Google IO 2023 is getting close, with the search giant’s big developer conference due to kick off on May 10 – and it’s shaping up to be a particularly big year for new tech announcements.
So what are we expecting to see and hear about? Android 14 is the most obvious likely star, but it could well be upstaged by flurry of other news – including new Pixel devices like the Google Pixel Fold and some updates to Google’s ChatGPT rival, Google Bard.
Even if some of Google’s announcements end up being vaporware (remember the AR Translation Glasses from last year?), it’ll be well worth tuning in. The Google IO 2023 keynote will take place on May 10 at 10am PT / 6pm BST, which works out as 3am AEST on May 11 for those in Australia.
This year, the keynote will take place in front of a limited live audience, but there’ll also be the usual live stream for those who can’t make it over to California. Naturally, we’ll be following all of the announcements here on TechRadar, so you can watch along with us.
We’ve rounded up all the key info about Google’s equivalent of Apple WWDC 2023 (which takes place on June 5) in this handy round-up. Given the rise of AI chatbots like Microsoft’s new ChatGPT-powered Bing, the rumors are understandably predicting Google to bake artificial intelligence even further into most of its services this year.
But with Android 14 also likely to play a prominent role, Google IO 2023 is shaping up to be a must-watch for tech fans of all stripes.
Cut to the chase
- What is it? Google’s annual developer conference
- When is it? May 10, 2023 (10am PT / 6pm BST, or 3am AEST on May 11)
- How can I register and how much does it cost? You can register on the Google event page (opens in new tab) and it’s free – all you need is a Google account.
What are the Google IO 2023 dates?
Google has announced that its developer conference and keynote will take place on Wednesday May 10. Unlike last year, it’s scheduled to be a single-day event.
The keynote will kick off at 10am PT / 6pm BST (or 3am AEST on May 11, for those in Australia) and this is when we’re expecting to hear all of Google’s announcements, from Android 14 to the Google Pixel Fold and more.
How to watch Google IO 2023
You’ll be able to watch the Google IO 2023 keynote in a few places. Firstly, there’s YouTube (below), where Google has now posted the placeholder for its livestream of the developer conference’s keynote.
If you’re worried about missing it, you can hit the ‘Notify me’ button on the video below and you’ll get an email nudge just before it’s about to start. It’s likely that Google will also host the livestream on its official IO 2023 page (opens in new tab).
We will also be liveblogging from the event at Mountain View, California, so you’ll be able to watch the stream alongside our initial reactions in our Google IO 2023 liveblog, which we’ll link to here when it’s up and running.
How to register for Google IO 2023
While it isn’t possible to apply for an in-person ticket to Google IO 2023, you can register online to get access all the virtual sessions, keynotes and news. To register, just head to the Google IO event page (opens in new tab) and sign in with your standard Google account.
You don’t have to register to see all of keynotes and sessions, but it does bring the benefit of getting all the latest developer news via what Google calls “non-spammy email”. You’ll also get a developer profile that lets you save and watch back any relevant videos later, which you won’t be able to do without registering.
With the Google IO 2023 sessions expected to cover everything from Android to AI and machine learning, it’s well worth signing up if you have developer aspirations (or are just interested in the nuts and bolts of Google apps).
What to expect at Google IO 2023
The Google IO 2023 leaks have been mounting up in recent weeks, so based on those and previous editions of the conference, we’ve got a good idea of the kinds of announcements we’re likely to see.
So here, in rough order of likelihood, are the main things we’re expecting to see at Google IO 2023 – and if we get another ‘one more thing’ bonus extra like Google’s AR live-translation glasses, all the better.
1. Likely: Google Bard and AI announcements
Given the explosive rise of AI chatbots and the best AI art generators, it’s pretty likely that Google IO 2023 will have a strong focus on Google Bard – and in particular, the chatbot’s integration into Google’s apps.
Bard was launched to the public in March, but even Google admits that the current version is more like a “souped-up Civic”, compared to its more powerful models like ChatGPT.
A more powerful version is definitely en route, alongside several new AI tools for the likes of Gmail, Google Docs and Sheets. We can expect to hear more about those and some expected dates for their rollout at Google’s developer conference.
That could be just the start, too. Google’s IO conference has traditionally seen previews of artificial intelligence and machine learning that look ahead to the future. For example, at Google IO 2018 we got a glimpse of Google Duplex, a virtual agent that could make phone calls for you, while Google IO 2022 saw AI subtly woven into products like Google Docs.
Expect to see more of this at Google IO 2023, but with a much stronger AI theme than last year’s developer conference. For example, according to a New York Times report (opens in new tab), we could see features like ‘Shopping Try-on’ (a YouTube feature that helps you try on virtual clothes at home) and a Dall-E rival that helps you create and edit images.
2. Likely: A good look at Android 14
The Android 14 beta has just been released, ahead of its full release in August. So we’re expecting to see Google spend a lot of time outlining the software’s new tricks at Google IO 2023.
Some expected new features include support for satellite communications and an ability to handle passkeys, which could finally replace passwords and are considered both safer and easier to use.
Naturally, we’re also expecting Android 14 to bring some quality-of-life upgrades including improved efficiency, battery life enhancements and some improved accessibility features.
There will also likely be some boost to the operating system’s security, but naturally some phones will miss out on the Android 14 update – including the Google Pixel 4a.
3. Likely: The arrival of the Google Pixel 7a
Google hasn’t been consistent with the launches of its mid-range A-model Pixels, but it’s now almost certain that we’ll see the Google Pixel 7a at Google IO – and it might even be the last model we ever see in the range.
There have now been leaks aplenty for the Pixel 7a, including a huge range of images and even some hands-on videos. These show a phone that looks a lot like the standard Pixel 7, including a 90Hz screen, 8GB RAM and 128GB storage.
(Image credit: @OnLeaks / SmartPrix)
Other leaked specs include 6.1-inch OLED screen, the same Tensor G2 chipset as the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, 64MP main camera, and a 12MP ultra-wide one.
In other words, the Pixel 7a is shaping up to be an affordable powerhouse and one of the best Android phones you can buy for the money, despite the expected lack of a headphone jack.
4. Likely: New tricks for Google Maps, Google Lens and more
A staple of Google IO conferences is fancy new tricks for services like Google Maps, Google Translate, and Google Lens that then disappear for several months before eventually launching.
For example, at Google IO 2022 we saw Google Maps’ Immersive View for the first time, which looked super-handy for everything from vibe-checking neighborhoods to becoming our favorite new photography sidekick.
But the feature didn’t actually launch in five cities (that’s London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Tokyo) until February at Google’s ‘Live from Paris’ event. So whatever you see announced at Google IO 2023, expect to wait a little while to see them on your phone or laptop.
Still, with AI expected to be a big theme of the conference, there could be some seriously impressive updates coming to Google Translate, Google Maps, Google Docs, Google Lens, and more.
5. Likely: A Google Pixel Tablet launch date
The Google Pixel Tablet was revealed to the world back at Google IO 2022, but incredibly it still hasn’t actually landed in stores. That will likely change at Google IO 2023.
Despite fears that the Pixel Tablet might be heading straight to the infamous Google Graveyard, the company has confirmed that it’s aiming to launch the Pixel Tablet sometime in 2023. The question now is when.
We originally thought a launch at Google’s traditional Pixel event in October was more likely, but it now seems likely that the company will release its new tablet at Google IO 2023.
The Pixel Tablet is expected to run Android 12L, which is designed for larger screen devices, and will also have Google’s latest Tensor G2 chipset. That makes it a contender for a spot in our guide to the best Android tablets, so hopefully we’ll finally hear about that release date at Google’s developer conference.
6. Likely: A debut for the Google Pixel Fold
Another one to file in the ‘likely’ category for Google IO 2023 is a long-awaited announcement for the Google Pixel Fold.
We’ve been expecting Google’s take on the foldable phone to arrive since late 2022. But now the latest rumors are pointing to a launch in May, which would tie in nicely with Google’s developer conference.
Those rumors have unfortunately quelled our excitement for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 rival, with the leaked images suggesting it could effectively be a chunkier Pixel phone with surprisingly large bezels above and below the display.
With its price tag expected to be in the region of $1,799 (around £1,520 / AU$2,660), it’s shaping up to be a pretty niche phone. But our interest has been piqued again by the suggestion that the Pixel Fold could, like the Google Pixel 7 Pro, have three cameras. If so, that could potentially make it the best foldable cameraphone around.
This could be the potential sleeper hit of Google IO 2023. Rumors have been growing steadily that the search giant is working on some Google AirTags, or at least its own take on Apple’s famous Bluetooth trackers.
But that’s not all – we could also soon see Google introduce an Android equivalent of Apple’s ‘Find My’ network, to help you track down lost items even when they’re out of charge or on the other side of the planet.
In theory, this network – rumored to be called the ‘Finder Network’ – could anonymously piggyback on the billions of Android devices in the world to create the most powerful system for tracking down mislaid items so far.
The recent joint announcement from Google and Apple that they’ll be working together to create an “industry specification” to help us detect unwanted Bluetooth trackers suggests that Google could reveal its take on the AirTags at Google IO 2023. And that’s something we’re pretty excited about.
8. Possible: A makeover for Wear OS
Last year was a big one for Google-powered smartwatches – at Google IO 2022, we saw the Google Pixel Watch finally announced with Wear OS 3.
Since then, the Apple Watch-rivaling platform has been growing steadily, thanks to the arrival of Wear OS 3.5 and some of the best Wear OS watches we’ve seen so far, including the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro.
What will we see at Google IO 2023? So far, there haven’t been any major rumors, but some new Wear OS design guidelines suggest that Google is really pushing the consistency and polish of the software experience, and new Wear OS players like Xiaomi have been strongly rumored.
It may be too soon for a preview of Watch OS 4 at Google IO 2023, but we’re expecting to hear some announcements that give the smartwatch platform’s growing momentum another strong nudge.
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