Google I/O Explained

Date:	May–June (1–3 days)
Frequency:	Annual
Venue:	2008–15: Moscone Center 2016–19: Shoreline Amphitheatre 2021: Online 2022– : Shoreline Amphitheatre, Online
Location:	2008–15: San Francisco, CA 2016–19: Mountain View, CA 2021: Online 2022–: Mountain View, CA, Online
Last:	May 14, 2024
Attendance:	5000 (est.)
Organized:	Google

Google I/O, or simply I/O, is an annual developer conference held by Google in Mountain View, California. The name "I/O"^[1] is taken from the number googol, with the "I" representing the first digit "1" in a googol and the "O" representing the second digit "0" in the number.^[2] The format of the event is similar to Google Developer Day.

Key Announcements and Milestones

2008: Launch of the Android platform, the Open Handset Alliance, and introduction of various APIs for Google Maps and YouTube.
2009: Introduction of the Google Wave communication platform.
2010: Announcement of Android 2.2 Froyo, Google TV, and the App Inventor for Android.
2011: Unveiling of Android 3.1 Honeycomb, Google Music Beta, and the Android Open Accessory API.
2012: Introduction of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, Nexus 7 tablet, Nexus Q, and Project Glass demonstrations.
2013: Launch of Google Play Music All Access, Google Hangouts, and enhancements to Google Maps.
2014: Announcement of Android 5.0 Lollipop, Material Design, Android Auto, Android TV, and Android Wear.
2015: Introduction of Android 6.0 Marshmallow, Google Photos, and Project Brillo for IoT.
2016: Launch of Google Assistant, Google Home, Allo and Duo apps, and Android Instant Apps.
2017: Announcement of Google Lens, Android Oreo, and Google.ai for AI research initiatives.
2018: Introduction of Android P (later named Android Pie), Google Duplex, and further enhancements to Google Assistant and Google News.
2019: Launch of the Pixel 3a and 3a XL, updates to Google Assistant, and the introduction of Project Mainline for Android updates.
2021: Announcement of Android 12 with Material You design, enhancements to Wear OS, and Project Starline for video conferencing.
2022: Updates to Google's AI and machine learning capabilities, introduction of new privacy controls, enhancements to Google Workspace, and various updates to Android and Wear OS.
2023: Focus on Generative AI (PaLM 2) for core products, introduction of Pixel Fold (first foldable phone), Pixel 7a (most durable A-Series phone), and Pixel Tablet.
2024: New iteration of Gemini AI and Firebase Genkit, a framework for creating and deploying applications with AI features.^[3] ^[4] SGE or Search Generative Experience rebranded as AI Overviews. It will initially be rolled out as a Beta in the US, followed by a roll out in the other countries.

Notes and References

Web site: 2024-05-08 . Google I/O 2024: Everything You Need to Know - Iconic Topic . 2024-05-27 . en-US.
Web site: Gartenberg . Chaim . May 9, 2023 . The meaning of I/O: How Google's annual event got its name . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230510003351/https://blog.google/inside-google/google-io-meaning/ . May 10, 2023 . May 9, 2023 . The Keyword . . en.
Web site: Ken Yeung . Google introduces Firebase Genkit, a developer framework for building AI-powered apps . venturebeat.com . 16 May 2024 . May 14, 2024.
Web site: Kyle Barr . Everything Announced at Google I/O: Gemini Takes Over . Gizmodo . 16 May 2024 . 15 May 2024.