Google to Highlight Android P, AI, AR/VR at Google I/O 2018
Google is expected to announce its latest developments on mobile app, AI, machine learning, VR/AR, Google Assistant, IoT and other related applications and services during Google I/O 2018 from May 8-10.
The upcoming Android P operating system will be the focus of the event. As viewed from Google's latest software development kit (SDK), the Android P is expected to support display cutout and add more features such as memo and reminder to smartphone display's drop-down menu. In addition, the Android P is likely to support multi-camera API so as to enable more innovative applications from multiple lenses.
Under the company's established "AI first" policy, new developments on machine learning and innovative AI applications will certainly be highlighted at this year's Google I/O, said the sources.
Google has said time and again that's it's an AI-first company now, so it's not a stretch to say Google Assistant will be the star of the show again. Google already announced that it will be investing in start-ups that use the Google Assistant ecosystem so expect some related news during keynote.
Google Home, Google's smart speaker, launched two years ago. So there is much space for Google to improve it, or even launch a lower priced version of it.
Android Wear is not dead yet. Now called Wear OS, the newly branded OS just picked up a few new Assistant features to make it a more powerful wrist companion. The future of its the mobile OS is expected to be outlined today.
In addition, a recent FCC filing suggests that a full-fledged Android TV dongle is on the way.
Android's in-car experience is another area that has lagged in development, but Google is already teasing "a brand new media experience for Android Auto, both on your phone screen and on your car display, making it easier and faster than ever before to surface content to users" in its I/O app. That makes us believe that the Android Auto will probably get some keynote time.
Seperately, Google today announced that 'Google AI' is the new home of Google's research and AI divisions.
The tech titan is combining its Google Research projects and artificial intelligence efforts under one umbrella simply called "Google AI."
As part of the new branding, Google has renamed all its Research channels and blogs into "Google AI," and you can now find info on all its AI work on the new division's website. It has renamed all its social media channels, including its Twitter and Google+ pages, as well.
We will possibly hear more at the Google I/O conference later today.