Google has announced that its upcoming developer conference will start on May 14th when Google I/O 2024 kicks off. You can expect to hear plenty about AI including Google’s Gemini large language models (LLM). Also, you might be looking forward to seeing what new features are in store for Android 15. No doubt we will see some new capabilities based on AI and Machine Learning along with other improvements being made to Google’s open-source mobile operating system.
Pixel fans can look forward to the introduction of the mid-range Pixel 8a. The phone is rumored to be equipped with a 6.1-inch OLED panel with an FHD+ resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate. The Tensor G3 application processor (AP) will be under the hood with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The rumor mill says to expect a huge hike in battery life from the 4385mAh cell employed on the Pixel 7a to the rumored 4942mAh battery keeping the lights on the Pixel 8a. That would work out to be a 12.7% increase in battery capacity.
The countdown to #GoogleIO is here!
Tune in May 14 for our latest updates and demos → https://t.co/dkRkJ7ldvipic.twitter.com/NH2sq4diqu
— Google (@Google) March 14, 2024
The camera array for the Pixel 8a is expected to include the familiar (to long-time Pixel users) 12.2MP primary camera and a 12MP ultra-wide camera. The front-facing selfie snapper should weigh in at 10.5MP, and Android 14 will be pre-installed.
Last year Google also announced the Pixel Tablet and the Pixel Fold at I/O which means that the Pixel Fold 2 could see some action during the keynote. Rumors call for a larger 8.03-inch internal screen to adorn the Fold 2 compared to the 7.6-inch display used on the OG Pixel Fold. The cover screen is rumored to weigh in at 6.29 inches compared to the 5.8-inch external display seen on last year’s Pixel Fold.
Google has launched the I/O 2024 website which includes a countdown timer and a puzzle that you can kill some time trying to do. The keynote will be streamed in front of a small live audience. It seems that the days when huge crowds would attend and Google handed out free phones (in 2010, certain developers received a free Nexus One or a Motorola DROID) are long gone.