A new CEO. A new headquarters. A new parent company. It’s been a big 12 months for Google.
On Wednesday, the tech giant kicks off its I/O developers conference with a keynote address expected to cover plans for its Android mobile operating system, and possibly other ventures including Android Auto. You can follow live updates right here starting at 1 p.m. ET.
It’s the first under parent company Alphabet, formed last year. This is also the first I/O as CEO for Sundar Pichai, who claimed the top role at Google when Alphabet was announced.
So what will Google unveil during I/O? Let’s break down the rumors:
Chat bots. They’re not just for Facebook. Google is reportedly expected to reveal more about its plans for chat bots, artificial intelligence that can assist users with everything from shopping to weather updates and more.
Google’s version of the Echo. We could also see hardware similar to Amazon’s popular voice-activated speaker. It’s called Google Home, and will work similarly to Amazon’s Alexa, allowing users to ask questions and request tasks.
A new virtual reality headset. Nope, this isn’t related to Cardboard. This is a reportedly brand new piece of hardware to compete with rivals including Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. The hardware was outed by a Google developers site, according to Engadget. The key feature: it will reportedly work without a phone or PC.
Don’t forget Android. Let’s not forget one of the biggest mobile operating systems in the world. Google could announce it topped 2 billion users.
Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.
