devices in favor of Bing. And Google is feverishly working on the next stage of its search engine which will integrate a chatbot.
Dubbed Project Magi, Google has reportedly devoted a large portion of its staff to accelerating the implementation of AI into its search engine. And it will open up testing to one million users at first.
Magi would include a mix of search results and search queries that could lead to a financial transaction, such as buying shoes or booking a flight, for example, and would still feature ads on their results pages.
The Times' report says that "the system would learn what users want to know based on what they’re searching when they begin using it. And it would offer lists of preselected options for objects to buy, information to research and other information. It would also be more conversational — a bit like chatting with a helpful person."
While initially it was expected that Magi would take a while to be unveiled, there's a chance we could see it officially announced at I/O 2023. A recent Wall Street Journal report leaked Google's AI search makeover and it's now expected that we see a totally revamped search engine at I/O this year. This new search engine will focus on AI integration, but will also take aim at social media apps like TikTok, which had been stealing market share from Search in recent years.
A different report claims that Google might integrate Bard onto its Pixel phones — something we could see at Google I/O 2023 with the number of hardware introductions reportedly on tap.
However, a report on May 9 may have leaked Google's entire AI game plan for I/O 2023. In this report, leaked documents indicated that Google plans to launch updates not only to Bard — including potential multimodal functionality — but that Google will unveil a new large language model (LLM) called PaLM 2 to power its AI tools. Google also could announce new AI integrations to Google Workspace apps such as Sheets, Slides and Meet according to these leaked documents.
Google I/O 2023: Android 14
The latest version of Android almost always gets a showcase during Google I/O, and we can't imagine 2023 will be much different. For this year's show, the focus will be on Android 14, the next version of Google's mobile operating system set to come out in late summer.
The first developer preview of Android 14 came out in February, followed by Developer Preview 2 just a day after Google set the date for I/O. We've now got an Android 14 beta that's available to download, too.
Even though that first beta is out, the I/O keynote traditionally serves as an excellent platform for alerting people to Android updates, new features and enhancements. We expect that to continue with Google I/O 2023.
Thanks to the Android 14 developer previews and the beta release, we already know some of Android 14's features. Highlights include app cloning, which allows you to use one app with different sign-in credentials, and a guest profile for using the phone app. Android 14 seemingly adds a predictive back gesture that brings up a preview of the page you're going back to when you swipe and hold.
Google's also working on a more powerful photo picker, a new Health Connect app and expanded game controller support. In Developer Preview 2, we learned more about Google's plans to use passkeys in lieu of passwords, matching an effort Apple has made with recent software updates for iPhone, iPad and Mac.
Google I/O 2023 will be our first chance to see some of these features in action and to learn about any other capabilities planned for Android 14 before its arrival toward the end of summer.
Google I/O 2023: Pixel 7a, Pixel Fold and more
While software is the focus at Google I/O, Google's not shy about its hardware plans, particularly in recent years. It's possible that's going to continue at Google I/O 2023 if only to deal with some lingering devices previewed last year.
Google Pixel Tablet: After previewing the Android-based Pixel Tablet last year, Google has yet to fully launch its next tablet. But a big Pixel Tablet leak not only revealed pretty much all the specs, but is a sure-fire clue that we'll see the tablet get launched at I/O 2023.
The Pixel Tablet appears likely to offer a 10.95-inch display with a Tensor chipset providing the engine. There's also some talk of a stylus shipping with the Pixel Tablet.
Purported video footage of the Pixel Tablet at Milan Design Week in April showcased it in three colors: a pinky coral shade alongside both a light and dark gray. Interestingly, buyers may have a choice of bezel colors with both a black and white version displayed in docked mode.
A separate Pixel Tablet listing on Amazon Japan has tipped the full specs and possible pricing, so it could be in the $500 to $600 range.
Pixel 7a: The Google Pixel 7a should be Google's new value-priced phone (and possibly its last), and it's expected to hit retail stores as early as May 10, so it should be ready to go on sale by the time Google I/O 2023 rolls around. A subsequent tease from Google itself says the phone should be available the day of Google I/O. Leaked Pixel 7a specs, ads and hands-on give us a pretty good idea of what to expect, including fun-looking orange and pale blue colors. And early hands-on videos of the Pixel 7a have petty much ruined any surprises the phone could have up its sleeve.
Nevertheless, a highlight for the Pixel 7a could be a display with a 90Hz refresh rate, though we're not certain if Google will want to reserve that capability for its regular Pixel flagship. There's also a possibility of an improved 60MP main camera, Face Unlock and wireless charging.
Read more on the Pixel 7a rumors that excite us.
Pixel Fold: One item we know will make an appearance at Google I/O is the new Pixel Fold. After the FCC signed off on the foldable phone, a Google tweet promised that the Pixel Fold will launch on May 10.
As you can see in the above teaser shot, the Pixel Fold will be a phone that opens up to reveal a larger screen similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 4, and likely costs the same too.
Speaking of the display, the Pixel Fold has been tipped to have the edge over the rumored Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, as it's expected to make use of "M13" display materials from Samsung Display, whereas the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is expected to use M12. What advantages the M13 materials will bring isn't clear, but they could be tougher to resist more folds, as well as deliver better colors, contrast and brightness. A slew of Pixel Fold specs have purportedly been leaked so far along with official-looking renders that show off the device
Purported video footage of a Pixel Fold prototype has also come to light, showing off curved edges that appear to match previous renders. The internal bezels look to be on the chunky side, and it appears to require a bit of force to open up into tablet mode.
Pixel 8: It's possible that Google could tease the design and topline features of the Google Pixel 8 at Google I/O 2023 without going into a ton of detail, just as it did for the Pixel 7 at I/O 2022. A full reveal would come later. We've already seen some leaked Pixel 8 renders and Pixel 8 Pro renders, so it could happen.
Pixel Watch 2: Google could also tease the Pixel Watch 2 at Google I/O, as it's rumored that the Pixel Watch 2 will launch alongside the Pixel 8 later this year. Check out our Pixel Watch 2 hub for the upgrades we want to see.
Google I/O 2023 outlook
With Google I/O 2023 rapidly approaching, we expect the pace of rumors to pick up considerably. Look for more details about potential hardware releases to emerge ahead of the keynote, as we prepare to get our first official glimpse at some new Google devices.
