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Google I/O, the company’s annual developer conference, is back after several weeks of hype. The company teased a bit of what’s to come last week when it announced Googlebook, a new line of devices, alongside several Android updates that heavily incorporate AI.
Even without those hints, the company’s main message has been clear lately: Gemini is about to be in everything, and making agentic AI more accessible is the focus for the foreseeable future.
Also: This powerful Gemini setting made my AI results way more personal and accurate
Amidst mounting pressure from competitor labs like OpenAI and Anthropic, which have been aggressively rolling out new models and impressive coding features within just weeks of each other, Google’s task is to keep up — and convince users that the AI push is worth it. So far, not everyone has loved Google’s move to make its AI assistant ever-present across search, Workspace, and other day-to-day surfaces.
When is Google I/O?
The annual developer conference takes place May 19 and 20 at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California. The opening keynote, at which Google leaders kick off the conference by announcing new software and hardware, starts at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
We’re on site covering those announcements live, which you can follow along here. If you’d like to watch at home, Google will livestream the keynote here for the public.
What’s next for Android XR?
By Kerry Wan, Editor in Chief / May 18
At last year’s Google I/O, I demoed the company’s first pair of Android XR reference glasses. Since then, I’ve gone through several demos of the mixed reality platform’s capabilities, including AR navigation, Gemini prompting, and content capture.
So, what’s next? I’d like to see how the company upsells its youngest Android platform to developers, especially given that Apple may be on the cusp of releasing its own pair of AI-infused smart glasses.
Google needs to convince developers that building for Android XR will be worthwhile, and convince consumers that there’s more we can do with the form factor. The answer, much like the Googlebook strategy, may be to tap into the expansive network of manufacturers who also want a piece of the smart glasses pie.
Expect some (and only some) Android news
By Kerry Wan, Editor in Chief / May 18
Ahead of Google I/O, the company held its annual “The Android Show” last week, announcing a slew of Android and Chrome features set to roll out later this year.
The news included Gemini Intelligence, which refers to more advanced AI capabilities such as background task automation and enhanced context tools, more accessible voice inputs, AI-generated widgets, and general video improvements in Android 17.
Also: First look at Googlebook: A premium Chromebook alternative for Android users
Google also announced a new series of laptops called Googlebook, which is separate from Chromebook and Google Books.
Googlebook is described as more premium, with a more natural integration with Android phones than competing systems. That includes better app mirroring, faster file transferring across different services, and intuitive Gemini tools.
That all said, if Google does announce more Android news at I/O, expect it to be less than usual.
Counting down the hours
By Kerry Wan, Editor in Chief / May 18
The ZDNET team has settled into Mountain View, where we’ll be reporting on all the latest developer and software news during Google’s big event tomorrow. Expect some pre-keynote shenanigans, media members scrambling to find the best angle for photos and videos, and a lot of mentions of AI, again.