Google’s annual developer conference is inching closer. Later today, the company will take the stage to host Google I/O 2024. And while we don’t know much about its plans for the big show, we have some expectations and educated guesses about what we will see. If last year is anything to judge by, Google will introduce more generative AI features powered by Gemini, and we’ll likely hear a word or two about Android 15. There could also be a hardware launch or two, but with the Pixel 8a now official, your guess is as good as ours. Here’s what we’re expecting.
Google I/O 2023: Pixel Fold, Pixel 7a, and everything else announced
So, so much AI
When will Google I/O 2024 take place?
Since its inception, Google I/O has taken place in May, with three exceptions. The event was pushed to June in 2012 and 2014 and canceled in 2020. Keeping with the usual mid-May slot, Google announced the event will take place on May 14, 2024. That’s today.
As always, Google released a fun little puzzle game to get the public to figure out the date. This year, it took a few hours until the date was revealed. The puzzle involved creating pathways for a marble, with increasingly more elements like rotating puzzle pieces and buttons.
How to watch Google I/O 2024
Getting an exciting look at Google’s future software and hardware ambitions
What to expect at Google I/O 2024?
While Google I/O is just days away, we still don’t know much about what Google has in store for us. Since it’s a developer conference, it always covers topics for people who develop apps and websites. At the same time, the event has become more accessible to consumers in the past one and a half decades, with Google launching big moonshot projects like Google Glass and many of its devices.
Don’t expect much in the way of new hardware
We had expected to see the Pixel 8a announced onstage, but Google surprised everyone by unveiling its latest phone one week ahead of the actual keynote. Instead, the Pixel 8a is now already on sale on store shelves.
Google Pixel 8a
The Pixel 8a wants you to forget the Pixel 8 ever existed. With some crucial upgrades over its predecessor, including a brighter display, faster processor, and larger battery, Google’s latest mid-range smartphone is the perfect combo of speed and AI smarts. And with seven years of OS upgrades, it’s the longest lasting $500 smartphone you can find today.
Unlike last year — where we learned details about the Pixel 7a, Pixel Tablet, and Pixel Fold — we don’t expect to hear much more about actual hardware at I/O. The Pixel Fold 2 rumors and leaks have only recently started to pick up the pace, and considering it might get a name change to fit into the Pixel 9 family, it’s incredibly unlikely. And speaking of, the Pixel 9 series is too far off for us to learn much about it, though considering how many leaks we’ve seen, a tease is always a possibility.
We also haven’t heard any news regarding a Pixel Tablet 2, with only some mentions of the device’s codename on the internet. We wouldn’t be surprised if Google teased the Pixel Tablet 2 at this year’s Google I/O, but considering the company just launched a dockless version of the first-gen model, we’re not expecting a launch in the next few months.
There will likely be AI, AI, and more AI
Google responded to ChatGPT’s overnight success by pausing and then pushing as much generative AI as possible to see what stuck. Now, we have a better idea of Google’s strategy. The company is all-in on its generative Gemini model, which powers its chatbot and Samsung’s Galaxy AI features. Google is reportedly talking to Apple about lending it a hand with generative AI features for iOS.
It’s possible that Google will talk about some of these collaborations and some of the tools it made available to developers at the conference. If the Apple deal goes through, we’ll likely wait until Apple’s WWDC developer conference in June to hear more.
At the same time, Google worked on bringing AI to more of its apps and services. Among them is the Gemini chatbot, which has the same name as the underlying model, which is out to replace Google Assistant. It’s capable of answering more questions than Assistant was ever able to. Still, it needs to work on its accuracy and falls back to Assistant for simpler tasks like “turn off the lights.” We might hear more about the transition plan at Google I/O, including what will happen to existing Google Assistant home devices.
Beyond that, Google will likely reveal more new AI features. We could see a newer, better version of Gemini, more on-device capabilities for the Pixel 8 Pro, and broader availability across other Android manufacturers.
We could get a glimpse of Android 15
We’ve already seen the first Android 15 beta, and we’ll likely get Android 15 Beta 2 on stage next week during I/O. This is traditionally when Google likes to unveil user-facing features to the public, making it the perfect time to hop on board and download some pre-release software on your Pixel. Considering some of the recent leaks we’ve seen regarding Android 15 — including forced dark mode for all apps, an improved landscape UI, and better notification management — it could be a pretty exciting time. And that’s on top of all of the various AI-focused news and features.
Google I/O 2024 is right around the corner
Google I/O 2024 may not be as exciting as Google I/O 2014, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary. Back then, the company showed off its redesigned Android Lollipop with its coherent Material design language, its WearOS predecessor Android Wear, Android TV, and Android Auto. This year’s Google I/O will still give us a glimpse of what Google has planned for the future, even if it may mean more generative AI in even more places. In the meantime, stay tuned for all the news over the next few days.
