Google I/O 2023 – What’s coming down the pipe?

Google I/O 2023, the company’s highly-anticipated annual developer conference, is today at 10:00 AM PT. With fierce competition from the likes of Microsoft and OpenAI’s ChatGPT, this year’s event is of critical importance to Google’s success in the AI landscape.

Google is still struggling to catch up to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The latter company beat Google to market with an AI-powered chatbot late last year, leaving Google scrambling to respond with a similarly impressive offering. Unfortunately, Google’s answer, Bard, has been lackluster in comparison.

During Google’s recent earnings call, investors had plenty of questions about the company’s AI developments. Meanwhile, Bing’s revamped AI search, which utilizes ChatGPT, has emerged as a formidable competitor to Google’s internet search business, experiencing nearly 16% growth.

Despite these challenges, Google is expected to showcase its own AI developments during the conference, but will also devote time to new products such as its first foldable phone and updates to the Pixel Tablet.

To stay up-to-date with all the latest developments, here’s what you can expect from Google I/O 2023.

How to watch Google I/O?

Google I/O is today, May 10 at 10:00 AM PT. The keynote is the first scheduled event and can be viewed on Google’s I/O website or YouTube. We’ll be making any relevant updates on the Tech Rover as the event happens.

AI, AI, and more AI

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Last year’s Google I/O focused heavily on the company’s AI developments. CEO Sundar Pichai highlighted the potential for AI models to summarize meetings, understand humor, and process large amounts of text. However, these products were not made available to the public. Following reports that a former Googler claimed the company’s AI chatbot had become sentient, Google was understandably hesitant to give the public or press access to the technology.

However, in late 2022, OpenAI released ChatGPT, a free AI chatbot that surpassed Google’s own efforts. While it was within Google’s capacity to release a chatbot, the company felt that doing so could be irresponsible, given concerns about AI ethics and the potential impact on its ads-driven search business model. Additionally, chatbots can be prone to biases and inaccuracies due to the limitations of the human-written text from which they draw. Microsoft even limited its Bing chatbot to five replies after it made inappropriate statements to a reporter.

Given these challenges, Google needs to impress with its stage presence at this year’s event. The company’s previous fumble with the launch of Bard sent its stock tumbling, and reports suggest Samsung may be considering a switch to Bing due to its integration with ChatGPT. To make up for lost ground, expect Google to announce multiple new AI products and highlight ways its AI engines surpass the competition.

Reports also suggest that Google is actively working on an AI-powered search engine called Magi, though it’s unclear if the company will reveal or even hint at it during the event. It’s possible that more time is needed before it’s ready for a full public unveiling.

Pixel Tablet and Pixel 7A

At Google I/O, the company typically unveils a more affordable version of its previous year’s premium Pixel device. This year, rumors suggest that the Pixel 7A will be announced, with a rumored price of $499, $50 more expensive than the previous year’s Pixel 6A. However, at this price point, the A-series may be cutting it too close to the standard Pixel 7, which can be purchased for just $599. It may be wise to wait for a sale or a price cut on the Pixel 7, or consider purchasing one used in excellent condition.

As for the Pixel 7A, expect incremental upgrades across the board. Similar to other A-series devices, it will likely feature the same Tensor chip as the flagship counterparts, while also offering improvements to the camera, screen, and build.

Google may also provide more information on the Pixel Tablet, which was briefly listed on Amazon Japan and later removed. The company has confirmed that the tablet will be released this year, and with the optional dock (listed separately at a potential price of $129), it can also function as a smart display. Since Google has ended software support for third-party smart displays, upgrading to the Pixel Tablet may be necessary for some.

Android 14

During Google I/O 2023, Google is likely to discuss the upcoming release of Android 14, the next version of its mobile operating system. The version is already available in beta for Pixel users, should they want to opt in. In a February blog post, Google mentioned that Android 14 will bring improved compatibility with foldable devices and tablets, which is good news for users who have found the Android experience lacking on larger screens.

In addition to these improvements, Google has also previously mentioned satellite connectivity. As for other expected improvements, users can anticipate standard incremental upgrades to speed, battery life, and user experience. Overall, users can look forward to Google providing more details about the upcoming Android 14 release during the conference.

It’s time for the Pixel Fold

Exciting news for Android fans as Google is set to unveil a true Google-made Pixel foldable at this year’s I/O. The company has already teased the device on Twitter with the hashtag #PixelFold and a short video showcasing a sleek and relatively thin foldable device. When unfolded, it has a more squat design and a more square aspect ratio than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4. However, the bezels on the inner display seem to be chunkier than Samsung’s foldable.

Google’s even been hiding the Pixel Fold in an unlisted YouTube video, which can be viewed below:

According to rumors, the Pixel Fold will only come in either obsidian (black) or chalk (white), and it’ll be priced closer to the $1,800 range. The release date is reportedly on June 27. However, there are some rumors that the Pixel Fold might use a much older camera system, like the one found on the Pixel 5 from 2020, which would be a letdown considering the current Pixel 7 Pro has an excellent, almost DSLR-level, camera.