What Derrek can expect from Google I / O 2022 is filled with careful consideration and calculations based on information we know and have been gossiped about for months. But here I throw all my caution on the wind because, on the heck, there are some things that just to want to see and not care how realistic my Google I / O 2022 wish list is. Will any of them come true? That’s possible! We just need to find out on May 11.
Pixel watch
At this point, Pixel Watch seems to be almost confirmed. We leaked the first images of a real Pixel Watch two weeks ago, thanks to a reader who literally found it in a restaurant. It is not known if this is the final design of the watch, but it certainly matches the leaked renderings and images we’ve seen over the years. If what we’ve seen is final, I’m calling it now: Pixel Watch will be the new best Android smartwatch.
It also fits perfectly with the first anniversary of the announcement of Wear OS 3, an OS smartwatch jointly developed by Samsung and Google to unify the rather messy Android watch ecosystem. Google has a long history of product leaks, only to have these leaks fuel an “early” product announcement. This happened with the Pixel 4, Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 5, and even the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro. Conspiracy theories aside, I’d like to see Google follow the same steps with the Pixel Watch.
Wear OS 3 for everyone
When Google surprised us with an unexpected announcement of Wear OS 3 on last year’s Google I / O, few could have guessed that only one The watch family would have an update a year later: Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic.
While we can guess at the policy behind stopping Wear OS 3, the fact is that longtime Google partners – such as Fossil and Mobvoi – deserve this update for their watches ASAP.
Pixel folding
Here’s where I enter vast – but not unfounded – wish territory. Like the Pixel Watch, the Pixel Fold is a product that is rumored and allegedly delayed by years. Google has made huge strides with the Pixel lineup since the announcement of the Pixel 6, and the Pixel Fold is certainly the most exciting Pixel ever invented.
As we get more and more rumors and leaks about the phone, it becomes clear that the Pixel Fold looks much more like an OPPO Find N notebook-style phone than a Galaxy Z Fold 3. I certainly wouldn’t expect Google to reveal the phone and give an appropriate date. premieres and price, but I would just like to see that Google is officially working on foldable phone hardware.
Plus, with Android 12L’s focus on tablets and foldable devices – and the fact that Google already released the code to the public in its March update – it would be the perfect time to show off all these beautiful new foldable features built into Android. Why not use this time to show off your work, Google?
A new generation AR / VR project by Google
The last piece of the Google hardware puzzle is rumored to be the Project Iris AR / VR goggles. As this is only the last discovery after years of Google apparently abandoning everything it has ever worked on in the VR space, I certainly don’t think we will see many hardware disclosures. Project Iris is expected in 2024, but the Google I / O 2022 schedule shows that Google is still very interested in talking about its AR projects and development.
In fact, the company has just acquired Raxium, a company known for creating AR / VR oriented microLED displays, which shows that Google is once again interested in trying its hand at the right hardware. The incredible success of Oculus Quest 2 has proved that affordable, console-like standalone headsets aren’t just cost-effective; are the future.
I / O will be a great show
My hopes and expectations may be a tad high, but I think this year could be really explosive for Google. After all, it has its Pixel hardware division mostly under one roof, including a new acquisition that will give Google the ability to create its own displays in the future. We know Pixel Watch exists because we have seen and we know Google is working on a foldable and new AR / VR technology that has yet to be revealed.
Whatever comes, it’s going to be a great show and we’ll be (practically) covering it up there. Be open to Android Central from May 11.