What to expect from Google I/O 2022

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

The opening presentation of the annual developer conference is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, May 11th at 1PM. The keynote is relevant for a much broader audience, with hardware and software announcements for products due for release in the next 12 months.

Hardware announcements could be seen during the keynote. There are still rumors about the search giant's first Wearable, the Pixel Watch, as well as a successor to last year's Pixel 6 smartphones. A new pair of true wireless earbuds could be announced. Maybe some surprises as well.

Upcoming software announcements are likely to focus on the next major version of the operating system. New features for other platforms could be announced by the presenters. Enhancements are likely to be received by the company's ever-increasing range of services.

Here is a full rundown of what we are expecting.

Photo: tagtech414 (Reddit)

Google might finally announce its Pixel Watch

It has been rumored for a long time that the company will make its own wristwatch in the year 2022. There have been design leaks, and a US Patent and Trademark Office filing revealing the name of the watch. A prototype of the wristwatch found abandoned in a restaurant led to a flood of photos being posted online.

We are starting to get a good idea of what the Pixel Watch will look like. The big question is whether all of the investments made by the company can create a challenge to Apple's dominance.

Image: Steve Hemmerstoffer / 91Mobiles

A new midrange Pixel 6A

For the past three years, the company has followed up each of its flagship phones with a cheaper version. Rumors suggest that the Pixel 6A might be a little different from previous A-series phones.

Reports suggest that the Pixel 6A could flip this approach, as it swaps the camera features of the flagships with those of the less powerful ones. A report from 9to5Google last year suggested that the new phone could have the same Tensor processor as the Pixel 6 but a smaller main camera sensor.

An announcement at the I/O would be a little earlier than the August launches we've seen before. The timing of a recent FCC filing suggests it could be around the corner.

Maybe some pro wireless earbuds

Jon Prosser leaked a picture of a new set of earbuds called the Pixel Buds Pro. The use of the word "pro" in the name of a set of earbuds is used to show they support active noise-cancellation, which would be a first.

The second-generation of the Pixel Buds were originally announced as a more affordable version of the A-Series earbuds, but they are currently only available in one pair. The affordable entry in the lineup is the only one that is still selling the Pixel Buds. Adding a Pro- branded entry would be a natural shift.

Image: Google

A host of details about Android 13

The next major version of the mobile operating system is called Android 13. It has been released in a limited way, but it won't be until we get a full look at the update that we'll get a full glimpse.

It seems that the work that was done with the previous iteration of the operating system will continue with the new one. Last year's Material You themes are likely to expand to cover moreUI elements in the operating system, and Google is continuing to restrict what aspects of the operating system can be accessed by default. During the keynote, any news on major new initiatives will likely emerge.

And maybe, just maybe, some foldable news

There are more than one major update coming to the mobile OS this year. There is also a new version of the OS for foldable and tablets. We know that it will be released at some point this year and will ship on devices from a number of manufacturers. I/O would be a good time for the search giant to give more information.

It has been said that the company is working on one or two foldable devices. It doesn't feel like an announcement is imminent because of the lack of leaks recently, but there were rumors that these were going to launch last year. Despite being in its third generation of foldable devices, foldable phones are still very niche products outside of China.

Signs of a new Nest Hub?

It seems premature to expect a follow-up to the last Nest Hub smart display, which was released a year ago. According to a report from March, we could see a device this year with a screen that can be used as a tablet. The form factor makes it sound like it would be a good smart home controller.

There is no guarantee that the new device will be shown off this week, even if it does exist.

Image: Evan Blass / 91Mobiles

Plus updates for its other platforms

The operating system that is managed by Google is not the only one. It also has Wear OS for watches, which will get a lot of attention if it is announced that there is aPixel Watch this week. Even if it doesn't happen, the presentation comes a year after the announcement of the merging of the platforms. The resulting software appeared on the watch. It's likely that there will be more to add to how development is going.

You guessed it, the software is designed for TVs. One of its product managers said in January that they have some new features coming this year. Support for home fitness workouts is something the company is interested in, along with more smart home controls and video conferencing services.

Expect a plethora of Google software and service updates

The keynote wouldn't be complete without the search giant announcing updates for a few of its apps and services. Last year, for example, we saw a locked folder feature for Google Photos, updates to Google Maps, and a new initiative for its office productivity software.

It's difficult to make predictions about which of the software offerings will get the most attention this year. I think that the smart canvas is just the beginning of what will be a lot of new features for the company.

With some surprises thrown in for good measure

Project Starline was a video chat booth that was designed to create the impression that you were sitting opposite someone who might be hundreds. We have heard about other augmented reality and virtual reality projects, but they are not a real product yet. This year is not likely to be an exception, as Google often shows off these kinds of early R&D projects.