Google I/O 2023 Live Coverage: The Pixel 7a & Pixel Fold are here
Happy Google I/O day! Google's keynote is now over, and we got all the anticipated devices that we were expecting.
Of course, the Pixel Fold is the most exciting one. It seems to be shaping up like a pretty good Galaxy Fold 4 alternative. Of course, the jury is still out on that.
The Pixel 7a also got its announcement — it is a midrange Pixel based on the 7 series, with some corners cut that would make it even more affordable, while retaining a pinch of awesomeness. And lastly, we finally got the Pixel Tablet — Google's slate, which was teased in late 2022 but was still missing from store shelves and our homes.
You can watch the event here, but if you are busy with regular life stuff, we have posted the most important stuff here as it was happening during the event.
Pixel Fold: learn more in our preview
We've also got a Pixel Fold preview with all the preliminary information on the foldable you might need: design, display, processor. We are now in the process of getting the phone for a full review - stay tuned!
Pre-orders for Pixel Fold start today
The Pixel Fold is now available for pre-order and shipping starts next months.
Here's the price for the device:
Also, enjoy some freebies when you pre-order:
Android features for the Pixel Fold
Now we get a bunch of live demos on the Pixel Fold. There's a nice animation on the wallpaper when folding or unfolding the phone. Pretty cool!
There's also split-screen mode, as you would suppose for a promising foldable. Also, you get split keyboard for faster typing. Now, the multitasking windows are paired so you can multitask with ease while on the go.
The Pixel Fold is also great for entertainment - Google gives YouTube for an example. When you fold the device, YouTube enters a Tabletop mode if you fold the device halfway. Controls will be on the bottom half of the device.
Also, take a selfie with the rear camera!
Pixel Fold is official!
Powered by the Tensor G2, it combines AI and Android innovation and seems aimed to take foldables to the next level. This is the thinnest phone yet by Google and the thinnest foldable on the market. To achieve the thinness, Google redesigned the camera and the hinge. The phone unfolds to a 7.6-inch inner display. Google's also focused on durability with Gorilla Glass Victus and IPX8 water-resistant design.
The Pixel Fold also features a Tabletop mode so you can use the foldable form factor to get better images.
The Pixel Fold also features a Tabletop mode so you can use the foldable form factor to get better images.
Pixel tablet gets a new case as well, pre-orders are live today
Google's also prepared an interesting and quite unique case for the Google Tablet that can help place the tablet in whatever position you'd like. The Tablet starts at $499 and is available to pre-order today!
The Pixel Tablet is here
The Pixel Tablet is designed to be able to help in the home, as well as act like a tablet. The device comes with an 11-inch display and a premium design. It's powered by Tensor G2 for longer battery life and great AI experience. It also gets Magic Eraser and Photo Unblur to edit your photos. Enjoy also advanced voice recognition to help with typing.
You also get a Pixel stand that can act like a charger and a speaker. All in one! The Charging Speaker Dock is here, to take your tablet experience to the next level!
Pixels! We're now going to talk about the Pixel 7a
We're going to now talk about the newest member of Google's A-series. Powered by Tensor G2, paired with 8GB of RAM for powerful performance. The camera is also upgraded, included a 72% main camera sensor. Pixel 7a is available today starting at $499.
Generative AI wallpaper
Cool enough, you can also use AI to generate a wallpaper for you. You can choose whatever you want - those will be completely new and original wallpapers for you!
Customization, personalization
Magic Compose is a new feature coming to Google Messages with the help of generative AI. It can help you sound more interesting when you're chatting.
With Android 14, you will be getting all new personalizations to your lock screen.
You can also now put a wallpaper with emojis. You can choose what emojis you like on your wallpaper, and you can customize it to fit your taste. The emojis also react when you tap them - fun touch, Google!
Wear OS, Find My Device
WhatsApp is bringing WhatsApp to WearOS this summer, so you will be able to respond to messages on WhatsApp from your wrist!
Additionally, a major update is coming to Find My Device experience, and it will be able to help you find earbuds. Also, Google is introducing Unknown tracker alerts, that can warn you if you've been tracked. On top of that, Unknown Tracker alerts will also work on iPhones!
Android is on now!
Now, we're moving into talking about Android! Google is first focusing on how AI is improving the Android experience, including helping filter spam calls.
Responsible approach to AI
Google now focuses on the topic of responsible approach to innovation. Google notes that AI is still an emerging technology, and underlines that it's very important to also keep a responsible approach, while still pushing for innovation. Below are the principles that the company is following when creating AI and using AI:
Duet AI for Google Cloud, better infrastructure for AI
You can use Duet AI for assistance with developing code - it's again a generative AI feature. Google will elaborate more on that topic during the developer keynote, for those of you who are interested.
Google also notes how its upgrading its infrastructure for AI companies. Google also shows how other companies have been using PaLM API to improve their business and to create apps.
Google is working on providing access to models to enterprises and businesses
Customers will be able to train, fine tune, and run their own models with enterprise-grade security and privacy, explains Google. So, businesses and enterprises can now use the power of AI to improve their work. Google Cloud can help you build generative AI applications - you access models for chat, text, image, and you can fine-tune it. Enterprises also get Enterprise Search, which can help businesses create their own search app.
See here some of the companies that are partnering with Google with Generative AI:
We get another live demo
Generative AI can show you many results on a single query. We also see how you can ask a follow-up question on the live demo. The results are gathered from across the web. And you can also ask another follow up question, like shown in the screenshot below:
Generative AI and Search
The above image is what your question is. Now, you can use this phrase (eliminating the need for finding short keywords for your search). You can now just type the question as it is and Generative AI can help you find the answer without sweating for keywords.
Now, Search will be smarter, and searching will be simpler, says Google. This will especially help you with complex questions. AI will generate answers with a lot of helpful information, including pricing, considerations that you should take into account and similar helpful stuff! This can help you shop with confidence and get fresh and relevant results, underlines the presentation. Curious how this will evolve more in the future!
You will also get a conversational mode, to ask for follow-ups on the answers you've got from Search.
Prompts - what if AI can proactively offer you prompts
Google previews the future of collaboration with AI. And we get an interesting live demo to showcase this new feature.
The AI read the text that the user wrote and is now providing prompts to help the user continue the story they've been writing. When you choose one of the prompts, you get more AI-generated text. AI can also generate images for the story - picking the details from the document.
AI real-time collaboration for productivity
Of course, you can customize the AI-generated text. Also, you can use AI with Google Sheets. In a new sheet, you can type a command and Sheets can create and fine-tune a table that can help you be more organized.
Bard continues to rapidly improve, and it is opening today, no more waitlist!
Bard, export actions - for Gmail and Docs, other improvements
Now, Bard's responses can be moved easily in Gmail and Docs. But that's not all, is it? Bard will be getting some more tools as well, announces Google. You will be able to use other Google services. In the next few weeks, Bard will become more visual in its responses. It will be able to use Google Search and find images that respond to your questions. On top of that, you'll be able to prompt Bard with images - Google Lens is getting connected to Bard as well!
Bard will be able to use Google Lens to analyze what's in the photo and come up with an interesting title to the image or a funny note. Great for memes, by the way!
Bard - improvements in logic, math, and it can now code and debug
Bard is currently learning new programming languages. So, it's not just for an interesting chat anymore. It is evolving now to be able to program complicated tasks and write developer script. Curiously enough, Bard can also help you understand the code, and give suggestions for improving the code. Awesome, isn't it? And it got dark theme starting today!
Google DeepMind
Making AI helpful for everyone
We're starting with AI
Generative AI is evolving the world. First off, we start with Google underlining the way AI has helped advance its products, including Gmail and Google Workspace. Help me write is a new feature in Gmail that will create a full draft of what you want to write. You also get options to refine the email you're writing. Help me write is expected to get better over time.
There are also improvements with AI and Google Maps. Now you'll be able to get an immersive view of your ride, as well as gorgeous representation of what your ride will be. The new features will begin rollout in the summer and will launch first in select cities.
There are also improvements with AI and Google Maps. Now you'll be able to get an immersive view of your ride, as well as gorgeous representation of what your ride will be. The new features will begin rollout in the summer and will launch first in select cities.
Google Photos will also get some advanced AI love. AI advancements will help you better edit your images. Later this year, we'll have a new experience called Magic Editor, which will help you adjust many properties of your image. What's even cooler is that you can recreate parts of an image that was cut out!
Google I/O is now on!
The show is finally starting! We're going to see what Google's got for us in just minutes! Now, there's an epic intro ready to lead us into the main event for today! Are you excited yet?
Google Pixel 7a price already leaked in India
We already know that the Pixel 7a should be placed below the Pixel 7 price-wise — the A-series is usually the more affordable midrange tier. Recent rumors have stated that the Pixel 7a would be priced at about $500.
Some hours before the Google I/O kicked off, the Pixel 7a price for India was leaked. With a discount when using a specific card, it would be ₹39,999 which is about $488. Given that market-to-market prices usually don't translate directly and accurately, we'd say this rumor falls in line with the $500 expectations.
Well, only minutes left now! We are about to see the Pixel 7a and maybe, possibly a Pixel Fold, and who knows what else at Google I/O. Strap in!
Pixel Fold fully revealed in official images
Still don't think we will see the Google Pixel Fold today? Well, we actually have a collection of official marketing images for the device. These came from reputable leakster Evan Blass and were combined with a slew of specs information — the external AMOLED screen is expected to have a 5.8-inch diagonal and a 120 Hz refresh rate. On the inside, we have another AMOLED screen with a 7.6-inch size and 120 Hz refresh again.
You will notice that the camera bar does not go full side-to-side like the Pixel 7 vizor, but that's very probably due to the design restrictions of the foldable and the hinge. The leak shows us two colors for the Pixel Fold — Chalk and Obsidian, which is like white and black. It seems the Pixel Fold won't be available in any fun and poppy colors, but we'll see.
Even Google isn't keeping the Pixel 7a release a secret
We all know we should expect the Pixel 7a at this Google I/O event — after a whirlwind of leaks and the fact that it's the perfect time for a Pixel 6a annual refresh. But even Google wasn't being coy about it.
On Twitter, the Google India account straight up said that "the latest phone engineered by Google" will be available on Flipkart (kind of like Amazon but for India) on the 11th of May. Combined with a picture which looks nothing like a Fold and a lot like a Pixel 7-esque phone.
Google Pixel Tablet price and release date leaked?
Amazon Japan had a slight oopsie a few days ago where they revealed the supposed price and release day of the Pixel Tablet. Listed for 79,800 Yen, it converts to about $590. Now, different market pricings don't usually work 1-to-1 like that, but we expect something in the ballpark.
That would put the Pixel Tablet in the same category as Apple's M1-powered iPad Air (2022). We wonder what type of accessories and functions Google has in store to make the Tablet competitive at that price. We do know about that charging hub with integrated speaker, which turns the Tablet into a Google Home. But that can't be all, right?
The Pixel Fold camera to have all the tricks of Pixel 7 Pro!
The latest rumor says that the Pixel Fold will come with a trio of cameras on the back — main, ultra-wide, and telephoto! The latter will be a 5x optical zoom, much like on the Pixel 7 Pro, which also means it will be used exclusively for zooming and not for Portrait Mode.
The sensors seem to be different, though. A combo of 48 MP, 10.8 MP, 10.8 MP for the wide, ultra-wide, tele cameras respectively. The Pixel 7 Pro has 50 MP, 48 MP, 12 MP in the same spots, so we wonder if the Fold is making a compromise in picture quality.
Well, at least the software will probably be the same. So the post-processing and the magical editing features of the Photos app — we expect to see them on the Fold as well!
Well, that's a bit of a downer. The good news is — this is all still rumor and speculation, we could be totally off! Right, guys? Right?
There could be a Pixel Watch 2 at Google I/O
We haven't been hearing a whole lot about a possible Pixel Watch 2. But the name did pop up in one recent leak, which made us wonder. The first gen Pixel Watch launched in October of 2022, so it's not even time for an annual refresh yet.
However, it is possible that Google may tease what's to come with the Pixel Watch 2 at this event. Seeing as the first edition is still... quite rough around its perfectly-rounded edges, Google may want to set minds at ease by letting us know that it's aware of the issues and that the next iteration of the timepiece will take care of the pain points.
Google Pixel 7a pre-order bonuses leaked
Are we even sure we will see the Pixel 7a at this event? Well, seeing as the device has leaked multiple times, and the time is right for a Pixel 6a refresh, we are fully prepared to see the announcement of the Pixel 7a! In fact, some retailers have kind of dropped the ball and already revealed that there may be a pre-order bonus with the Pixel 7a, too! A supposed set of Google Pixel Buds A-series.
We expect to finally see the official reveal of the Pixel Fold!
After so many rumors and leaks, and even ad materials about the Pixel Fold "accidentally" popping up, it's hard to believe we will not see the Pixel Fold revealed at Google I/O today!
Google's foldable has been a long time coming. First, the company worked hard to make Android natively adopt the multiple screens and aspect ratios required for a foldable phone. Then, it established itself as a premium phone maker with the Pixel 6 and Pixel 7, both powered by the home-made Tensor chip.
Everyone is waiting with bated breath to see what the Pixel Fold will bring to the table. Well, we do know that it will most likely be powered by the latest Tensor G2, and the full specs sheet has already been leaked.
But it's not all about specs. With Google, it's about software experience. And we are yet to learn in what way the Pixel makers intend to use the foldable form factor!
FCC OKs Cingular\'s purchase of AT&T Wireless
Things that are NOT allowed: