When the Android Show will happen and where to watch it

Typically, Google’s main I/O presentations extend for several hours. This specialized Android segment is anticipated to be shorter, although the exact duration remains uncertain.

One announcement that’s almost certain to be unveiled is the introduction of Android’s new design framework, Material 3 Expressive. This expectation is based on a previously published and later removed blog post by Google, which disclosed details about this design. The name remains visible in an I/O session description, highlighting it as “the future of Google’s UX design.”

We haven’t seen Material 3 Expressive in Android 16’s beta releases yet, so the Android Show should be our first detailed look at how it works, and hopefully we’ll find out when it — and Android 16 — will arrive on our phones.

We got to try the tech out last year, so we know the basics of what to expect, but Google needs to prove that its concept is ready to become reality. Is a boatload of XR updates the reason it broke out the Android Show into its own event?

Don’t hold your breath for hardware

Unless Google decides to drop a sneaky I/O tease of the Pixel 10 line — like it did for the Pixel 7 series, but hasn’t done since — the focus will probably be firmly on software.

When is the rest of Google I/O?

The bulk of Google I/O will take place next week, on May 20th and 21st, with Google’s main keynote set for 10AM PT / 1PM ET on May 20th. That’s right in the midst of Microsoft’s Build conference, which takes place from May 19th through May 22nd. With today all about Android, expect next week’s I/O event to put Gemini center-stage.