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Google I/O is one of my favorite times of the year when the brightest minds at Google unveil their work in software, hardware, and AI innovation. Although some hardware has made its way into the keynotes over the last few years, the conference is still very focused on the developer community with sessions covering many topics from mobile, web, cloud, AI, and more. And since the excitement for the 2024 conference is brewing, let’s break down what we can expect from I/O this time around.
How to experience Google I/O
Google I/O 2024 kicks off on May 14, 2024, with a main keynote at 10 am PT with breakout sessions to follow. It looks like these breakout sessions will be live since there is a banner on the top of the I/O page that says all content available online on May 16 at 8 am PT.
Want in on the action? The first step is to register on the Google I/O website and create your developer profile. It’s free and the best way to personalize your I/O experience. While you don’t need to register to watch the keynote and sessions, it’s a nice way to dig into fun sessions that you might miss otherwise.
As for the main keynote, you can click the video above and then select “Notify me” to get a reminder! And if you want to dive deep afterward, the sessions will be available on the I/O website and likely uploaded to Google’s YouTube channel.
AI and the Growth of Gemini
Google entered the AI race a touch late, but it’s pushing forward aggressively with its Gemini AI platform. I/O 2024 will likely bring a flood of details about Google’s vision for AI and how Gemini continues to evolve, across all Google products and services. I’m not even going to try to guess how many times Gemini or AI will be mentioned, but I bet it’s going to be a lot.
Android 15 and Wear OS 5
Google’s already lifted the curtain on Android 15, with developer previews and an initial beta released. I/O 2024 is the perfect time for Google to dive deep into the new features and changes this new OS iteration brings.
Wear OS fans have something to look forward to, as well! Google has explicitly confirmed upcoming discussions about Wear OS 5 on the I/O Explore page. We don’t have many details yet, but enhanced personalization and even greater health-tracking capabilities could definitely be on the table.
The future of Pixel and new hardware
The recently-announced Pixel 8a will likely see some further discussion but the real excitement lies in the potential for a Pixel 9 tease. Google loves showing off its future roadmap, as they did with Fold last year, so I’m hopeful that we could get more details on the Pixel 9 series and how the Fold 2 will fall in the lineup this year.
As for other hardware, a new 4K Chromecast with Google TV is rumored to be in the works, and I/O could be the place it gets revealed. With Walmart’s Onn. 4K Pro hitting the market already, Google might want to use I/O to announce their latest and greatest streaming dongle.
Plus, in light of the recent announcement of the standalone Pixel Tablet, it’s high time for Google to refresh its smart home lineup so be on the lookout for an updated Nest Hub Max or even a new Nest WiFi model!
Project Iris and headsets
In the more speculative department, we might get more details on Google’s mysterious XR plans that could be tied to an upcoming Samsung headset. The potential evolution of the Iris smart glasses project, which was shown as a concept at I/O 2022, is another big question mark.
ChromeOS and Chromebook Plus updates
And last but certainly not least, we’re hopeful that the keynote will mention Chromebook Plus and the new AI features that are coming soon. Additionally, we will be tuning in and taking notes during the three ChromeOS breakout sessions to see if the team has any other news to share.
Join us for a keynote companion stream
Get ready to geek out – Google I/O 2024 kicks off on May 14 so make sure to set your alarms for the opening keynote at 10 AM PT.
Robby and I will also be hosting a main keynote companion/live reactions stream over on Discord for our Chrome Unboxed Plus members so make sure to check out our revamped membership before next Tuesday so you can join in on the fun. We’ve recently relaunched our membership and have simplified the tiers so it’s only $2 a month or $20 a year now for full access. You can head over to the Join page to learn more and get all the details but I hope to see you there.
