Google has announced an upcoming event focused on Android updates, which will precede the I/O conference. The event, titled The Android Show: I/O Edition, will be available on YouTube and the Android website on May 13th at 10AM PT / 1PM ET. This event, featuring Android ecosystem president Sameer Samat, will take place a full week before Google I/O, scheduled to start on May 20th.
This move isn’t entirely unexpected, considering Google’s recent trend of dedicating less time to Android discussions during I/O. It also suggests that there will be significant attention on Gemini and Google’s other AI ventures throughout the main conference. There’s also a possibility we might receive updates on Project Astra.
According to Samat, “We’ll be sharing news now to get you ready for I/O where we’ll have even more special announcements and surprises in store.” Google has assured that Android will still feature prominently at I/O through keynotes and developer technical sessions.
While Android was once the highlight of Google I/O — back when the company unveiled new statues for the new dessert flavor name picked for the next-generation of Android — that’s changed in the past few years. Last year, Google talked about redesigning Search around AI, and how Gemini would integrate across Android phones and services like Docs, Gmail, Calendar.
