Google I/O 2021: Full Event Summary

Google IO is simply an annual event that invites the developers to a conference held in Mountain View, California. “I/O” stands for input/output, as well as the slogan “Innovation in the Open”. The event’s format is similar to Google Developer Day. Usually, it is a day when google introduces its future applications or ventures and incoming features that will be added in the tools for the developers to use. The conference usually witnesses the unveiling of various tools that will be used by the developers in the future in the recent updates or in the future.

The conference began with Sundar Pichai saying, “to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.” As he continues to introduce google’s future ventures, he quotes, “building a more helpful google for everyone.”

Here is the list of upcoming ventures that were introduced in this year’s Google I/O.

1) Smart Canvas in Google Workspace

Google takes a step forward and introduces smart canvas which will be mostly a mixture of google sheets, Docs, and task manager service Asana. This is as explained will be “linked content inspired by the web” They aim to bring meetings directly into the docs and introduce slides which will be a very first experience for all google enthusiasts. As the pandemic rushed in, the use of online platforms such as google meet has seen a rise, and thus now they are concentrating on improving google meet such as the addition of noise cancellation, lighting according to AI, framing, and improved translation.

2) LaMDA: Google Translate and Voice Command Update

Google announced LaMDA, which stands for language model for dialogue applications. It is still in the research and in development phase inside the company. A simulation of a conversation with LaMDA acting as the planet Pluto. The conversation was natural and something that current voice assistants would have a hard time understanding and parsing. Eventually, google uses this in their voice assistant and other search options and improves it as time goes by.

Another news broken in the conference was the introduction of google cloud users to Google’s new TPUv4 pods will offer huge processing power. Other than this, they have been working on a new Quantum AI campus with quantum computers, qubits, and processors.

3) New Password Tools for Chrome

Now each of our passwords can be imported from other managers into Google’s tools. For android and google, users will see a development in the password manager feature and it will get better. The best additional feature that has been told about in this that google will suggest changing the password when there is a need to do so. With this new update, chrome does all the work and you can click all the buttons and sit back. This will be first introduced in chrome of android and then in other devices.

4) Update on Privacy Control

With the access to delete recent search history from your google application with a couple of taps on your device, google maps will give you the freedom to turn off your location history. In addition, google photos will allow you to keep your most intimate photos private- the photos that you don’t want others to see will be kept in a separate folder. They also mentioned that every activity will be deleted after 18 months. This timing can be changed accordingly as well.

5) Massive Update on Google Search

Here’s why you should look forward to the update in the search option. Google has worked on how to give more search options and tools to the users. One example used during the keynote was to take a photo of a pair of boots and ask if they could be used to hike Mount Fuji. The system then analyses the boots in the photo and provides the requested answer. In addition, they even mentioned how the search will be better and much improved and only coming from trusted sites.

6) Updates on Google Maps

Now when you use google maps live view, you can get the information of the prospering business of those places in augmented reality. Now just pointing at a place with a camera, you will be able to see its ratings on google maps. With this feature, one can discover new places and get to traveling alone with ease. With it’ recent update, we can expect a street map view that will give us a true to life map experience. Your google map will change according to the time of the day. If it’s morning, the coffee and sandwich shops will be highlighted else dining places at night and so on.

7) Google has a new take on Shopping

Google has taken a step in creating a shopping graph. This will integrate information from all over the web and bring it into one graph. Now using a screenshot and searching for the product online is much easier and simpler in the recent update as mentioned in the conference. Google will search for available coupons that you might use while shopping online. It will also provide and head up whenever the price for a particular item you have searched for before has dropped.

8) Update in Google Photos

Often we miss out on the photos that were clicked way back in the past. With its the latest feature in google photos, an additional feature is provided where photos will be categorize using based on not just faces but similar things for example an orange backpack as said at the conference. While speaking about this feature, they quoted the example of someone traveling with an orange bag. Google aims to create cinematic pictures using AI and animated photos using the same as well.

Google has taken a step further in its update by removing or hiding certain faces from your memories for example your ex! Very convenient indeed.

9) New look in Android 12

Android 12 was finally unveiled with a feature named Material You. They have taken a step further in developing it to the fullest with additional privacy given in. A dashboard will be introduced where you can control what kind of data would you like to see. Your font and colors will change according to your wallpaper and screensaver. This is an added feature of Material You and will be first introduced in google pixel. Your viewing experience changes based on how your phone is- that is if there are notifications present or not.

10) Better Together

They also are working on adding a feature where your car will be locked with just a click on your phone. Currently, they are working on this and are collaborating with the company of BMW and promises to bring such features soon. It has also brought in features that will be able to control your Android TV. With just one click or through voice you can command your android TV with ease. This will be added in google pixel in this year’s fall. GOOGLE WEARS AND TIZEN: NOW SAME

11) Google WearOS And Tizen: Now Same

The two parties Samsung and google joined hand together to combine WearOs and Tizen into a wearable operating system. The result mean faster apps, longer battery life even with always-on heart rate monitoring, and mass developer support. Developers will create apps for one platform and list the apps in the Play Store. They also think of Wear-based Fitbit devices this fall.

12) Checking Skin Conditions for Tuberculosis Screenings

With its latest update, now you can check any rash that has occurred in your skin by pointing the camera towards it and you will be told what needs to be done.

13) Project Starline

Google has brought in a new update that will make video calls more realistic. With the help of high-resolution cameras and custom-built depth sensors, google is able to capture our shapes from multiple perspectives. Then these are all fused together to create a real-time 3-D model. With detailed presentation, they showed how novel compression and creation of streaming algorithm is done. Thus they are able to reduce the data and display the human figure with high resolution. The light field display is high adjusting with the movements of the users. They have planned to join hands with Google and make this update better in that field.

Conclusion

The Google I/O meet is a three-day event that began on 18th May 2021 and will end on 21st. not only was it conveyed by Pichai but others who were a part of different projects introduced their ventures at this conference. Most updates are to come first in the google pixel this fall. They are slowly working to get it reached to our favourite play store apps and have brought in many expectations of various developers in this conference.

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