Google does not host a lot of events. But when it does, it packs some pretty big announcements. Google I/O is the search giant’s annual event where the company showcases and announces the next big things that are to come until the subsequent I/O.
Today will be no different. In about 4 hours, Google I/O 2015 will be unveiled. Thanks to the schedule posted by Google on its own website, we have a pretty good idea of what Google is preparing to announce at this year’s I/O.
Out of those known topics that Google is expected to discuss today, here are a few that I’m eagerly looking forward to.
Android M
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t interested in Android M — the next iteration of the world’s most popular mobile operating system. But frankly speaking, I think Google is going too fast. I mean, look at Android Lollipop. How many of today’s Android users have actually got the update on their phone or tablet? Only a very small percentage. And Google is already planning to unveil details with Android M. This fast pace may be good for some reason, but for those with older models, it’s not nearly as exciting.
The answers are only a few hours away.
Having said that, I’ll keep an eye on what Google has to offer with Android M. When Android L was announced, I had this eagerness to know what L stands for. Oddly enough, I don’t feel the same with Android M. I guess, I couldn’t care less about what it’s called. We’re way past the world of fancy names and gimmicks. Google needs to deliver something solid in order to really impress the world with Android M. Otherwise, it should brace itself for fierce criticism.
Google Photos
One of the key points of Google+ — the social media that failed to gain traction — was its Photos service. I know a lot of people haven’t really used Google+ yet don’t mind jumping into conclusions about how bad it was. In my eye, Google+ is a less-buggy, beautiful social media that just wasn’t lucky enough to take on the likes of Facebook. And if I were to mention one thing that I like most about Google+, it would be the Photos.
Google decided that it made a good enough product — Photos — and it should not be limited within the boundaries of Google+. That’s a good decision, because Google+ was stopping many people from even trying out the wonders of Photos.
Now that Google is releasing Google Photos as a standalone product, I’m eagerly looking forward to what Google plans to offer and how it will integrate with other products. Will it be just a private photo sharing service with the option to share with friends? Or will it try to take on Flickr and 500px this time? The answer is only four hours away.
Google Cast
Google’s Chromecast was one of the fewest Google hardware that were hugely praised. Google recognized the success and started working on adding more features to it, starting a Google Cast product that allows streaming audio. It isn’t confirmed whether Google will talk about Google Cast, or maybe even a next generation of Chromecast dongle, but if it does, I’ll mute the music.
Chrome
And then there is Chrome.
Lately, the internet is full of complaints about Chrome being a resource hog. It was always a resource hog, but lately it has been significantly damaging battery life and other aspects of computing. Google needs to seriously address that. It isn’t sure whether Google will talk about many major update to its Chrome browser, which is available on all operating system as well as a standalone operating system on Chromebooks, but I certainly hope that it does.
Chrome OS
I’m not sure if this deserves a paragraph of its own, but I’m a huge fan of the Chromebook concept and I’m keeping my fingers crossed for something major to be announced for the world of Chromebooks. Granted, Chromebooks aren’t there yet, especially for use in a third-world country like ours where internet connection isn’t as reliable as the West, still I love the idea of Chromebook and how cheap they are. If Google announces a significant improvement to Chrome OS, it will be a welcome change.
Other Stuff
There are tons more that Google will likely talk about on stage at today’s 2.5-hour long keynote. The topics will range from Android Auto to Android Wear, Project Fi, and a lot more. Frankly, I would keep an eye on what Google announces, but I’m not as excited about updates on those areas. For me, and for a lot of people, the most important announcement that Google will make today will be about Android M.
So keep an eye on Android Kothon as we will update you guys with what Mountain View is planning to please you with in the next few months. There are a lot of questions swirling in our minds. Will Android M be compatible for old smartphones? Will Lollipop be retired? Will Google Photos launch as a competitor to Flickr? Will Android Wear launch a big feature that will make it compete hard against Apple Watch?
There are lots of questions from the fans of Google. And the answers are only a few hours away.
