Google I/O 2022 just wrapped up, and the American giant made a lot of announcements about its Pixel smartphones, Android 13 mobile operating system, and even the Pixel Watch. No, you are not dreaming. Come on, let’s take a look at Google’s major hardware and software announcements.
- The Pixel 6a will be available on July 21st for $449
- The Google Pixel Watch will finally be released this fall…at the same time as the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro
- Android 13 beta is now available to the public
As in previous years, Google kicked off its developer conference with the opening keynote, with several more specialized sessions to follow over the next few days. Google spent the first 10 minutes of the conference talking about the benefits of Google for the world and its people.
Google Maps has helped more than 2 billion people find Covid-19 testing centers. Google Translate helps Ukrainian war refugees connect with their host families. But after clapping itself on the shoulder for an hour and a half and congratulating itself for making our lives better, Google has finally dropped some very important new product announcements.
The Pixel Watch is official (and so are the Pixel Buds Pro…)
After years of waiting, Google has finally launched its smartwatch. The Pixel Watch will be available this fall alongside the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro.
The leak is right about its plump dome design. Google will integrate its apps like Google Wallet or Google Maps. We will surely know more in the coming months. The watch will also have a built-in Fitbit for activity tracking.
I wasn’t really looking forward to them, but Google also announced the Pixel Buds Pro. True wireless headphones should offer very effective ANC, transparency mode, and a microphone that algorithmically helps make the sound clearer. The declared autonomy time is 11 hours. They’ll also be compatible with spatial audio, and you can find lost buds with your phone.
The Pixel Buds Pro will be available on July 21st for $199.
Pixel 6a and Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro flavors
After keeping me guessing for an hour and a half, Google finally let it go, announcing the Pixel 6a for $449 and available for pre-order starting July 21, 2022.
The Pixel 6a has a 6.1-inch screen, dual 12 MP photo modules, aluminum frame, and SoC Tensor. The idea is to offer the same software and photo experience as the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.
The Google Pixel 6a will be released on July 21, 2022 for $449 / © Google
The Pixel 6a shares the same design language as the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, with the famous Camera Bar on the back with dual photo modules.It comes in three colors: white, black and sage green
The Pixel 6a should have five times the performance of the Pixel 5a. There’s also Real Tone (for skin tone fidelity), Night Sight (for night mode), and Magic Eraser (for erasing unwanted elements from photos). In short, the idea is to emphasize that we’ll benefit from the same photo experience as the Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro, but at a lower price.
Google Pixel 6a in three black, white and sage green / © Google
We’re also going to have a fingerprint reader under the screen, no longer on the back. Finally, the Pixel 6a will get 5 years of security updates. But that’s not all. No, Google also teased our next flagships, the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro.
The Pixel 7 Pro is great in this color and the aluminum camera bar / © Google
We found a similar design to this year’s Pixel flagships, with the camera bar made from a single piece of aluminum this time around and housing a new triple photo module. We will also find the next-generation SoC Tensor, and both smartphones will run on Android 13. We will definitely learn more in the fall.
Tablet signed with Google?
As usual, Google leaked its own product before it was even finished. That’s how we see Google’s tablet, which is supposed to work in harmony with your smartphone and the Pixel ecosystem. Google hasn’t given up on this tablet, other than it’s supposed to be released in 2023. The manufacturer had a chance to review its copy of Android 12L.
Android 13 beta is out now and new features
The Android 13 beta will be officially released on Wednesday, May 11.
Google sounded the alarm by evoking the Material You design, and announced that Android 13 will allow third-party apps to take advantage of Monet, its personalization system that adjusts colors based on wallpaper. Android 13 also includes a new system that lets you choose the language of each app, and even a new control center.
Google has also launched a new Google Wallet to securely store your payment cards, student cards, airline tickets, vaccinations and ID cards (not in Europe). Google Wallet should arrive in the next few weeks.
Google Maps gives you an eagle eye view
After swiftly announcing the addition of 24 new languages to Google Translate, the American giant announced a major update to Google Maps with immersive views.
Google Maps lets you explore a place in real time, see local weather, traffic conditions, and nearby attractions. For example, you can click on a restaurant and walk in virtually to see if you like the decor.
This feature will be available in the next few months, initially in English only.
Immersive View @Google Map is a whole new way to experience what neighborhoods, landmarks, restaurants and venues look like – even feel like you’re there. It uses advances in computer vision and artificial intelligence to fuse billions of Street View images together. #GoogleIO pic.twitter.com/DgJwwE03rQ
– Google Google) May 11, 2022
Google also announced the deployment of Eco Friendly Routing in Europe, which makes it possible to calculate the most efficient routes for carbon emissions. This feature also applies to airplane flights.
Google is also YouTube. Video platforms have added the ability to automatically generate subtitles on mobile devices. It provides video transcripts in nearly 16 languages.
We can also quickly discuss a new feature of Google Docs that automatically creates summaries from your documents.
Google Search understands you and better represents you
Google has announced several features for its search engine, Google Search. The first is Multisearch, which includes combining text search and images. And Multisearch near me. Imagine you see a dish on Instagram, you can search for it by related photos and find restaurants nearby that serve it. Only available in English for the first time later this year. But it can also go further.
Google IO 2022 Keynote / © Google
Google also announced the Monk Sink Tone Scale. This is a skin tone recognition algorithm that more accurately reflects dark skin tones in Google Photos and Google Search. This will allow for more inclusive results for image enhancement in Google Search, with the ability to filter results by skin tone. Google is even envisioning a new standard to tag images with attributes like skin tone, color, and hair type.
Find and talk about the Google Nest Hub
Google has announced two new options that allow access to Google Assistant. The first involves the Nest Hub Max. We can simply look at the connected object and it will understand what we want to ask it.
Another scenario is what Google calls “natural conversations,” which allow you to initiate queries without having to say the popular phrase “Hey Google.” You can choose a series of quick phrases, shortcuts, for example, you can just ask the Google Assistant to “turn on the lights.”
Just look at your Google Nest Hub tablet, no “Hey Google!” / © Google
My Ad Center to control your advertising data
As Google claims, the Mountain View company makes a living from advertising and our personal data. But Google keeps showing its credentials and insists it doesn’t collect and sell our data without our knowledge.
That’s why Google has announced a “My Ad Center” menu in your Google Account, which will allow you to better manage the types of ads you accept.
We also saw the option “About your results”. Google added this option to allow your selected information to disappear when you type your name in the Google search bar or when someone types your name.