Google I/O Is Tomorrow: Everything We Expect and How to Watch Live

The countdown to Google I/O 2023 almost finished. The company’s annual developer conference takes place tomorrow, and it could prove critical for the search giant, especially with strong AI competition from Microsoft and ChatGPT.

As Google prepares for Wednesday’s event, the company is still catching up with OpenAI’s ChatGPT. OpenAI pushed Google to release an AI-powered chatbot for sale late last year, and Google was confused about resisting something so dramatic. Bard, Google’s answer to ChatGPT, proved mediocre in comparison. Investors had a lot of AI questions during Google’s recent earnings call. And Bing’s revamped AI search, piggybacking on ChatGPT, has given Google some competition in the internet search business, where Bing has seen nearly 16% growth.

Although Google will likely spend more time focusing on its own AI developments, the company will also spend time on new products, including its first foldable phone and updates to Pixel Tablet.

Here’s everything you can expect from Google I/O 2023.

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When is Google I/O 2023?

This year’s Google I/O will take place on May 10, with the keynote starting at 10 am PT. For those interested in tuning into the livestream, you will need to register on the Google I/O website.

Is Google I/O personal?

This year’s I/O will also be the first since 2019 with press attendance. CNET is on the ground reporting the latest developments. Unfortunately, it is not open to the public.

Expect lots of AI

Last year’s Google I/O put a strong focus on the company’s AI developments. CEO Sundar Pichai talked about its models being able to summarize meetings and large texts while also understanding jokes. However, none of these products are available to the public. And after a former Googler began to say that the company’s AI chatbot became sensitive, Google understandably hesitated to give members of the public or force an opportunity to communicate with this AI chatbot.

But ChatGPT arrived late last year. OpenAI has done what Google couldn’t: release an AI chatbot to the public for free. It’s not because it’s not within Google’s capacity to do so. However, Google felt it was irresponsible to do so. This is after Google fired its AI ethics heads in late 2020 and early 2021, finally revamping its AI teams after months of turmoil. It’s also worth noting that AI chatbots could threaten Google’s core ad-driven business model.

But these AI products have some problems to face. Chatbots like Bard or ChatGPT work by pulling from the large datasets of human-written text available online. The problem is that people have certain biases, and chatbots can sometimes lean on those biases. And because chatbots are more desirable autocorrect on steroids, the point is not to get the facts right, but to get the next generated word right. This sometimes leads to “hallucinations,” situations where a chatbot confidently presents inaccurate answers. Earlier this year, Microsoft limited Bing’s chat to five responses to prevent things from getting too freaky, after Bing’s AI chatbot told New York Times reporter Kevin Roose that it loved him and he must leave his wife.

Given that Google failed to launch Bard, which sent its stock tumbling, and that Samsung may be reportedly looking to move Bing to its handsets (perhaps because of Bing’s integration with ChatGPT), Pichai should use and Co. their stage presence to impress.

The New York Times reported that Google is actively working on an AI-powered search engine, codenamed Magi. While we haven’t been able to independently verify this, it’s hard to say whether or not Google will reveal Magi. It may require more gestation time before giving full public exposure.

Either way, expect more new AI products to be announced and all the ways Google feels its AI machines are outperforming the competition.

It’s time to open the Pixel Fold

After years of rumors, Android fans will finally see a real Google-made Pixel foldable at this year’s I/O.

When it comes to hardware, Google is rarely shy about revealing its latest products early. On the unofficial holiday of Star Wars, May the Fourth, Google, through a tweet, posted a short video online with the hashtag #PixelFold. The Made by Google Twitter account tweeted “May the Fold Be With You,” a pun on the classic Star Wars line, “May the Force be with you.”

The video shows a sleek and relatively thin foldable device floating in the air. When unfolded, it has a more squat design, a departure from the tall and narrow aesthetic of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4. It looks closer to the Oppo Find N. That means when closed, it has a a more traditional smartphone 18:9 aspect ratio, instead of the tall candy bar shape of the closed Z Fold 4. And when opened, it’s more square than rectangular. The bezels on the inner display seem chunkier than Samsung’s foldable.

Rumors reported by Front Page Tech say that the Pixel Fold will only come in obsidian (black) or chalk (white). This too reportedly closer to the $1,800 range and will be released on June 27.

One rumor that we hope isn’t true is that the Pixel Fold will use an older camera system, like the one found on the Pixel 5 from 2020, according to 9to5Google. Given that the current Pixel 7 Pro has an excellent, almost DSLR-level, camera, a $1,000-plus phone in 2023 using a camera from three years ago would be a definite failure.

Pixel 7A and Pixel Tablet

Google usually takes time out of I/O to unveil a cheaper version of last year’s premium Pixel device. Rumors point to the reveal of the Pixel 7A at I/O. It’s reportedly $50 more expensive than last year’s Pixel 6A at $499. Given that the standard Pixel 7 can be had for $ 599, the A-series could cut it quite close to the price if the rumor turns out to be true.

At that point, it’s better to wait for a sale or price reduction on the Pixel 7 or buy a used one in excellent condition.

Either way, expect more upgrades across the board for the Pixel 7A. Like other A-series devices, it is likely to sport the same Tensor chip found in its flagship counterparts, while also bringing improvements to the camera, screen and build.

Google is also likely to spill more details on the Pixel Tablet, which briefly appeared in a now-deleted Amazon Japan listing on Sunday. The company has already said that it will arrive this year, and with its dock – which will be sold separately, possibly for $ 129 each in a recent Amazon list – it can also act as a smart display. Since Google has ended software support for third-party smart displays, some may feel the need to upgrade.

Android 14 and Pixel 8 teasers

While the Android 14 beta is now available for Pixel devices, it is expected that Google will provide more details on the next version of its mobile operating system. Google says it will bring more folding and adaptability to the tablet in Android 14, according to a blog post in February. This is good news because the Android experience on large screens seems like an afterthought.

Apart from that, Google is already talking about satellite connectivity. The standard incremental improvements in speed, battery life and ease of use are also expected.

Most likely, Google will not leave the presentation without giving fans a small glimpse of its next flagship smartphone, the Pixel 8, as it has done in previous years. Given that Pixel devices tend to leak online months before their launch, Google seems to have found it better to challenge it up front than to deal with the pre-release leak whack-a-mole. a-mole.

For more, check out our list of Google products we’re looking forward to this year and how the Pixel Fold can save foldable phones.