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Yes, that’s a duck with lips dancing on stage prior to the Google I/O keynote. Yes, it makes sense in context. Just go with it.
t-25 min, see you soon! #googleio pic.twitter.com/RSxdUm4srvMay 10, 2023
Google’s CEO checks in (opens in new tab) ahead of the start of Google I/O keynote. Also, I told you that amphitheatre would fill in prior to the keynote.
AI generated video at #GoogleIO. Of course. pic.twitter.com/CZGzwkfJ56May 10, 2023
Just so you can feel like you’re here in Mountain View, here’s the Google I/O preshow featuring AI-generated video and Bard-suggested visualizations.
Top Pixel 7a rumors include a 90Hz display, wireless charging, a Tensor G2 chipset and a much improved camera setup. “Doesn’t that sound a lot like the Pixel 7?” you may be wondering. And you are correct — based on the Pixel 7a rumors, the new phone could be very similar to the Pixel 7 Google released last fall.
Find out just how similar in our Google Pixel 7a vs. Pixel 7 comparison based on what we know headed into the keynote.
#GoogleIO is tomorrow! ✌️Catch What’s New in ChromeOS with Jeza and the ChromeOS team on May 10 starting at 10AM PT. We’ll cover how ChromeOS is growing, the latest innovations, tools, and developer guidance, and more → https://t.co/lUI7hKPTBK pic.twitter.com/AQpXsgdz1UMay 10, 2023
We’re obviously focused on the new hardware and the likely Bard announcements, plus whatever Android 14 news comes our way. But apparently we’ll be getting some ChromeOS updates during this keynote, too, if the tweet from Google for Developers (opens in new tab) is anything to go by.
If you want another hint that we’re probably going to see hardware at Google I/O, here’s a possible clue I spotted upon arriving at the Shoreline Amphitheatre. At past I/Os here, Google has roped off a section outside the main stage as a press area where we can file our reports from the event. That areas back this year — but it was roped off prior to the keynote and we were told it won’t open up until afterward.
My best guess? That’s going to be a demo area for whatever hardware Google announces, which right now we’re anticipating to certainly be the Pixel Fold and probably include the Pixel 7a and Pixel Tablet.
Or I’m completely wrong, and that area’s closed off because there’s just a really good post-keynote lunch spread being assembled.
Google Pixel 7a (quick impressions)- Premium build, in-hand feel exactly like Pixel 7, with Glass back & metal frame.- Bright & Fluid 90Hz OLED panel, no major issues here.- 64MP cam gets you a good amount of detail & takes classic rich shots (16MP binned), with spot-on…May 10, 2023
If you need some last-minute leaks to whet your appetite ahead of the Google I/O keynote, leaker Yogesh Brar tweeted out some first impressions of the Pixel 7a (opens in new tab). Based on the tweet, it sounds like the Pixel 7a shares a lot in common with the Pixel 7, right down to the performance. (Not surprising, since both phones are supposed to have a Tensor G2 chip inside.)
Brar also confirms that rumor about the 90Hz refresh rate on the Pixel 7a’s display. “Bright & Fluid,” he tweets.
We’ve got a full account of those Pixel 7a hands-on impressions, along with a leaked video apparently showing off a TV ad for the new phone.
This is the 15th anniversary of Google I/O, incidentally, and Google is marking the occasion with a post on the history of its developer conference (opens in new tab). Even if that sort of thing doesn’t intrigue you, at least you can learn the origin story behind the I/O name to thrill on-lookers at your next party or get-together.
Philip Michaels here, live from Mountain View. Thanks to my colleagues Tom Pritchard and Malcolm McMillan for keeping our Google I/O 2023 live blog going while I made it through security to my seat at the Shoreline Amphitheatre.
This is my vantage point for the rest of the day, and a view of the venue about an hour ahead of showtime. Don’t let the empty seats fool you, though — there’s a big crowd of Google I/O attendees and developers outside about to be let in to fill the lower bowl of the amphitheatre.
@tomsguide (opens in new tab)
♬ original sound – Tom’s Guide (opens in new tab)
Hello from inside the Shoreline Amphitheater! Google I/O is just about an hour away and we are ready to see what Google unveils today. Make sure to follow along here and on our social media accounts — including TikTok!
If Google wants to dethrone the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold as king of the foldables, it’s going to need to do a couple of things. Luckily, we already thought of three ways the Pixel Fold can beat the rumored Galaxy Z Fold 5.
The biggest thing would be a tougher, thinner design. Based on the leaked promotional video we just saw, the thin part seems to be locked down if the Pixel Fold truly is the “thinnest foldable.” But it remains to be seen how the hinge holds up — though it’s reported to be the “most durable hinge on a foldable.”
Aside from that, the big upgrades we’d like to see are a camera that can hold up with the best camera phones and a more usable outer display. Personally, the cameras on foldables are a big reason I haven’t made the switch, so I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on what the Pixel Fold brings to the table.
Next up, the #PixelTablet pic.twitter.com/PPrsDTn7ARMay 10, 2023
Well, we thought news had slowed to a trickle but now it’s a downpour. We have yet another Google promotional video leak — and this time it’s the Google Pixel Tablet.
The leaked video (opens in new tab) comes yet again from SnoopyTech, though this one sadly doesn’t include a release date. Instead, it highlights the versatility of the Tablet, which lives on an included speaker dock when it’s not in your hand. The video also promises HD-quality video calls and the ability to transfer content between your Pixel devices.
While the Tablet’s speaker dock looks great, I can’t say the same for the chunky bezels on the Pixel Tablet. I’m sure the tablet will still look great, but giving up some bezel for a bit more screen size would have been a welcome sight. Maybe the next generation will slim things down a bit.
I’m at Google I/O! Stay tuned for an exciting day at the Shoreline Amphitheater #GoogleIO2023 pic.twitter.com/AuO72MKzFqMay 10, 2023
Tom’s Guide has officially arrived at I/O. We will have multiple staff members on-site at I/O to bring you all the latest news and updates today. So make sure to stay tuned to us here and on Twitter throughout the day.
Oh, it’s #GoogleIO already? Well, here you go. First up, #PixelFold1/3 pic.twitter.com/YKxJ9Qxda7May 10, 2023
We have a new Pixel Fold leak!
SnoopyTech (opens in new tab) on Twitter has posted a new Google Pixel Fold promotional video that looks like it’s a leak of an official Google promo. The video touts several features of Google’s first foldable phone, including multitasking, a lay-flat foldable screen and the ability to display at multiple angles for optimal viewing. It also makes the bold claim of being the “thinnest foldable,” which officially puts Samsung on notice.
And that’s not all the video teases. While the video shows off multitasking on multiple screens, the fine print claims that dual-screen support won’t come until Fall 2023. But the biggest news might be that we may finally have a release date. according to this leak, the Pixel Fold will finally be available on June 27. Stay tuned for the official announcement later today.
Google Bard is expected to get quite a few updates and upgrades today, with the highlight being rumored multimodal capabilities. This is when you can feed the AI chatbot images or videos instead of just text (or vice versa). We’ve seen some previews of this in GPT-4 and Bing Chat and it’s clearly the next big thing in AI.
But for the moment, Bard is pretty limited in what it can do. Still, we’ve given the Google chatbot a few tests to see what it is capable of.
So if you want to see what Bard can do now, check out our Bing with ChatGPT vs Bard face-off. And if you want to test out the chatbot yourself before I/O, make sure to look at our guide on how to use Google Bard.
Today’s the day 🎉Join us online for #GoogleIO at 10am PThttps://t.co/UVJ58IaEI2 pic.twitter.com/0FRb93fJEcMay 10, 2023
We’re now just three hours away from Google I/O 2023 and news has currently slowed to a trickle. So let’s take a moment to recap some of the exciting phone leaks we have seen in the lead-up to Google’s big day.
First, there’s already hands-on footage for the Google Pixel 7a, a phone that hasn’t even launched yet. Check out this YouTube (opens in new tab) video to see the new budget Android phone from every angle.
And speaking of videos, Google accidentally leaked a Google Pixel Fold promo on the official Google Pixel Twitter account. The video has since been pulled, but check out our coverage of the Fold leak to see this sneak peek of Google’s first foldable.
Should Google reveal a Pixel 7a today, the new budget phone is going to invite inevitable comparisons to Samsung’s Galaxy A54. What’s the Galaxy A54, you’re asking? Better read our Samsung Galaxy A54 to familiarize yourself with why the Pixel 7a has such a high bar to clear.
The Galaxy A54 costs $449, the same amount Google charged for the Pixel 6a. Samsung’s phone has a display with a 120Hz refresh rate, and it’s adopted the main camera used by the Galaxy S23. We actually think it takes better pictures than the Pixel 6a now, as you can see for yourself in our Galaxy A54 vs. Pixel 6a camera face-off.
Cameras are such a big part of the Pixel A series identity, that we’re eager to see how Google answers the Galaxy A54. Word is Google has a camera improvement of its own planned for the Pixel 7a, so we’re interested to find out if that rumor is true.
While a lot of focus is on the Pixel 7a and the Pixel Fold, they may not be the only smartphones on show at Google I/O 2023. In fact, if last year is anything to go by, we may end up getting our first look at the Pixel 8 and the Pixel 8 Pro — which we’re expecting will formally launch sometime this fall.
Despite the fact the phones aren’t going to arrive for a few months, we might have already learned some key details about both phones. Case renders suggest that the trademark Pixel camera bars are here to stay, though the Pro may end up ditching the curved display in favor of a flat one. Then of course there’s the Tensor G3 chipset, which might unlock even more AI-centric features — including video unblur.
Don’t expect much to be announced today, since the most we’re likely to get is a quick look at the design. But it is one more thing to get excited about.
We’re also expecting Android 14 to be a major topic of discussion during the I/O keynote presentation, alongside some of the new features that should be coming to Android phones in the next few months.
We already know about some of those features, thanks to the Android 14 beta, but there are a few more we’re expecting to see during the I/O keynote later today. That includes the rumored split ringtone and notification volume sliders, a predictive back gesture, app cloning, and more details about passkeys — the latest attempt to ditch passwords, the split ringtone
Of course with the expected launch of the Google Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet, we want Google to talk more about its work optimizing apps for larger screens. Because that’s something it hasn’t done a great job of in the past.
If the leaked Pixel 7a promo wasn’t enough for you, then maybe this leaked Pixel Fold promo will help satiate your appetite for Googly news. Believe it or not this one was posted on the official Google Pixel Twitter (opens in new tab) account, though it’s not clear whether this was deliberate or some sort of mistake.
Regardless of how the video ended up online, it’s the contents that are more interesting. Apparently Google will be partnering with the NBA, and this video is designed to advertise that partnership — as well as the features and capabilities of Google’s first foldable phone.
It also gives us a good look at the phone’s design, including its super slim profile, camera bar and the unfortunately chunky bezel around the inner display.
Google clearly has big plans for Bard, based on some of the leaks we’ve heard, but it could also be making the leap to Android homescreens. As with so many other new features, word is that this will kick off with Google’s own Pixel phones.
According to a report from 9to5Google, based on code in the latest Android app APK, it looks like Google could launch a homescreen widget with direct access to Bard. The report claims this will be a Pixel exclusive “at the start”, but it may not stay that way for long. After all if google wants Bard to succeed in the face of competition from ChatGPT and Bing AI, it’s going to need to find a way to get users engaged.
Unfortunately we don’t know what else will be involved with this widget, and whether it could offer more than one-tap access to Bard. Hopefully things will be elaborated on during the I/O keynote later tonight.
Just because Google I/O is just hours away hasn’t stopped the leaks from hitting the net. In fact there have been a bunch of last minute leaks showing off a bunch of stuff that will stop being interesting once the keynote presentation begins.
Like this alleged promo video from OnLeaks, showing off what looks like the Pixel 7a from every angle. It seems to be an official marketing video direct from Google itself, albeit with French captions. Nothing in the video is a major surprise, given the sheer amount of leaks we’ve seen already, but if you want an official-looking glimpse at the Pixel 7a ahead of launch, this video is your chance.
We’ve seen a lot of different Pixel Fold images out there, to the point where we know that Google’s adopting a similar design to the Galaxy Z Fold from Samsung — the phone will open up to reveal a larger screen, much like a book. Of course, rumors suggest Google has found a thinner design that makes its Fold a bit easier to carry around.
To give you an idea of what this might look, leaker Evan Blass has posted an image of a fully opened Pixel Fold (opens in new tab). With the caveat that these images can be processed within an inch of their life, the lack of a noticeable crease is… intriguing.
One thing we’re not quite so sure about for Google I/O 2023 is whether the Pixel Watch 2 will be making an appearance. While the watch itself isn’t likely to arrive until later this year, there is a possibility that Google could tease the new smartwatch the same way it did with the first Pixel Watch last year.
We don’t know much about the Pixel Watch 2 right now, so any glimpse we get should prove to enlightening — even if it’s just to a small degree. We’re certainly hoping to see an improved design, with smaller bezels, longer battery life, and more health sensors that can help the wearable compete with the likes of Samsung and Apple.
If you’re feeling a little impatient and can’t wait for Google to officially announce its upcoming plans for Bard, you’re in luck. A bunch of the key details have already leaked detailing most (if not all) of Google’s AI-centric I/O announcements.
According to documents seen by CNBC, AI will be a key feature at this year’s I/O conference. But we may not hear much about Project Magi, Google’s plan to integrate AI with its search engine. Instead the documents detail various upgrades to the Bard AI chatbot and the PaLM 2 large language model that powers the chatbot.
In fact the upgrades could see the integration of multimodal functionality in Bard. That would allow the AI to handle input and output with something other than text — which would be a big step forward.
A lot of pre-I/O attention has focussed on the Pixel 7a and the Pixel Fold, with good reason. But they aren’t the only hardware products we expect to see, since the Pixel Tablet should also make an appearance — and it looks like it’s almost ready to be released.
How do we know? Because Amazon Japan jumped the gun, and posted its listing for the tablet a few days early. The listing also revealed the sort of specs we should expect, with the tablet apparently running on the Tensor G2 chipset, 8GB of RAM, 128GB or 256GB of storage, a 10.95-inch LCD display with 2560 x 1600 resolution, and a 27Wh battery. There are also apparently two 8MP cameras (one on the front and back) complete with f/2.0 aperture.
We don’t know much about pricing in the United States, but the listing had a 80,000 yen price for Japanese customers. That works our at around $590, but variations in international pricing is a little more complicated than that. We’ll no doubt find out more during the I/O keynote later tonight
A safe bet on what’s going to happen at Google I/O is that you will hear the word “Bard” so many times, it will lose all meaning to you by this afternoon.
Google Bard is the search giant’s answer to ChatGPT, and it’s being used for things like answer questions or planning out events, trips and parties. Google seems to be pushing Bard as a natural extension of its search tools, and one of the ways it can do that is by getting more people to use that. If only Google made phones and a mobile operating system that could put Bard in front of more people…
As it turns out, reports have circulated that’s exactly what Google plans on doing — starting with the addition of Bard to Pixel home screens, possibly in the form of a widget. Is that something we could find out about today? It’s going to be a packed Google I/O keynote after all.
Google has never been particularly good at plugging leaks, especially where its phones are concerned. So it should be no huge surprise that some people got hold of the Pixel 7a early, and posted their initial impressions online.
There’s one hands-on video from YouTuber munchy (opens in new tab), which goes into great detail about the Pixel 7a and what it has to offer. The hardware nerds out there may also be interested in a complete teardown of the phone from PBKreviews (opens in new tab), and focusses on the physical hardware you wouldn’t normally see.
There isn’t much in these videos we haven’t already heard in other leaks. But it does seem to corroborate a number of those rumors, including the 90Hz refresh rate and the size of the Pixel 7a’s battery. Though there do appear to be a number of inconsistencies, which suggests Google may still have a few surprises in store for us. But we’ll presumably find out more on that later today.
Probably the most anticipated announcement at Google I/O figures to be the launch of the Pixel Fold — something Google has already told us will happen via a tweet (opens in new tab) last week teasing the phone’s release.
Perhaps the biggest reason for the interest in Google’s foldable phone is that it finally means competition for Samsung, which has had the market for the best foldable phones all to itself up until now. Whatever Google announces today will certainly invite comparisons to the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and the Galaxy Z Fold 5 that’s expected to arrive in a few months time.
You’d think Google would have its work cut out for it, taking on a foldable that’s already up to its fifth generation. Yet, Mark Spoonauer writes that there are some ways the Pixel Fold can beat out the Galaxy Fold — and it all comes down to design and cameras.
It’s tempting to think of Google I/O as the Android show — after all, this is a developer conference and I/O usually provides a platform where Google can tell app makers all about the changes coming to Android phones via the Android update that’s coming later in the year.
At Google I/O 2023, Android is probably taking a backseat to all the hardware news and AI talk that’s going to dominate this year’s event. But there’s still probably an Android 14 preview in our future. In case you missed it, Richard Priday covered the 5 biggest Android 14 features we hope to hear more about at Google I/O.