Google I/O 2023 was a two-hour-long showcase of the company's upcoming products and services, and there's a lot to focus on. Some of Google's announcements were expected — like the Google Pixel Fold and the Pixel 7a — but others came as a surprise. Artificial intelligence dominated the first half of the event, while new Pixel hardware caught eyes in the finale. Overall, Google sought to show its developers and customers that it can pair artificial intelligence technology with its existing products and services to offer an unrivaled user experience.
Google announced a slew of new releases with varying release dates, so it can be hard to keep track of them all. That's why we've covered all the biggest things Google announced at its annual developer conference and rounded them up right here.
Google debuts the Pixel Fold
Leaks and rumors suggested that Google was developing a foldable smartphone of its own for some time. By the time Google I/O 2023 arrived today, we knew just about everything there was to know about the Pixel Fold. In fact, Google itself teased the smartphone last week and accidentally showed off the foldable in an advertisement just hours before the debut event. It'll retail for a steep $1,800, but Google Store deals add a Pixel Watch free of charge.
Still, the Pixel Fold was quite a sight when it was first shown off in hands-on demos during I/O 2023. Though other companies have been making foldables for a while, the Pixel Fold takes a unique approach. It tries to retain the form factor of a traditional smartphone, with a 5.8-inch cover screen and a 7.6-inch main screen. Both displays are about the same resolution and are 120 Hz OLED panels. Internally, the Pixel Fold has the Tensor G2 system-on-a-chip with a Titan M2 co-processor, 12 GB of memory, and a 4,821 mAh battery.
Pixel 7a outshines the Pixel 7
If you mistake the just-announced Google Pixel 7a for the Pixel 7 it announced late last year, you're not alone. The Pixel 7a is almost identical to the Pixel 7 and comes in at $100 cheaper. There are only three main differences between the two devices: the display, materials, and camera. The Pixel 7a has a smaller 6.1-inch display, a plastic back, and a smaller camera sensor than the Pixel 7. But at just $499, it's likely to be a top option for people looking for a mid to high-end Android smartphone.
A year later, Pixel Tablet is finally here
It's not often that a company showcases a product a year before it's due to launch, but that's exactly what Google did with the Pixel Tablet. The tablet was revealed at Google I/O 2022, and the company said it was coming soon. The Pixel Tablet was officially released today, and Google is accepting pre-orders for $499, with an expected ship date of June 20. It comes in Hazel, Porcelain, and Rose colors and comes with a color-matched charging speaker dock, which is its calling card.
The Pixel Tablet will compete with the best Android tablets on the market, like the OnePlus Pad. But its functionality might be more appealing as a smart home controller. With built-in Google Home features, the Pixel Tablet and its accompanying dock might end up being like a portable Amazon Alexa for the Google ecosystem.
Artificial Intelligence steals the show at I/O
As artificial intelligence gained prevalence in 2023 — and the missteps of Google's rushed-out implementations of it, like Bard — Google aimed to prove it was still one of the best in the business. It's no secret that Google is a top service provider with tools like Google Search and Google Workspace. At I/O 2023, the company showcased how each of these services can be improved with the help of AI.
PaLM 2 in Bard: A second try for Google
Google Bard, a conversational chatbot, was released quickly in response to pressure from Open AI, whose ChatGPT was gaining popularity. Bard was powered by LaMDA when first released, which stands for Language Model for Dialogue Applications, now, will be powered by the new PaLM 2 language model that will replace LaMDA, as Google announced.
PaLM 2 aims to fix some of Bard's shortcomings and provide a path forward. Based on early demos, PaLM 2 appears to be a more powerful language model than its predecessor. More interestingly, it can specialize in certain fields, like cybersecurity or medicine. In total, Google announced over 25 products at I/O 2023 with PaLM 2.
Google Bard goes live in over 180 countries
Google also said that it's dropping the waitlist for Bard, making it available in over 180 countries. That comes with a few other feature additions, like more supported languages and a new Dark Mode. It's also better at coding and can cite the chunks of code it creates as well as export the generated code to Replit.
AI enters the Google Workspace
Artificial intelligence also took over Google Workspace, bringing improvements to Gmail, Google Docs, and Google Sheets. Generative AI can now help you create content or structure documents with just a few prompts. For example, Google showcased how it could write a detailed email and create a spreadsheet when prompted. To test out these features, you can join the waitlist for Google Labs.
Search Labs might be the future of search
In an experimental version of Google's search engine, the company showed a generative AI panel located above the usual results page. This can give you information at a glance in plain language, simplifying the search experience. But beyond a traditional language model, Google Search Labs can show the sources by which it got the information shown. This allows users to fact-check or do further research on the topic. It will be rolling out in the coming weeks, and you can join the waitlist today.
Other notable announcements from Google I/O 2023
- Google's Immersive View for routes will let you experience a travel plan on Google Maps before you embark on your journey starting this summer. It's like a custom Google Immersive View rendition of your suggested route.
- Magic Editor is an advanced photo editing tool that can remove or change objects that can't be removed by Magic Eraser. It uses machine learning and might save a few trips to Adobe Photoshop.
- Google is redesigning the Google Home app across its devices and is adding a home panel to Google Pixel devices. The new app splits functionality into five tabs, and it'll roll out with a worldwide update starting tomorrow.
- Android will offer emoji and cinematic wallpapers starting next month, allowing you to create different custom wallpapers straight from your phone.
- Google announced it is working on Universal Translator, a tool that aims to translate videos between languages while keeping the tone and attitude consistent.
- The company gave an update on privacy and security improvements, specifically where AI is concerned.
- Google's Find My Device can now track devices that are offline and provide unknown tracker alerts, which will work on both Apple and Android devices.
- You might start seeing AI-generated Play Store listings, as Google is building generative AI tools on the developer side of the Play Store.
- Google's Project Starline, a lofty project that aims to change how people communicate with a high level of realism, has been streamlined. It's still a way out from a full release, though.