Google I/O 2022 Highlights – Update: Made By Google

Google I/O 2022 Highlights – Update: Made By Google
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Google’s annual developer conference, I/O, took place on the 11th and 12th of May at Google HQ in Mountain View, California. Focusing on what we can expect from the year ahead, the event highlights the updates, releases and game-changing industry developments the tech giant currently has in the pipeline.

While the conference mainly focuses on the upcoming 12 months, I/O always gives us an insight into how Google’s long-term strategy is playing out. So, without further ado, here’s a comprehensive round-up of our key Google I/O 2022 Highlights takeaways from I/O 2022.

Pixel hardware was literally everywhere

Historically, Google I/O has been a software-centred event. Google occasionally drops a few hardware announcements to excite the fans, but they’re usually secondary to software developments. Not this year.

At I/O 2022, hardware was centre stage, with a raft of new Pixel products on show. They included:

Google Pixel 6A

The latest in Google’s range of A-series phones, the Pixel 6A will go on sale towards the end of July, though supply chain issues may make it difficult to get hold of straight away. A mid-range alternative to the Pixel 6, it’s pretty similar to its more expensive bigger brother, but features fewer camera sensors and a smaller battery. Still, it looks fantastic and offers excellent performance at a reduced price.

 

Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro UPDATE (October 2022)

Coming a few months after the release of the Pixel 6A, Google’s announcement of the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro focused on how the new model improves on previous iterations. 

To cut a long story short, Google is doubling down on photo and video features. 

The Pixel 7 includes a 50 megapixel standard lens and a 12 megapixel ultra-wide lens on the rear. Just like the Pixel 6. But Google has updated the front camera to a 12 megapixel module. It also benefits from a wider field of view. 

The Pixel 7 Pro has gone even further. It features three lenses on the rear – a 12 megapixel ultra-wide lens, a 48 megapixel telephoto lens and a 50 megapixel lens. Both the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro boast a Super Res Zoom feature that facilitates 12.5 megapixel shooting at 2x zoom. Combined with the latter’s three-lens setup, this should result in incredibly crisp image quality. Google also mentioned that the Pixel 7 Pro maxes out at 30x zoom. It will be interesting to see how well the camera manages at this level of zoom.  

In terms of video, both models are capable of grabbing 4k video at a whopping 60fps. The Pixel 7 range is sure shaping up to be a snap-happy crowd pleaser.

Another cool feature is Photo Unblur. For want of a better way to phrase this, it unblurs your photos. Using advanced AI technology, the Tensor G2 chip takes your out-of-focus images and corrects them, leaving you with perfect photos every time. You can even go back and fix all your old photos, too. Photo Unblur is complemented by its alter-ego/arch-nemesis Cinematic Blur. Cinematic Blur achieves the opposite of Photo Unblur, dropping the background of your videos out of focus to ensure the foreground stands out.

The only other details Google announced for the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro were tech specifications. The Pixel 7 has a 6.3 inch screen, while the Pro benefits from a 6.7 inch screen. The standard model enjoys variable refresh rates that max out at 90Hz and the Pro ups that to 120Hz. Finally, the Pixel 7 is equipped with 8GB of RAM and the Pixel 7 Pro increases that to 12GB.

Pixel Watch

We would understand if you didn’t know Google has never released a Google-branded smartwatch. It definitely seems like something they would have tried their hand at. Perhaps Alphabet’s ownership of FitBit was deemed sufficient. Not any more. The arrival of the Pixel Watch is an indication that Google intends to go toe-to-toe with Apple in the battle for the wearables market and isn’t content to offer a watch-based OS without manufacturing the hardware to back it up. Our MD is super excited about this one as he hasn’t had an Android watch since the first Huawei!

Pixel Tablet – Perhaps the biggest surprise of I/O (hardware-wise) was the announcement that Google is about to release a Pixel Tablet. Details are scarce about Google’s return to Pixel tablets (their last effort, the Pixel C, wasn’t particularly well received) but we do know that it will run on a Tensor chip, sit at the upper end of the tablet price range and hit the shelves/online stores in 2023.

 

Pixel Watch UPDATE (October 2022)

A week before release, Google unveiled a tonne of new information concerning the highly anticipated Pixel Watch. Let’s start with the appearance.

The watch is available in a basic 41mm case but comes with a dizzying array of customizable options. Customers can choose between a black, silver and gold stainless steel finish, as well as 19 different watch faces and 20 distinct bands. That’s a serious amount of choice.

Unsurprisingly (considering Alphabet acquired the company last year), Google made a big deal about Fitbit integrations, too. The Pixel Watch will monitor your heart rate continuously throughout the day and record sleep quality overnight. GPS functionality ensures you can use it to record physical activities and workouts.

But the Pixel Watch is not just for fitness freaks. It also includes access to smart home controls, the Play Store and Google Wallet. We’re fascinated to see whether this is enough to ensure the Pixel Watch is perceived as more than the Fitbit smartwatch’s slightly-cooler, better-looking sibling. 

Battery life is expected to run at 24-hours with the display in always-on mode and Google emphasised the fact that the device can be charged to 50% battery in a mere 30 minutes. Prices have been set at £349 for the WiFi model and £379 for the 4G-compatible watch.

 

Pixel Tablet

Perhaps the biggest surprise of I/O (hardware-wise) was the announcement that Google is about to release a Pixel Tablet. Details are scarce about Google’s return to Pixel tablets (their last effort, the Pixel C, wasn’t particularly well received) but we do know that it will run on a Tensor chip, sit at the upper end of the tablet price range and hit the shelves/online stores in 2023.

 

Pixel Tablet UPDATE (October 2022)

Following Google’s Pixel-centric October event, we have a few more details on the Pixel Tablet. Google confirmed it will run on the Tensor G2 chip found in the company’s most up-to-date smartphones and that it is scheduled for a 2023 release. 

The big news focused on the tablet’s fresh docking station. A magnetic hub that features charging capabilities and integrated speakers for superior sound performance, the docking station also transforms the tablet into a Nest Hub. 

This comes as no serious surprise, as Google clearly believes the IoT and connected homes are the future.

Beyond these features, updates on the Pixel Tablet were limited to a few aesthetic innovations. Apparently, the tablet boasts an innovative nano-ceramic coating. This will see small pieces of ceramic fused into the recycled aluminium frame to create a tactile, ergonomic and pleasantly grippy finish.

 

Welcome to the Multisearch

By now, it should be clear that Google Search is the company’s most valuable product. While these flashy, new devices are pretty exciting, Google Search does the grunt work, silently whirring away in the background, connecting the world as we know it. So when Google announces new Search features, you sit up and take notice.

This year it was the turn of Multisearch (multi is 100% the tech prefix of choice at the moment). This feature allows you to search for things using a combination of text and images. Can’t find the words you need to describe something? Search with an image. Standing in front of the perfect shirt but want it in a different colour? Snap it and add the colour you want in text search.

While this is all pretty neat for the user, imagine what it’s doing for Google’s AI and Machine Learning projects. This will provide the company with more visual data than ever before, giving its AI far more to draw on. Will Multisearch do the same for visual design as Google Search did for the way we use language? KeyImages, anyone?

There were a few (uninspiring) Android 13 updates

I/O wasn’t a great event for anyone desperate for news on Android 13 developments. A lot of the information Google gave us concerned digital security. However, there were a few noteworthy announcements that warrant a mention.

For instance, Google will introduce end-to-end encryption for group texts, your apps can now be set to run in different languages, and support for Matter smart home functions is to be improved.

We did warn you that it wasn’t a great conference for Android announcements…

The return of Google Wallet

On the surface, Google Wallet sounds like Google Pay Mk II. Which makes sense, as Google Pay actually replaced the first version of Google Wallet. But dig a little deeper, and Google’s decision to replace Pay with Wallet as Android users’ default payment system/currency holder is more than just a rebranding.

In the near future, Google hopes to add features that allow Google Wallet to do everything a traditional wallet does. Specifically, hold all your IDs. That means Google is working on adding driving licences, student IDs and a whole host of other cards. We imagine there’s some serious security work to be done before this is feasible, but who knows what Google has up its sleeve. Only time will tell whether this is one of those pie-in-the-sky Google announcements or closer to reality than we think.

Giving you a more Immersive View of the world

Google Maps is one of the company’s most impressive achievements and, when you think about it, probably the most remarkable mapping project in history. Yet Google shows no sign of slowing up or resting on its laurels. Enter Immersive View.

Immersive View is part Street View, part computer-generated 3D world. Currently, it allows you to explore a 3D rendering of a select few cities and even enter surprisingly faithful recreations of the interiors of some buildings. The technology works off of a combination of AI and user photos. What you see isn’t necessarily 100% accurate, as a significant proportion of the model is generated by algorithms, but it’s still mighty close.

Making Personal Assistants more… personal

Tired of the phrase “OK, Google?” This next one is for you. The Look and Talk feature is currently only available on the Nest Hub Max, but we expect Google to include it as standard on more and more devices in the future. It aims to ensure interaction with Google’s Voice Assistant is more natural and conversational by making the “OK, Google” wake command redundant.

Instead, the Nest Hub Max will use its in-built cameras to determine how far away the user is and what direction they’re looking. This allows the device to recognise when users are asking it questions and when they are expecting a response. While this may seem like a relatively small step, it demonstrates the company’s commitment to integrating Google tech into our everyday lives in increasingly seamless ways.

Google Glass revisited?

Google IO 2022 Highlights

We don’t think anyone would call Google Glass – the business’ 2013 foray into the Smart Glasses market – a resounding success. Though the glasses were available commercially, they never really took off. Maybe it was the massive price tag. Maybe they were just ahead of their time. Since then, all has been quiet on the Google Smart Glasses front. Until now.

Towards the end of the I/O event, Google revealed a new set of smart glasses that differed dramatically from any other models we’ve seen previously. For one, they looked like regular glasses. No hi-tech, sci-fi inspired aesthetic – you wouldn’t necessarily know there’s anything smart about them. Second, they focused on AR language translation. That’s right, the glasses translate foreign languages in real-time and use augmented reality to display the translated text.

The implications of such technology are enormous. We may be looking at the predecessor to the Babel Fish from the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. But, before we all get too excited, there are zero details as to when, or even if, the glasses will ever be available. Google isn’t afraid to tease its audience with visions of a future that it’s far from realising or may never materialise.

Until next year!

That’s our big round-up of Google I/O 2022 Highlights. Though we’re pretty sure we’ve tackled all the big news, there are a few things we haven’t been able to cover. There were announcements about Pixel Buds Pro, new languages in Google Translate and a TL;DR summary feature for Google Docs and Meets, but we’ve dropped those in an attempt to dive a little deeper on those things we think most interest our readers.

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