Table of Contents
The Google I/O 2023 took place on the 10th of May. It’s an annual developer conference. It featured the CEO of Google, Sundar Pichai. It took place at the ‘Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California.’ It was a two-hour event that launched new products and services by Google.
Since the event was about many launches that were already expected and some that came as a total surprise to the audience, there’s a lot to unpack.
Here is everything that happened at the Google I/O 2023 event:
- AI and Google
- The debut of Pixel Fold
- Pixel 7a: better than its predecessor
- Pixel tablet
- Other launches
AI and Google:
AI is the hot new topic of 2023. It has taken over the world with the speed of light, and the advancements in the digital world using AI know no bounds. So why should Google stay behind when it has every chance to prove how it’s still the best in the game? Google already offers some excellent services to its users, including Google Search and Google Workspace. In this event, the CEO highlighted how it incorporated AI with these features to make something that will prove to be efficient and groundbreaking.
– Google Bard with PaLM 2:
When Open AI introduced Chat GPT, which gained popularity in a matter of days, it added pressure on Google service providers to create something with AI incorporated into its services. Google introduced Bard, which was LaMDA powered. LaMDA stands for “Language Model for Dialogue Application.”
At this event, Google announced that LaMDA will now be replaced by PaLM 2, a much better tool with added features.
Palm 2 is another language model incorporated to better the user experience and fix the shortcomings BARD was experiencing. It’s more innovative than the ones that came before it and has been improved by adding new features. This new language model specializes in fields like medicine and cyber security, which makes it one of a kind.
Bard made available worldwide:
Initially, there was a long waitlist for Bard. In this event, Google announced that this waitlist had been dropped. Now BARD will be available to over 180 countries worldwide.
Improvements in BARD:
Google’s BARD has been improved in numerous ways, and additional features have been added to it to improve the user experience.
It has:
- More supported languages
- Dark mode
- Better at coding
- Can cite the codes it generates
- Can export the generated codes to Replit
- Expert in medicine
- Expert in cybersecurity
– AI and Google Workspace:
Google announced that AI has now been incorporated into Gmail, Google Docs, and Google Sheets. These new features can generate content based on the prompt that is fed into it. For example, the AI email generator by Gmail can now generate complete emails using the prompts that are fed to it. The emails can also be customized as per a person’s personal preference. There is a feature to refine the drafts the AI email generator produces. This feature can shorten or lengthen the email. Not only that, it can also be used to change the tone of the email. It can be made more or less formal based on the user’s preference.
AI also suggests phrases, sentences, and paragraphs that are grammatically correct and don’t have spelling mistakes. It was demonstrated to the viewers by generating an email to get a flight ticket refund using Gmail’s AI email generator.
Along with that, AI helps generate content and structured documents.
Availability:
These features are not available to everyone. So like most new features, to test this one, one has to join the waitlist for Google Labs.
– Google search labs:
Google announced it would add a new feature to the already available Google search engine. The new generative AI panel will be added at the start of the Search result pages. This will help simplify the results, and the user will get the information in plain language that will be easy to understand. It will also show the sources it got the information from. What this does is, enhances the user experience by allowing the user to fact-check the resources it got information from and further the research as well. Searching the web for information will be revolutionized by this service.
Availability:
As with other new features, this is available for test checking, but you must join the waitlist.
Pixel Fold debut
It was already known that Google would announce a new foldable smartphone in the upcoming Google event. Google introduced the new Pixel Fold in the 2023 I/O event. It costs $1800, but Google offers early buyers a free Pixel Watch to those who think it’s too pricey.
Design:
The Google Pixel Fold has a compact form factor measuring 139.7 x 79.5 x 12.1mm when folded and 139.7 x 158.8 x 5.8mm unfolded. To maintain the form of a smartphone, it comes with a 5.8-inch cover screen and a 7.6-inch main screen. Both displays are 120 Hz OLED panels. Internally, the Pixel Fold has the Tensor G2 system-on-a-chip with a Titan M2 co-processor, 12 GB of memory, and a 4,821 mAh battery.
Pixel 7a: better than its predecessors:
The Pixel 7a is almost identical to the Pixel 7, which made the audience mistake it for Pixel 7. It’s $100 cheaper than Pixel 7 for almost identical features. The three main differences between these two devices are, Pixel 7a has a display that is smaller than Pixel 7. It’s 6.1. It has a plastic back and has a smaller sensor than Pixel 7.
Pixel Tablet:
The Pixel tablet was revealed at Google I/O 2022. Google showcased it a year before it was to be launched, which is very unusual for brands to do. The company revealed the design but instead of launching it; they informed the audience it would arrive soon. No dates were provided for the launch, which made it one of the most anticipated reveals in this event. With its new and innovative features, the Pixel Tablets will give the other tabs already present in the market a run for their money.
One can pre-order it for $499. It has a 10.85-inch display with POGO pin contacts on the back designed to dock it with a special accessory. 
Each comes with a color-matched charging speaker dock.
The colors available are:
- Hazel
- Porcelain
- Rose-Gold
Other Launches:
1. Google’s Immersive View:
Google’s immersive View for all the possible routes is going to let you experience traveling via Google Maps before you actually set out on your journey.
2. Magic Editor
It’s an advanced photo editing tool that will help remove or change objects that Magic Eraser fails to erase. This will prove a very powerful tool as it will help save time spent on Adobe Photoshop and other tricky platforms.
1. Redesigns in Google Home apps:
Google is adding changes to the Google Home app. It will also add a home panel to its Google Pixel devices. The update was about to be launched the very next day.
2. Wallpapers and Emojis update:
Google will now offer emojis and wallpapers, allowing users to create them from their phones.
3. Universal Translator
Another significant tool that was talked about was the Universal translator. It aims to translate videos into various languages without altering the tone and original context of the videos. Not only will the translations be more accurate, but they will also make sure that lips move in sync with the language used to make it more real for the audience. This is going to revolutionize the digital world. But for now, Google has provided access to authorized partners only.
4. Privacy concerns:
The event addressed the privacy concerns many people face now since the introduction of AI and its availability to everyone. They updated the audience about the privacy and security features incorporated to improve the user experience.
5. Google’s Find My Device
This is a very important update Google talked about. One can now track their offline devices. It will also provide an alert for unknown trackers. This feature, however, will work on Apple and Android both.
1. Play Store listings:
Google is working on building a generative AI tool. This will help users draft content easily and start play store listings in English. All one has to do is add a prompt, like an audience and a theme. It will generate a draft that can be used or discarded. There is also an option to edit.
2. Project Starline
It will change how people communicate. But this feature has yet to be released.
Conclusion:
Google introduced innovative features and products in the new I/O event that will revolutionize the modern world. The CEO demonstrated how the company is constantly working to improve the user experience, enhance and promote sustainability as well as expand its expertise. By introducing a new and economical phone, Google has highlighted how it wants to make technology available to everyone. Google is pushing boundaries by introducing features that have AI incorporated into them. By introducing advancement in technology and features, Google is paving a way to create a more technological and intelligent future for its customers.
