Table of Contents:
- Introduction
- Google Product Updates
- New Pixel 6A Release
- New Version of Google Pixel Watch
- Google Pixel 7 and 7 Pro Unleashed
- Google Announced Pixel Buds Pro
- The Next Google Glasses
- Google’s Premium Pixel Tablet
- Improvements to Google Software & Services
- All New Android 13
- The Latest Wear OS 3
- New Chrome OS: Better Together
- New Design for Android Auto
- Language Additions to Google Translate
- Taking Google Maps to the Next Level
- Changes to Google Wallet
- Smarter Google Assistant
- Virtual Credit Cards in Chrome
- Better Understanding of Google Skin Tone
- Other Notable Announcements
- Conclusion
Introduction
Google (Input/Output) I/O is an annual developer conference held by Google that includes all the events and announcements of latest technology to improve products, services, software and applications developed on Google platforms including Android, Chrome etc.
The key components of Google’s success are the company’s ability to launch new products, services etc. and make technology improvements to enhance user experience.
In Google I/O highlights 2022, Google announced many improvements and technology updates to its products, applications etc. including:
- Google Pixel 6A
- Google Pixel 7 and 7 Pro
- Google Pixel Watch
- Google Assistant
- Google Maps
- Google Wallet
- Google Translate and many more…
Interesting Statistics from Google I/O highlights 2022:
- There are over 2.5 billion active Android devices worldwide
- Users have traveled more than 86 billion miles using green routes on Google Maps
- In the Google Messages app, 500+ million monthly users use the RCS protocol (it allows subscribers to communicate via a universal messaging service)
- There are about 270 million Android tablet users
Google Product Updates
Google runs focuses on artificial intelligence, consumer electronics, search engine, e-commerce, online advertisement, marketing, computer software, cloud computing, and quantum computing. It has developed many products. Following are some of the important Google product highlights:
New Pixel 6A Release
At the Google I/O highlights 2022, Pixel 6a was announced that retains some features of Pixel 6 while slashing some of the specs to bring the price down to $449 from $599. Pixel 6a has a smaller screen (6.1′′ vs. 6.4′′), less RAM, and lower-resolution cameras, but it still has Google’s Tensor processor, the Titan M2 security chip, and 5G support.
New Version of Google Pixel Watch
Google’s Pixel Watch was announced at the Google I/O highlights 2022 with its own Pixel Watch App to pair it with their smartphone. It will feature rounded design with what looks like a digital crown on the right side and some buttons as well, similar to the Apple Watch.
The watch will have a premium price and the latest version of the Wear OS. The frame of the SmartWatch is made from recycled stainless steel and the watch face is straight-up black and white.
Benefits of the SmartWatch:
How does a smartwatch work? The pixel watch will show:
- The weather and sleep tracking
- Insights into your health with continuous heart rate
- Working out time, maps, wallet, and much more…
Customers will also have the privilege of using features like ‘find my device’ and ‘smart home control’. Alongside they will easy access to all these benefits without taking out their smartphones.
Google Pixel 7 and 7 Pro Unleashed
When is pixel 7 coming out? Announced at the Google I/O highlights 2022, the Pixel 7’s back is constructed of matte soft-touch glass which is contrasted with a polished metal bar that runs across the device’s top. On the other hand, the Pixel 7 Pro will include a triple camera system which will set an entirely new bar for photography, performance, and design.
Which google pixel is the best? Both Pixel 7 and 7 Pro are meant to give the most beneficial personal experience with Android 13. These will have the latest version of Google Tensor SoC, which will enable more AI-powered breakthroughs, and a tailored experience in voice, photography, video, and security.
Google Announced Pixel Buds Pro
Pixel Buds Pro can connect to many devices and swap between Android, iOS, and PCs using buds pro pairing mode. The Pixel Buds Pro are IPX2 sweat-resistant has the noise cancellation feature. These earbuds use beam-forming mics, mesh wind blockers, and bone conduction to improve sound on calls.
The headphones also have built-in pressure monitors to help relieve uncomfortable fits with the silicone tips. It can get up to seven hours of battery life with ANC on and 11 hours with it off.
The Next Google Glasses
Google Glasses enterprise edition 2 will come with AR (Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality) capabilities. The glasses will have USB-C charging and an improved camera and processor. It will also have transcriptions or translations with the speaker’s words rendered.
Google’s Premium Pixel Tablet
As per Google I/O highlights 2022, the company announced that Google’s new ‘Pixel tablet’ that will be available in 2023.
Google’s custom Tensor processors, which debuted with the Pixel 6 last year are used in the upgraded tablet. At the very least, using the same chip means the phones and tablets should work well together as Google gradually develops a hardware ecosystem that includes Pixel Buds and the upcoming Pixel Watch.
Improvements to Google Software & Services
Based on inputs, internal testing, and assessment procedures, Google has improved and developed new services and software as per Google I/O highlights 2022. Following are some of the popular services and software introduced and improved by Google:
All New Android 13
It is important to note that Google’s development cycle requires a new Android version every year. Android 13 has fixed some minor bugs including the AOD tint, a major change to the Pixel Launcher’s search bar and per-app language settings are also getting some tweaks.
Some final changes to Material You are coming through, with Google fixing a major bug that kept this year’s new color groups from functioning properly. Google’s also introducing some changes to how it handles media file permissions, along with a warning that will prevent users from handing over more data to older apps.
What are the Android 13 features?
The most-awaited features of Android 13, codename – Tiramisu announced at the Google I/O highlights 2022 are below:
Tap-to-transfer: a similar method for sharing and playing media like Android Beam is returning with Android 13, codenamed “Media TTT” (tap to transfer).
More Material You color schemes, third-party icons and cinematic wallpapers: Android 13 provides a selection of new palettes for extracting colors from the wallpaper. With Android 13, Google will bring dynamic icon themes to all apps like Sync for Reddit & Inware.
Improved launcher search for Pixel phones: you can reactivate the on-device search method and can override the regular Google Search bar that lives at the bottom of Pixel phones’ home screens.
Opt-in notifications: Just like iOS, Android 13 has a new permission feature asking you to allow notifications for newly installed apps.
QR Code scanner: Android 13 will get a QR code scanning quick settings tile, including a lockscreen functionality.
‘Panlingual’ per-app language settings for apps: Android 13 introduces an option that allows you to set your preferred language on a per-app basis.
Battery measures: Android 13 also warns you about rogue apps taking advantage of excessive battery drain in the background.
UBW support: Ultra-wideband or UWB is a technology enabling new applications. It can turn your phone into a car key, helps you find lost gadgets that also support UWB, and augments features initially made possible by NFC and Bluetooth.
Support for Bluetooth Low-Energy Audio: the improvements include lower energy consumption at the same audio quality, multi-stream support to send signals to both of your earbuds at the same time (or to multiple headphones/speakers at once), and full support for the features introduced in Google’s hearing aid protocol.
Home button Assistant toggle: there will be an option to disable the gesture that lets you long-press the home button for Assistant in Android 13.
Output picker and media player changes: Android 13 has an all-new look for this feature, with a total redesign for both selecting destinations for your audio and the media player itself.
Spatial Audio for the Pixel 6: Android 13 Beta 1 has a spatialized effect in tow, which could manifest as Google’s version of the iPhone’s spatial audio feature.
Gaming: the AOSP code, a new API will allow games to temporarily boost the CPU speed while they’re loading, making it possible to launch titles more quickly than before.
Photo picker: Rather than displaying all of your documents in a single layout, Google will separate your photos into their own menu.
Clipboard improvements: Android has long been improving clipboard management, and the latest release takes things up another notch. When you copy text in Android 13 Beta 1, you will see a small floating panel that allows you to view and change the contents of your clipboard.
Smart home controls: Smart home controls: it brings back the option to control your smart home devices without unlocking your screen first.
Screen recording: Android’s touch indicators when recording have returned after they went missing in 12L.
The Latest Wear OS 3
Last year, Google and Samsung collaborated to release Wear OS 3, a new unified platform that brings the best of Google and Samsung together. While Wear OS 3 is currently only available on the Galaxy Watch 4 series, more Wear OS 3-enabled watches are on the way, with the Pixel Watch being the most notable at the Google IO highlights 2022.
- Wear OS 3 and Google’s collaboration with Samsung, according to Google, have resulted in up to three times more active Wear OS smartwatches on the market.
- Emergency SOC will be added to Wear OS, allowing users to contact a friend, family member, or emergency services right from their wrist.
- Google has announced that next-generation Wear OS smartwatches are on the way.
- SoundCloud and Deezer are among the Wear OS apps coming to the Play Store later this year
- The Galaxy Watch 4 series will finally get Google Assistant this year.
New Chrome OS: Better Together
As part of its new Better Together initiative, Google has announced a slew of useful features for Chrome OS at the Google I/O highlights 2022:
- Fast Pair support for Chrome OS is now available, allowing users to pair compatible wireless accessories like Google Buds with their Chromebook with a single tap.
- Camera Roll is another useful feature coming to Chrome OS later this year. In the Phone Hub section, you’ll be able to quickly access your recent photos from your phone. You can then drag and drop these images across apps and the web with ease.
- Mirroring messaging apps from your Android phone to your Chromebook is also coming to the Phone Hub
- Google is also developing a new app discovery interface to make it easier to find “the best Chromebook apps.”
New Design for Android Auto
For quite some time now, Google has been working on a brand new design for Android Auto. Google confirmed that its smart driving app will get a new split UI as per Google I/O highlights 2022. The new design will make navigation, media, and your communication apps more accessible.
It will also make contextual suggestions for how to respond to messages and phone calls with the least amount of distraction.
Language Additions to Google Translate
Google Translate has been assisting in decreasing the communication hindrance by translating different languages globally. To make it comfortable and feasible for each and everyone in the world, Google has added more languages to the list in Google translate. Now you can use Google Translate, which is supported by 133 languages.
Following are the names of the updated languages to Google Translate as per the Google I/O highlights 2022:
The 24 languages added by Google aren’t supported by most technologies. Assamese, Aymara, Bambara, Bhojpuri, Dhivehi, Dogri, Ewe, Guarani, Ilocano, Konkani, Krio, Kurdish (Sorani), Lingala, Luganda, Maithili, Meiteilon (Manipuri), Mizo, Oromo, Quechua, Sanskrit, Sepedi, Tigrinya, Tsonga, Twi. You can also use Google Translate Live.
Taking Google Maps to the Next Level
With a preview of a more immersive viewing experience, Google introduced its next-generation Google Maps at the Google I/O highlights 2022. The enhancement uses a combination of computer vision and artificial intelligence technology to combine street view and aerial imagery. It will create a digital model of the world and a new way to explore cities, key landmarks, restaurants, venues, and other points of interest.
Updated features of Google Maps:
An immersive view
- Starting in select big cities, the Google Maps update has a new 3D exploration option. It allows you to navigate around a 3D representation of that particular city. The 3D model will develop as their data collection grows to include the interiors of popular landmarks etc.
Routing expansion
- Eco-friendly routing expansion is coming to Google Maps. This lets you choose a route to optimize for vehicle efficiency. Therefore, will show the efficient route rather than just the fastest. This year, it’ll expand its feature to Europe.
Live View for third parties
- Google helped in figuring out which direction to travel when you’ve just begun a new route. Google says it will make this technology available to third parties, citing instances such as assisting people in finding their seats or assisting commuters in finding a parking spot for their rental e-bikes.
Changes to Google Wallet
Google Pay, an Android app for storing digital credit cards for contactless payments, has been available for quite some time. Google Pay is also improving card ownership verification by introducing one-time-passcodes and in-line tokenization to protect users from fraud.
At Google I/O highlights 2022, Google announced a new version of Google Wallet, which will come first to Wear OS devices. Google Wallet is a new app that will allow users to store important information like credit cards, loyalty cards, digital IDs, transit passes, concert tickets, vaccination cards, and more using Google Wallet manager.
Smarter Google Assistant
Google announced new features to its voice-activated assistant. Following are the main updates from Google I/O highlights 2022:
Natural communication
- Google Assistant enables device to recognize when you’ve misspoken a command or need a moment to think about what you’re saying
Look and Talk
- Is Google Assistant making conversations easier and more efficient?. Instead of saying “Hey Google” before asking a question on Google Assistant devices. People can use assistance devices with cameras that will simply glance at the device, and figure out what you’re asking. The assistance will be based on proximity, head direction, and gaze direction.
Quick Phrases
- Nest Hub Max in the Google assistant will let you use commands used by you often. For example, “Turn off the lights in the room” or “What time is it?” Further Google assistance will work accordingly.
Virtual Credit Cards in Chrome
Google Chrome can now generate a virtual credit card number in order to protect your real credit card number. If the virtual number is ever stolen, you can simply revoke it and generate a new one without having to get a new card.
Google is collaborating with card issuers such as Capital One as well as major networks such as Visa, Mastercard, and American Express.
Better Understanding of Google Skin Tones
Google is working on improving its understanding of skin tone within search results, in addition to its work on Real Tone for more accurately capturing all skin tones in photos. If you’re looking for bridal makeup looks for example, you’ll have the option to find results that work best for a specific skin tone.
- YouTube has added auto-generated chapters in new videos, as well as auto-translated captions for mobile devices in 16 languages
- Machine learning will be used to add automated summaries to Google Docs, and the feature will be added to Chats later
- Better video imaging will be added to Google Meets with machine learning AI.
- Multisearch Near Me will be added to Google Search, allowing users to search for items in both photos and phrases and see where they are in relation to the person searching.
- Users will be able to take multiple photos of a location and then identify the objects in those photos, such as finding specific products at the grocery store, using Scene Exploration.
- Custom ad viewing will be added to Google’s My Settings feature for Search, YouTube, and Ads.
- More options for removing personal information from Search requests, such as email addresses, home addresses, and phone numbers, are being added.
- Android 13 Beta 2 for Android TV is now out with the expanded picture-in-picture mode.
- In the near future, the Google TV app will add a feature that will allow users to cast TV shows and movies directly from their Android device to a supported smart TV.
- Google is working on a new version of its conversational AI model, LaMDA 2, and users will be able to try out its new capabilities using an app called AI Test Kitchen.
Conclusion
Google I/O 2022 is over and there a lot of interesting stuff to talk about. During the Google I/O highlights, CEO Sundar Pichai treated us to updates about the next version of its operating system, Android 13, Wear OS 3, Chrome OS and much more.
While Google I/O has traditionally been a software-centric event, this year’s story was a little different. This time, it was the new Pixel hardware that stole the show. Google not only unveiled the Pixel 6a and Pixel Watch, but also gave us a sneak peek at the upcoming Pixel 7 series and the Pixel Tablet, making their ecosystem stronger.
Deepak Wadhwani has over 20 years experience in software/wireless technologies. He has worked with Fortune 500 companies including Intuit, ESRI, Qualcomm, Sprint, Verizon, Vodafone, Nortel, Microsoft and Oracle in over 60 countries. Deepak has worked on Internet marketing projects in San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange Country, Denver, Nashville, Kansas City, New York, San Francisco and Huntsville. Deepak has been a founder of technology Startups for one of the first Cityguides, yellow pages online and web based enterprise solutions. He is an internet marketing and technology expert & co-founder for a San Diego Internet marketing company.
