Google’s “Android Show” is kicking off I/O today: A few things I’m hoping to see

While the full Google I/O 2025 experience is still a week away, Google is kicking things off early today with a special one-off livestream called “The Android Show: I/O Edition.” This standalone event is happening today, Tuesday, May 13th, at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET, and it promises to be packed with Android-specific news ahead of next week’s main developer conference.

How to watch The Android Show: I/O Edition

You can watch it live on the Android site or their YouTube channel, and I’ve embedded the livestream right here for you. While we don’t know the exact runtime, breaking Android out should make for a more focused show, but we’ll have to wait and see.

A few things I’m hoping to see today

Google says this pre-show is designed to give Android updates their proper spotlight and “get you ready for I/O, where we’ll have even more special announcements and surprises in store.” Now, while today’s show is a standalone event ahead of the main I/O conference next week (where we’re also tracking several key sessions), it’s still shaping up to be packed with plenty of updates that you’ll definitely find interesting.

So, what am I hoping to see today? Here are 4 key things I’ll be watching for:

1. Android 16 and the full Material 3 Expressive reveal

Google has already confirmed Android 16 will see a stable release sometime before the second half of the year, and with the beta currently on its fourth iteration, today could very well be the day we get the final build or at least a firm release date.

Alongside it, we’re pretty confident we’ll finally get the full, official unveiling of Android’s new design language, Material 3 Expressive. Google accidentally published (then deleted) a blog post about it, and session listings for I/O still call it “the future of Google’s UX design.” We haven’t seen it fully implemented in the Android 16 betas yet, so today should give us our first detailed look at how it transforms the Android experience and, hopefully, when it’ll land on our phones.

2. Please give us an update on Android XR!

Google’s history with VR/XR has been… eventful, with several projects sent to the tech graveyard. But they’re not giving up. Late last year, Google previewed Android XR, a new platform for extended reality, promising that the power of Gemini AI will make this attempt different. We know they’re collaborating with Samsung on a headset (codenamed Project Moohan), which Samsung hinted could arrive this year. Whether we see Project Moohan itself today or not, I’m really hoping Google sheds more light on Android XR, its capabilities, and any ecosystem partners they’ve lined up.

3. Any surprises for Wear OS?

Wear OS didn’t get a main keynote slot last year, but Wear OS 5 was previewed in developer sessions. With Wear OS 5.1 just starting its rollout to Pixel Watch devices in March, you might think it’s too soon for more big news. However, the official Wear OS X account specifically told fans to tune into The Android Show for updates. Color me intrigued!

4. The ChromeOS/Android kernel question

This is probably a long shot, but maybe, just maybe, just maybe, Google will drop some hints about the ongoing work to replace the standard Linux kernel on ChromeOS with the Android kernel. We’ve speculated a lot about what this means for both operating systems, especially as Android’s own Desktop Mode continues to evolve and look suspiciously ChromeOS-like. While this kind of news is likely held for a dedicated Chromebook Showcase (which should be happening soon based on the previous events), any overarching vision from Google on how these two platforms will coexist or converge would be fascinating!

In the end, I think giving Android its own dedicated showcase like this seems like a smart move, ensuring these important platform updates get the attention they deserve, instead of being squeezed into what will likely be a main keynote full of AI announcements. I’m really excited to see what Google has in store for this event! We’ll be tuned in and will be doing a live chat with our Chrome Unboxed Plus community over on Discord, so make sure to sign up for your 7-day free trial if you haven’t already.