Google’s I/O 2022 showcase started with a bang, here’s everything that’s happened on day one of the event.
We’ll be diving into all the Google products shown off during the presentation that focused on the new Pixel phone Pixel 6a phones, Google’s earbuds, and the Pixel Watch, at an event that was around 2 hours and 20 minutes long. Google I/O is the tech giant’s developer conference held annually in San Francisco, stwrting all the way back in 2008. The bulk of the show each year is devoted to technical sessions, where attendees learn about developing applications for all of Google’s platforms, including Android, Chrome, and YouTube. This time around, Google surprised their fans with another edition in the long running Pixel series, along with much more.
Below is a list of all the announcements featured during today’s Google I/O Conference – let’s see what it’s all about!
Google Shows Off Pixel 7 and Pro 7
In a surprising move, Google showed off their new line of Pixel smartphones, Pixel 7, and the Pro will be launching in Obsidian, Snow, and Hazel colours with Android 13, the next generation of Google Tensor Chip. We still might have to wait a couple of months to see the front of the device, as we only saw the back of it, there is also the possibility of leaks spoiling the fun though. Google says the phones are likely launching in October, just like in previous years. These phones will launch alongside the Pixel Watch.
Google Unveils The Pixel Watch
After a long wait, Google announced the Pixel Watch after months of leaks and rumours surrounding ‘Rohan’, the codename of the product. Beyond their recent acquisition of Fitbit, The Pixel Watch marks Google’s entry into the smartwatch market. The Pixel Watch also sports a bold circular dome design, with a recycled stainless steel body and customizable bands that attach and detach without a hassle. The watch will run WearOS and feature a “deep integration” with Fitbit and its heart rate, sleep, and fitness tracking tech. Google still didn’t reveal about the watch, but it did still mention that it will feature a voice assistant, wallet integration, and support for the Google Home app. The Pixel Watch will be released later this fall alongside the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, and more information will likely come over the next few months.
New Google Pixel Buds Announced
Google announced its most premium product in the Pixel category yet, at $199 USD, the Pixel Buds Pro, is a direct answer to Apple’s AirPods Pro and offers active noise cancellation, a transparency mode, multipoint Bluetooth connectivity, and an IPX4 water resistance rating, among other features. They will be available to preorder on July 21 and be in stores a week later on the 28th. Google has a rocky track record with the Pixel Buds series so far, the 2020 earbuds suffered from frequent signal cutouts and other bugs, thankfully, some but not all of those issues were fixed with later software updates. The newer, more affordable Pixel Buds-A-Series have fared better when it comes to reliability, so, the “Pro” earbuds will need to live up their name in terms of consistent performance.
Pixel 6a Announced To Be Using Same Tensor Chip As 6 Pro
Google has announced the Pixel 6a, the company’s latest mid-range handset launching in ‘White,’ ‘Black,’ and ‘Green’ in the U.S. on July 28 for $582 CAD. The phone will become available to pre-order in the U.S. on July 21 and Google says it offers the same speed as the Pixel 6 Pro as its using the same Tensor processor and Titan M2 chip. The Pixel 6a features a 6.2-inch OLED display with a centered-hole punch selfie camera and two-12-megapixel sensors, wide, and ultra wide-angle, on the Pixel 6-like visor, there are also features like Night Shift, Real Tone, and Magic Eraser featured in the phone. It also supports a fingerprint scanner like the 6 Pro and 6, along with five years of security updates.
So that’s that! Google I/O showcases are held every year so if you didn’t find anything that you like here there’s always next year. These events are held in May each year so the wait isn’t too long until the next one, last year’s conference had the reveal of the new advancements to Android 12, Smart Canvas opening up a new collaboration in Google Workspace and LaMDA, Google’s New AI, along with much more. Look forward to another one of these in a year’s time!
