Google I/O 2023: How to watch and what to expect

Google I/O is almost here, which means the launch of the highly anticipated Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet is just around the corner. While the annual conference is largely focused on developers, the company always holds a keynote revealing the latest and greatest things that end up in the hands of consumers.

If you’d like to watch the keynote live but not attend the event, here’s all the info on where and when to stream it and what to expect.

The Google I/O 2023 main keynote begins May 10, 2023 at 1PM ET / 10AM PT and features comments from Google CEO Sundar Pichai. This year, the event will take place in person with a limited live audience at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California.

There are several places you can watch the keynote online, including on Google’s website, Google’s YouTube channel, and through the video embedded at the very top of this post. If you’re not around to watch the live stream, you can always watch a taped version of the event on YouTube afterwards.

With all that out of the way, here are some things we expect Google to announce at the event.

Google’s first foldable version has long been rumored to be in the works, but Google surprised us all by making it official last week. The company posted an image and video of the Pixel Fold, showing a device that folds horizontally, like a book.

While Google hasn’t released spec details, a previous report from CNBC suggests the device could have a 5.8-inch screen when closed and a 7.6-inch screen when unfolded, the same size as the Galaxy Z Fold 4 from Samsung.

Under the hood, the Pixel Fold is expected to use Google’s Tensor G2, the system on a chip used by Pixel 7 series devices. Like the other foldable devices on the market, the Pixel Fold probably won’t come cheap. According to CNBC, it could cost more than $1,700.

The Google Pixel tablet is another device we’ve been waiting a long time for, with Google first unveiling the Android tablet at its 2022 I/O conference. While initial images of the device, the design didn’t look particularly promising , recent leaks show a tablet that fits in with the rest of the Pixel ecosystem, available in a range of color options.

Google previously said the tablet comes with a charging dock and a speaker that lets you use the device as a smart display, like the Amazon Echo Show. The latest rumors of 9to5Google Also indicate that it could come with Google’s Tensor G2 chip, Android 13, 8GB of RAM, a nanoceramic finish and an 11-inch screen.

A early Pixel Tablet listing on Amazon (which has since been removed) confirms these rumours, but it also hints that the device could come with two 8MP front and rear cameras, three microphones, up to 256GB of storage, and support for USI 2.0 stylus. However, we still don’t know how much the Pixel Tablet will cost. Rumors point to between €600 and €650 in Europe, but Google’s European prices are sometimes higher than those in the US.

The Google Pixel 7A has been leaked several times over the past few months and at this point it’s almost inevitable that it will show up at I/O. Not only have we got a look at a new sky blue color option, but we’ve also seen the box the device will be packaged in. Heck, someone even managed to get their hands on the Pixel 7A back in March.

Some of the rumored specifications of the device include a Tensor G2 chip, an improved 64MP main camera and a 13MP ultrawide camera. It could also launch with two features never seen before with Google’s budget-friendly A-series devices: a 90Hz refresh rate and support for wireless charging. These upgrades come with a bit of a trade-off, though, as rumors suggest it could cost $50 more than the $499 Pixel 6A.

We’ll no doubt hear more at Google I/O on Android 14, which includes a number of improvements for foldables, tablets, and devices with larger screens – a perfect fit for the event that introduces the Pixel Fold. The beta for Android 14 is already out, with Google rolling out the first version of the OS last month.

Since then, Google has gradually added new features to Android 14, such as a new back arrow to match your wallpaper, passkey support, improved battery life, and more control over your privacy in your device’s media library. Android 14 is also expected to add improved font scaling ahead of its public rollout later this year.

In addition to the possible launch of the Pixel 7A, Google could also give us a glimpse of the upcoming Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, just as it did with the Pixel 7 at last year’s I/O. Google isn’t expected to officially launch the device until the fall, so it’s entirely possible the company will skip an early preview and instead keep its focus on new devices like the Fold. But if Google does show something, we already know a bit what to expect.

Leaked renders of Smartprix and OnLeaks reveal a redesigned camera bar on the Pixel 8 Pro that houses all three cameras in a single oval cutout. There is also a sensor under the flash that Smartprix believes it could be a macro or depth sensor. However, the renders of the standard Pixel 8 show a camera setup similar to the one on the Pixel 7.

The Pixel 8 Pro is expected to come with a 6.52-inch screen with more rounded corners, a hole-punch selfie camera and 12GB of RAM, while the regular Pixel 8 will have a 6.2-inch screen with 8GB of RAM . Another finding of 9to5Google indicates that the Pixel 8 series could come with an exclusive Video Unblur tool to sharpen videos.

With the launch of Google’s ChatGPT rival Bard, Google has gone all in on AI, and it’s likely Google will use part of its I/O keynote to make AI-related announcements.

The company recently said it is testing generative AI tools in Workspace, starting with Docs and Gmail. Perhaps Google will announce that it is extending these features to Sheets and Slides or making them available to more users – not just trusted testers.

We may also see some improvements related to Bard; the company added features in April that let you use the bot to generate, debug and explain lines of code. New AI-powered search tools are also rumored to be released sometime this month.

It’s always possible that Google will unveil a wildcard product, such as an update to the Pixel Watch. And a new color of the Pixel Buds A series seems to be on the table. But with the launch of the Pixel Tablet and Pixel Fold, Google is going to have quite an exciting event.

More likely, the company will be rolling out some minor announcements in between hardware launches, such as updates to Maps, Photos, and Google Assistant. It may even have some news about its smart home products as it continues to add new features to its Google Home app.

To stay up to date with the latest announcements from Google, keep an eye on our Google I/O storystream.