Google I/O 2023 – the 7 biggest reveals to expect
Google’s annual tech-fest could showcase new phones, tablets, software and more
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It’s almostGoogleI/O time again, as this year’s even kicks off later today (Wednesday, May 10) at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST, or at 3am AEST on May 11 for those in Australia, andGoogle I/O 2023looks set to be the most significant of these events in years.
We’re expecting a host of announcements around Google hardware, software, and services, and we have aGoogle I/O 2023 live blogup and running, where we’ll cover all the announcements as they happen, and all the last-minute leaks ahead of the event.
Google IO, likeApple’s WWDC, is ostensibly for developers: Google announces the changes coming to its software, and coders can then go away to make apps that run on top of Android, or Wear OS, or Gmail.
But in reality, Google I/O has become a showcase for everything Google is doing, and for the wider world as well as for developers. This time around we’re expecting lots of news on Google’s Pixel products, its continuing development of artificial intelligence systems, and how Google’s software platforms are going to evolve over the next year. Join us as we look forward to the biggest reveals to expect at Google I/O 2023.
1. Google Pixel Fold
This is the one that we’re most sure about, becauseGoogle itself has announced that the Pixel Fold will be revealedon May 10. However, we don’t currently know much more about the foldable, beyond what we can glean from the slick-looking eight-second video preview that Google has put out.
To the rumors then: theGoogle Pixel Foldis apparently going to feature a 7.69-inch main screen and a 5.79-inch cover display, and is said to be running the same Tensor G2 chipset as the Google Pixel 7 phones. It looks like we’ve got a triple-lens rear camera on the back, and pricing is reportedly going to start at $1,799 (about £1,425 / AU$2,660).
That all sounds promising, and although we would have liked a cheaper price it’s fair to say that there are plenty ofreasons why the Pixel Fold could beat the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4and potentially become thebest foldable phone.
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2. Google Pixel 7a
At this stage it would be a real surprise if thePixel 7awasn’t announced at Google IO 2023. The latest in Google’s mid-range smartphone series is rumored to be bringing with it a Tensor G2 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. The 6.1-inch display, meanwhile, is apparently going to offer a 90Hz refresh rate.
That all adds up toperformance that rivals the Pixel 7, if leaked benchmarks are to be believed, and price-wise we’ve heard unconfirmed reports that it’ll cost $449 / £399 / AU$749. Remember that theGoogle Pixel 6awas announced at Google IO last year, so there’s precedent for this reveal.
3. Android 14
Let’s not forget the software, which is supposed to be the main reason everyone is gathering physically and virtually for Google IO 2023.Android 14will be getting a lot of mentions during the course of the show, with features such as app cloning (for using two accounts on the same app) and passwordless logins expected to be on the way.
Android 14 isn’t the only software platform that Google develops of course, and we should be hearing updates aroundWear OS(with a space) and ChromeOS (without a space) too. What’s more, Google IO is usually the place for announcements about new features in apps such as Gmail,Google Maps, Google Drive and more.
4. Google Pixel Watch 2
There haven’t been too many rumors floating around about thePixel Watch 2lately, but considering that the originalPixel Watchwas announced atGoogle IO 2022, we think there’s a chance that a follow-up might get mentioned at this year’s show.
One reliable source says that thePixel Watch 2 will launch alongside the Pixel 8in October, which again would match with last year’s schedule – and Google may well want to create some buzz ahead of time. A faster processor on the inside and thinner bezels on the outside may well be involved.
5. Artificial intelligence
You could say Google IO 2023 is a chance for the empire to strike back: the empire being Google and its long-standing innovation in and deployment of AI, andMicrosoftbeing the usurpers. With the arrival ofChatGPTandBing AI, it feels as though Google has been overtaken when it comes to artificial intelligence.
AI has been talked about at every previous IO of course, and is embedded into just about every Google product already, but expect some significant announcements on May 10. We’re likely to getmore AI smarts inside Google’s apps, and most probably news of howGoogle Bardis being developed further.
6. Google Pixel Tablet
It feels like we’ve been waiting for theGoogle Pixel Tabletfor an absolute age – or more specifically, since it was first shown off at Google IO 2022. A year on, and it must be time (or nearly time) for Google to actually launch it and put it on sale, and it would make sense to do it at this year’s IO get-together.
We know quite a bit about the tablet: it’s going to double-up as a smart home hub, there’s going to be an official speaker stand available for it, and it’s going to be running the Tensor G2 chipset like thePixel 7. What we don’t know is the price, but the rumor is that it’s going to cost around €600 (with a straight conversion that’s $675 / £530 / AU$995).
7. Google AirTags
It’s pretty rare now forAppleto have a product with no Google equivalent, but we’re still waiting for Google to announce its own version of theApple AirTag. Google IO 2023 could be the moment for that to happen, with an increasing number of rumors suggesting that Google is ready to unveil its own Bluetooth-enabled tracker.
Google and Apple have alreadyteamed up to put anti-stalking measuresinto Android and iOS, so all we need now is the Google hardware. The newGoogle AirTags, as we’re currently calling it, may well come under the Nest branding when it finally does appear, and Google may well launch a revamped interface for tracking all of your various gadgets at the same time.
That’s a pretty long list of potential announcements, then, and of course there’s always the chance that Google throws a curveball into the mix. We’ll have a team at Google IO 2023 to find out, and will keep you updated on all of the big news as it happens. Until then, make sure you knowhow to watch Google IO 2023and cross your fingers that it’s all as exciting as it promises to be.
Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you’ll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.
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