When Google I/O 2022 begins on May 11, it will be the most crucial event for all Android users. Although this is a conference largely for developers, there are likely to be significant breakthroughs in the hardware sector as well in the first keynote address.
Android may be less of a news story this year than it has been in recent years. Since Material You was introduced last year, we’ve already seen a lot of substantial modifications in the UI. That’s not all: Google has just released Android 12L for tablets and foldable, after the release of Android 12.
While the next version of Android, Android 13, will undoubtedly be the star of this event and those days, the Pixel 6a and the near-mythical Pixel Watch may eclipse Android 13’s announcements.
Tiramisu is already permeating the air.
A newer iteration of Android, codenamed ‘tiramisu,’ may not be as innovative as Android 12L because of the work being done on it. No, at least not when it comes to the visual experience, which is taking some time to reach many devices.
The preliminary version for developers has already been examined by our Xataka Android colleagues, who have highlighted, for example, the improved management of rights to access storage that forces applications to apply for permission to send notifications. This does not exclude out noteworthy milestones.
Android Beam, a technology for wirelessly transferring information across devices, is also rumoured to be making a comeback.
The Google Pixel 6a.
When it comes to the improvements that are being made to Android, this newer version appears to leave the door open for hardware to take center stage during this year’s launch.
It’s here where two items that have been widely discussed in recent months enter the picture. One of these is the cheaper version of the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, which Google released in October, the Pixel 6a. –
We all hope that the cameras, which in principle would be the same as the Pixel 6’s, are not sacrificed in this phone’s more modest features.
Even if the Tensor chip is the same, we can expect some cuts to the screen and other areas like the refresh rate, which may remain at 60 Hz instead of the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro’s 90 and 120 Hz, respectively.
The Pixel Watch (and Wear OS 3.1)
We’ve been harping on Google’s neglect of the smart watch market for a while now. As far as hardware and software are concerned, this occurrence appears to be significant.
Firstly, everything points to the release of Google’s Pixel Watch, the much-anticipated smartwatch that has been rumoured for a long time and that will attempt to set a benchmark and a path for the rest of the industry.
The rumours have been building for a while, but now that a smart watch model has been abandoned in a pub, it’s evident that the release is soon. Despite the fact that we don’t know much about its hardware, we do know that it will contain a 300mAh battery and up to 32GB of storage capacity.
It’s possible that Wear OS 3.1 will go even further than Samsung and Google’s joint effort at Google I/O, which the Pixel Watch will be the first to use. An ECG feature is likely to be incorporated as well as a clear focus on health. Price estimates range from 400 euros and above.
According to analyst Jon Prosser, the Pixel Watch will really be unveiled alongside the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro in October, not during this year’s Google I/O.
On the horizon: the Nest Hub and Pixel Fold (or not)
A second set of possibilities is also being discussed, but these are considered less plausible. For starters, we have an Android 13-powered tablet called the Nest Hub with a removable screen.
The second is the Pixel Fold, a folding phone that has been rumoured for a long time and would benefit greatly from Android 12L, the operating system specifically designed for folding. Google appears to have abandoned the project based on the most recent reports.
However, we expect Google will talk a lot about Android 13, the Pixel 6a, and the Pixel Watch.
