At 13:00 US Eastern Time on May 11, Google’s 2022 annual developer conference Google I/O will kick-off. At this conference, new hardware products may play the leading role, overshadowing the update of operating systems such as Android 13.
This year, Google is likely to announce several hardware products during its keynote. Rumors of Google’s first wearable device, the Pixel Watch, and last year’s mid-range Pixel 6 flagship have been rumored. Moreover, the outside world may also see a new true wireless headset come out, and there are even more surprises.
The following are new hardware products or system updates that Google may release:
Hardware:
- Is the Google Watch finally coming?
Pixel Watch prototype
Google has been rumored to be working on an autonomous smartwatch for a long time, but it could finally arrive in 2022. Its specs have been leaked, so has its design, and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office documents reveal that it will be called the Pixel Watch. On top of that, however, a prototype of the smartwatch was found abandoned in a restaurant, leading to numerous photos of it being posted online.
From this leaked information, the outside world began to have a deep understanding of the Pixel Watch. The big question now is whether all of Google’s investments (including billions in Fitbit) can create products that can truly challenge Apple’s dominance.
Mid-range phone Pixel 6A
Pixel 6A renders
For the past three years, Google has followed each of its Pixel flagships with a more affordable, cut-down version of its mid-range phone. This year, it’s the turn of the Pixel 6, but rumor has it that the Pixel 6A may be different from previous A-series phones. While phones like the Pixel 4A and 5A come with flagship-like camera capabilities and downgrades in processor performance, reports suggest the Pixel 6A could upend that.
9to5Google reported last year that the new phone may use the same Tensor processor as the Pixel 6, but the main camera sensor will be downgraded from the Pixel 6’s 50-megapixel to 12-megapixel. Google’s mid-range phone is usually released in August, a little earlier than that at the Google Developers Conference, but judging from Google’s recent filing with the FCC, its launch could be just around the corner.
True Wireless Headphones Pixel Buds Pro
This rumor isn’t quite certain yet, but according to a recent leak from Twitter whistleblower Jon Prosser, Google is gearing up to release a set of true wireless earbuds called the Pixel Buds Pro. Their potential features and specs are less clear, but the use of the word “Pro” in the headphone name is often used to indicate that they support active noise cancellation — the first time Google’s true wireless earphones have supported active noise cancellation.
Google currently only sells one true wireless earphone, the Pixel Buds A series, which was originally released as a budget version of the second-generation Pixel Buds. But with the discontinuation of the Pixel Buds, Google currently only has the Pixel Buds A series left, so adding Pro-branded headphones would be logical.
New smart display Nest Hub
Given that it’s only been a year since Google released the last Nest Hub smart display, it seems too early to expect its successor. But a report from 9to5Google in March said the outside world could see a tablet with a detachable screen that could be used as a tablet later this year. Shape-wise, it looks like an ideal smart home controller, which explains why Google’s renewed focus on tablets. However, the release date for the new device is a vague “2022,” so there’s no guarantee Google will show off the new device this week, or if it actually exists.
Software:
Android 13 details are coming out
Android 13 app notification request
On the software side, Google will preview the next major version of the mobile operating system: Android 13. Technically, it’s already in beta, giving the outside world an early glimpse of Google’s update plans. But the full picture of Google’s overall vision for Android 13 won’t be fully understood until the developer conference kicks off. So far, it looks like Android 13 will continue a lot of the work Google started with Android 12.
Last year’s custom theme, Material You, looks likely to expand to cover more UI elements in the operating system. Google will continue to restrict which aspects of the operating system Android apps can access by default. Any news about major new initiatives will likely be revealed during Google’s keynote.
Foldable device optimization system Android 12L
Android 13 isn’t the only major update Google has made to its mobile operating system this year, there’s also Android 12L, a new version of the OS optimized for tablets and foldable. It will be released sometime this year and will ship to devices from Samsung, Lenovo and Microsoft. The developer conference is a good time for Google to provide more specific details. Beyond the system, Google has long been rumored to be working on a foldable device or two of its own.
There were rumors that these products would be launched last year, but considering that no news has been leaked recently, it seems that these products will not be released immediately. Although Samsung is currently working on a third-generation foldable phone, foldable phones are still a very niche product outside of China.
Wearable and TV Systems
Of course, Android isn’t the only OS Google manages, the company also has Wear OS for smartwatches. If Google releases the Pixel Watch this week, the OS is sure to get some attention. Even if it’s not released, it’s likely that Google will have more to say about the future direction of the system, a year after Google announced it was merging its platform with Samsung’s Tizen.
Google also has Android TV and Google TV systems, which are designed for TVs. These systems will have some new features this year, as a Google product manager said in January. In addition to offering more smart home control and video conferencing services, support for home fitness is clearly something the company is interested in.
App and Service Updates
Aside from hardware and platform-related updates, a keynote wouldn’t be complete without Google announcing some updates to its many apps and services. Last year, for example, Google Photos’ Locked Folder feature, an augmented reality view update to Google Maps, and plans for a new “Smart Canvas” for office productivity software, which aim to make its various services more connected.
Unexpected surprise
In addition to traditional product announcements, Google Developers Conference always brings some surprises. Last year, Google unveiled an experiment called Project Starline, which is essentially a video chat system designed to create the impression that you’re sitting across from someone hundreds of miles away.
Like other AR/VR projects people have heard about (like Project Iris augmented reality headsets), it’s not a real product yet, and likely won’t appear until 2024 at the earliest. But Google is often keen to showcase such early R&D projects, and this year is unlikely to be an exception. (Author/Xiao Yu)
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