Google I/O 2025: Your Ultimate Guide to Google's Annual Developer Conference

The post Google I/O 2025: Your Ultimate Guide to Google's Annual Developer Conference appeared first on Android Headlines.

Apr 4, 2025 - 15:19

Google has announced that Google I/O will be returning to the Shoreline Amphitheater on May 20 and May 21, 2025. It’s still unlikely to be as big as it was before the pandemic, but Google is slowly returning to the full Google I/O event.

Google has been using the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View for its annual developers conference for nearly a decade now, with the first event happening in 2016. Google opted to move here since it’s closer to its headquarters – literally next door – and it’s much larger than Moscone West in San Francisco.

Typically, Google I/O provides updates on all of Google’s products but more of a developers’ point-of-view, hence why it’s a developers conference. Last year, the keynote was all about AI. Almost two hours about AI, with only about 2 minutes on Android – and even that was only about AI.

Now, what might Google have up its sleeves for Google I/O this year? Let’s find out.

What is Google I/O?

Google I/O is the company’s annual developer conference, which typically takes place each May, usually around mid-May. It first started in 2008 and has happened every year since, with the exception of 2020. This year, it’s actually a week later than usual. Which sort of coincides with Google changing up its schedule for Pixel and Android releases over the past year.

Google I/O (which stands for Input/Output) is where the company will typically announce new software as well as updates to its products. Google has a lot of products these days, but a few mainstays of I/O include Android and Chrome.

I/O was always held at the Moscone Center in San Francisco until 2016. Moscone Center was the home to Apple’s WWDC and Microsoft’s BUILD conference as well. However, neither one takes place there anymore, with Microsoft moving its BUILD conference to Seattle after the pandemic. In 2016, Google moved I/O to the Shoreline Amphitheater, which is a stone’s throw away from the Google Plex. It’s a much larger venue and is now outdoors. Making it perfect for Google’s ever-expanding products.

How did Google I/O get its name?

The name “Google I/O” is a bit of a nerdy name, as the “I/O” part stands for Input/Output. That references the computational concept of interfacing between a computer system and the outside world.

There is a second explanation for the origin, which says that I/O stands for “innovation in the open”, and that does line up with the Google I/O event quite nicely. As Google does spotlight all of the innovation the teams have done in the past year (sometimes longer).

Back in May 2006, Google actually held its first “Google I/O,” though it wasn’t called that. It was actually called the Geo Developer Day and was centered around the first publicly available developer tool, the Google Maps API. It had just 100 attendees and was held at the Googleplex in Mountain View. In 2007, Google held another similar event called “Google Developer Day”. It didn’t become “Google I/O” until 2008 when it moved to San Francisco’s Moscone West.

Google IO 2024 AH 5

When is Google I/O?

This year, Google I/O will take place on May 20 and May 21. Once again, just two days. Which is what Google seems to have settled on after the Pandemic. Back when Google I/O was at Moscone and the first few years at Shoreline, it was actually 3-days long.

The keynote will start at 10 AM PT on May 20. That will last around two hours, sometimes a little longer. After a short lunch break, we’ll get the developer keynote. This is where Google will dive deeper into some of the more developer-centric announcements from the main keynote. Afterwards, there will be a slew of different sessions happening at Shoreline, for pretty much every product that Google has. Including loads of demos.

How can I watch Google I/O?

Google I/O is always free to watch online, and this year, it’ll be more accessible than ever. You can watch all of the keynotes and sessions on Google’s I/O website here. You’ll also be able to watch these on the Google Developers and Android Developers YouTube channels.

You can also register on the site and set up your schedule to “attend” different sessions and get notifications when those sessions are set to begin.

Can I watch the sessions?

Prior to the pandemic, Google made some sessions available online for anyone to watch. Now after the pandemic, the entire conference is available to watch online on YouTube. You can check out the Google I/O schedule here. It’ll likely expand after the main keynote ends on May 20 at around 12PM PT. Google doesn’t fill out the entire schedule before the keynote, so it doesn’t give announcements away. Even though Google is terrible at containing leaks.

This year, Google I/O is separated into four focuses: AI, Cloud, Mobile, and Web. Google I/O used to be far larger, including almost all of Google’s products, but now it is limited to just their biggest areas.

What is Google expected to announce?

So, what exactly is Google going to announce at I/O this year? Well, we really don’t know just yet, as there have been very few rumors and leaks about I/O so far. But there are a few things that are a lock-in for I/O every year. At the writing of this guide, Google has not yet released the Google I/O schedule which will give us more hints on what Google is planning to announce.

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Android 16

We already know that Android 16 will be available starting on June 3. That’s the date that the update should be pushed to AOSP (Android Open Source Project) with the update landing on Pixel devices shortly thereafter. So we could see Google do a bit more formal of an announcement for Andorid 16 at Google I/O. Of course, by then, we will be on the last beta for Android 16, so it’s also possible that Google might not announce anything Android-related. Which would be pretty odd.

However, I wouldn’t rule out an announcement about the launch date for Android 16.

Google IO 2024 AH 3

More AI

This is pretty much a given, particularly after Google spent two hours talking AI at Google I/O last year. AI is seen as the next big thing, and Google is still trying to compete and catch up to competitors like OpenAI.

Currently, we don’t have any concrete rumors about what AI features we could see announced at Google I/O. But you better believe that there will be a lot of talk about Gemini, Astra and more.

Google IO AI count 2024 AH

A fun game would be counting how many times Google says AI during the keynote. In fact last year, Sundar Pichai made a job about that, as Google had a counter going during the keynote. AI was said 121 times during a roughly two-hour keynote. It was 120 before Sundar said it one more time to prove that it was counting.

Android XR Launch

The third major pillar of Google I/O will likely be Android XR. This is the new platform that Google announced last year, with partners including Samsung. Essentially, this is Google’s second attempt at VR and AR, and Samsung has already debuted a headset running on Android XR, however it’s been more of a tease than anything else. Very few people have been able to actually demo the headset. Which leads many to think that’s still a ways off from being official and going on sale.

AH Samsung Project Moohan (5)

But, since Android XR was announced, we’ve seen very little details from Google on this platform. So we could see Google detail it a bit more. Perhaps not during the keynote, but more so in a session afterwards.

Wear OS 6

We don’t expect this to be mentioned in the keynote this year, however, it could be announced later on during some Wear OS sessions. Though, Wear OS 5.1 did just start rolling out to the Pixel Watch, so we are likely a bit further away from Wear OS 6.

In the past, we have seen new Wear OS updates released around July, which is when the new Samsung Galaxy Watch models launch. Keep in mind that Samsung and Google partner together to build Wear OS now. Which is why the releases are tied to Samsung’s wearable releases.

Google I/O is like Christmas for Google fans

I/O is always very exciting for Google and Android fans. Many people refer to it as “Christmas for Android users,” and it really is. Lots of exciting announcements happen at Google I/O. However, in previous years, those announcements have become less exciting. That’s because most of Google’s products are pretty mature now and don’t need significant updates or prominent features. Hopefully, Google can surprise us this year.

Either way, we are excited to see what Google has planned this year. Mark your calendars for May 14.

The post Google I/O 2025: Your Ultimate Guide to Google's Annual Developer Conference appeared first on Android Headlines.