Google I/O 2026 starts May 19: Top announcements to expect
What's the story
Google's annual developer conference, Google I/O 2026, is set to kick off on May 19. The tech giant has been heavily focused on artificial intelligence (AI) in recent years, and this year is likely to be no different. However, there may also be some hardware announcements in the mix. From Android XR glasses to updates on Aluminum OS, there's a lot to look forward to at this year's event.
AI integration
New AI features and updates
Google is expected to unveil a host of new AI features, further integrating them into its products. The company has been all-in on AI generally, which can perform tasks on behalf of users with minimal supervision. We also expect some updates for existing or new products like Veo, Lyria, and Beam at this year's conference.
AI evolution
Gemini updates
Google is likely to focus a lot on its flagship AI model, Gemini, at I/O 2026. The new version of Gemini is expected to be one of the biggest announcements of the event. Recently, Google introduced a notebooks feature for Gemini that lets users store sources for specific topics in one place for easy access. This could be a game-changer in how we interact with information online.
Tech innovations
Android XR glasses and Aluminum OS
Google first teased its Android XR glasses at last year's I/O, and we could see them evolve from a concept into a product this year. The tech giant is also working on Aluminum OS, an operating system that combines Android and ChromeOS. It would bring the full Chrome browsing experience to laptops and other devices.
OS updates
Android 17
Google released the first beta of its phone-operating system, Android 17, in February. Three more betas have been released since then, with the latest one coming out in mid-April. The final version of this OS is expected to be launched sometime in June or July, just before the next family of Pixel devices is announced.