We just a couple of hours away from Google’s annual developer event, i/o. As usual, there has been a lot of speculation about what new products may emerge from the event. Everything from the Pixel 2 to another messaging app has been tossed in the air but honestly, only Google knows.
We’re here for Chromebooks. So, we will leave the rumors, hopes and wishes of non-Chrome OS stuff to the other guys. We just want to take a minute and talk about what we expect to hear today and maybe dream for a minute about what we’d love to see.
As far as Chrome OS-specific sessions go, we get one this year. That may not sound very promising for Chromebook users but do not be dismayed. The content of this 1-hour talk is all about the optimization of Android Apps for the Chromebooks and large-screen devices. You can read, in detail, what this means for the Chrome OS ecosystem in Robby’s article here. The session is scheduled for Friday afternoon from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm PST on the Google Developer Channel 3.
What we really anticipate seeing this year is how Android O will bring new features to Chrome OS and help to smooth out what has been a bit of a rocky start for this project. We have discussed the enhanced keyboard function O will bring and hopefully we will hear a bit about that.
With the release of the Play Store to the Stable channel still in limbo, we are anxious to see when Nougat will be headed to Chrome OS as well. This update will be crucial to app functionality on Chromebooks and I suspect there will be mention of this.
Last years i/o keynote was a bit of a hodge-podge. New messaging apps, Google Assistant and Google Home were pretty much the high-notes. Chromebooks weren’t even mentioned but, if you remember, later that week we saw the developer announcement that Android apps would be coming to Chrome OS. It was exciting times, for sure. Fast forward a year and we are all wondering, when will the Play Store finally arrive.
As much as I like to tell users to have patience, it would be great of Google if they could give us a “state of the union” address as to where we actually stand on the release. The Samsung Chromebook Pro is coming, soon. We have been reassured time and again that it would release with the Play Store out of beta and all things tidied up so that the Pro has a stellar reception.
Speaking of elusive devices, some have mentions the plausibility of a new Chromebook being unveiled at i/o this year. I would love to see that. ‘Eve’ maybe? As awesome as that would be, I just don’t see Google pitching another manufacturers device at their developer event and I have serious doubts they have an in-house Chromebook that would be ready to show the world. Please, let me be wrong.
Honestly, that’s about all that I expect from this years developer gathering. Maybe my low expectations will result in a grand surprise. What about you? What do you think Google will unveil to the world today? What would your dream announcement be? Drop a comment below and don’t forget to follow along with the keynote right here at Chrome Unboxed. Find the live stream below.
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