Hot on the heels of Apple’s iPad event, Google has its own live-streamed event where it will show off a host of new developments. Software will most likely be at the forefront this time, so be prepared to hear the words “artificial intelligence” or, more likely, its abbreviation many, many times.
With just a few hours to go until the Google developer convention begins, combine some key facts about how and where to watch the show, when it starts, what to expect, and a few things we’d like to see announced.
Kick-off is scheduled for 6pm BST here in the UK. Which means if you live on the East Coast of the United States, you want to log in at 1 p. m. m. ET, or if you’re on the West Coast, the start will be at 10 a. m. Google enthusiasts in Australia will have to stay up late or get up very early, as the Google feed will start at 3am. m. AEST.
You can keep track of the start time on the official Google I/O website, with its nifty countdown to the start of the stream.
As it turns out, Google is introducing its live stream on YouTube, which shouldn’t come as a surprise. Now you can join the main stream if you’re excited, where you’ll find a sneak peek at what’s to come. That said, it doesn’t give much away, but the graphics and upbeat melodies are worth getting you in the mood.
As mentioned above, this will most likely be a software-intensive event, and it will likely concentrate on Android. We recently reviewed a handful of wonderful Google-powered phones, such as the Google Pixel 8 Pro, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, and Sony Xperia 1 V, so we’re planning some new features on those devices. Obviously, we’re primarily interested in the new picture and sound features, so we’ll look for those when we can.
Chances are, Google TV will also have its time to shine, with new features as well. Google TV powers brilliant TVs (Sony A80L and A95L, Philips OLED808 and OLED908) and media streamers (Google Chromecast with Google TV), so new software features for those devices would be welcome.
The new hardware isn’t out of place either. Google tends to release a preview of its upcoming Pixel smartphones on those streams, but it launched the Google Pixel 8a (successor to the Pixel 7a) last week with very little fanfare. We don’t expect a full reveal of the Pixel 9 series, as we expect that honor to be reserved for the annual Made By Google event, which regularly takes place in October. However, this may not be completely out of place. the question, as Google announced the Pixel Tablet, Pixel 7a, and Pixel Fold at last year’s I/O event.
It’s been years since we’ve noticed a new Chromecast device, and while the Google Chromecast with Google TV is an excellent (award-winning, no less) media streamer, we’re waiting for an updated model. If Google announces a major update to Google TV, it would be a no-brainer to announce an updated Chromecast to match it.
I’ve voiced my grievances about not having a high-end Chromecast streamer to compete with the Apple TV 4K or Amazon Fire TV Cube before, so Google has the ability to rectify that now. It is debatable whether this request is realistic; You might just book something like this for a Made By Google event, but it might be time for a new Chromecast with the logo.
Elsewhere, we’d like to see news related to Google’s competitors, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. He evolved the Caviar project in collaboration with Samsung, focusing on bringing dynamic HDR and surround sound to YouTube videos. This project was born out of a preference to avoid Dolby licensing fees while also providing the newest AV concentrated features. We haven’t noticed much about this task, we had an idea of what might be in the works last November.
Immersive Audio Model and Formats (IAMF) is considered the first generation of open-source 3D audio and may also take over Dolby Atmos in the near future. While it hasn’t been rolled out to existing devices yet, now is possibly the time to dig deeper into this intriguing AV feature.
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What is Google TV?: Apps, features, compatible TVs, and everything you want to know
And Android phones
Lewis Empson participates in What Hi-Fi?. He was previously the digital and games editor of Cardiff University’s Quench magazine. Lewis graduated in 2021 and has since worked at a variety of lifestyle magazines and networked newspapers. Outside of work, enjoy games, concerts, and regular outings to the movies.
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