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Google I/O 2023: 9 notable takeaways from this year’s event

Google I/O 2023 brought the heat with new Pixel devices, AI advancements in Search and Android, and updates to Wear OS, Google Home, and Google Photos.

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Image: KnowTechie

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Google I/O comes once a year, and this year’s event was a wild ride of Pixel goodness, AI magic, and Wear OS awesomeness.

It was seriously an impressive event that packed a bunch of news in such a short time frame.

Casey Newton, Platformer founder and writer, pretty much verifies my claim with this ‘skeet’ from his Bluesky account, “Seems pretty inarguable to me that today was the most interesting I/O keynote in close to a decade.”

Casey Newton is a salesman, podcast co-host, and social media user with 3,531 followers who is sharing their opinion on a recent event. Full Text: V Following .. Casey Newton @caseynewton.bsky.social 3,531 followers 224 following 106 posts Email salesman and podcast co-host. Posts Posts & replies Casey Newton @caseyne ... . 11h Seems pretty inarguable to me that today was the most interesting I/O keynote in close to a decade t7 2 3 38 ...
Image: KnowTechie / Bluesky

Yup, this tracks. But what was so good about it? Well, I’ll show you. Here are some of the best announcements Google made at its annual Google I/O event.

Our favorite Google I/O 2023 announcements

A collection of cell phones is present.
Image: KnowTechie

🌟 The Pixel Trifecta: Fold, Tablet, and 7A

Google dropped the mic with three jaw-dropping Pixel devices

  • Pixel Fold 📱: This $1,799 stunner is Google’s first foldable phone, rocking a 5.8-inch OLED outer screen that blossoms into a 7.6-inch OLED display with a buttery-smooth 120Hz refresh rate.
  • Pixel Tablet 💻: At $499, this sleek 11-inch tablet doubles as a smart display, thanks to a clever magnetic charging dock that moonlights as a speaker.
  • Pixel 7A 📞: The budget-friendly Pixel 7A, starting at $499, brings a 6.1-inch 1080p display with a 90Hz refresh rate to the A-series party.

All these devices come with Google’s Tensor G2 chip under the hood. Bonus: Preorder the Pixel 7A and get a $50 Best Buy gift card, plus an extra $50 off with activation.

🔮 AI Snapshots: Google Search on Steroids

Families with kids and a dog can explore both Bryce Canyon and Arches National Parks, with Bryce Canyon offering two paved trails that allow dogs and Arches National Park offering rock formations for children to explore. Full Text: Google what's better for a farely with kids under ) and a dog bryce canyon of X & Convine Dropping Both Bryce Canyon and Arches National Parks are family-friendly. Although both parks prohibit dogs on unpaved trolls, Bryce Canyon has two paved traits that allow dogs Bryce Canyon has datinctive features Exe hoodoos, natural bridges, and Athen Waiting Bryce waterfolio, At the visitor center's interactive exhibits, children can learn about Canyon the geology, wildlife, and people of the area. You can bring your dog on the poved sections of both the Rim Trail and the Shared Ute Path, both of which are also stroller-friendly. At Archos, children may enjoy the rock formations. and some say that Arches has more variety than Bryce Canyon. Pets aren't allowed on any train, though they are allowed et campgrounds, putouts, roads, and parking lots. Both parks offer guided tours, ranger-led programs, picnic areos, and restrooms, and both parkt require pets to be leashed. Li How long to toend of Bryce Carryon with Moi? 4. How many days do you need in Arches National Park for kidi! 0 0 Action Tour Guide

Google Search just upgraded with AI-generated “snapshots” that appear at the top of search results for certain queries.

The Search Generative Experience (SGE) feature is powered by Google’s updated large language model, PaLM 2, and it’s about to change how we search, says Google.

Personally, this is one part of the show that didn’t sit well with me.

Google seems to be gathering all the content it indexes from various sources and repackaging it in its own style, effectively sidelining the content creators who supplied the material they’re showcasing.

That’s a battle for another day, but here’s a good rundown from SEO consultant Aleyda Solisos and the potential impact this new change could have.

https://twitter.com/aleyda/status/1656607991917887489

🧠 Google Search Perspectives: Real Talk from Real People

Google is introducing a new Perspectives feature that sources answer from platforms like Reddit, Stack Overflow, YouTube, and personal blogs, bringing genuine human insights right to your search results.

🤝 Duet AI: Crushing It in the Workspace

Google announced Duet AI, a suite of AI tools for Docs, Sheets, Slides, Meet, and Gmail that’ll change how you work.

While currently available only to those on the waitlist, these features will let you compose emails, generate images from text in Slides, and so much more.

📸 Google Photos: Unleashing Your Inner Photo Wizard

The new AI-powered Magic Editor in Google Photos lets you make epic edits, like enhancing the sky, moving objects, and removing people from the background.

Early access will be available to select Pixel users later this year.

🗣️ Bard: The AI Chatbot BFF You Never Knew You Needed

Bard on phone
Image: KnowTechie

Google’s AI chatbot, Bard, is now available to everyone, and it’s packed with new features like support for Japanese and Korean languages, plus easy exporting of generated text to Google Docs and Gmail.

Future updates include AI image generation with Adobe’s Firefly and integrations with third-party services like OpenTable and Instacart.

🎨 Android’s AI Makeover: Customization Galore

Android is leveling up with AI-powered features like Magic Compose in the Messages app and the ability to create custom wallpapers using text-to-image diffusion models.

Google is also launching a Pixel-exclusive “cinematic wallpaper” feature that adds depth to your existing photos.

⌚ Wear OS 4: The Smartwatch Revolution Continues

Wear OS 4 is coming in hot with improved battery life, user-friendly backup and restore options, and new accessibility features.

Plus, you can now control your smart home directly from your watch, adjusting lighting, controlling media, and even viewing animated camera notifications.

🏠 Google Home App: A Makeover Worth the Wait

The redesigned Google Home app, available to everyone starting May 11th, is packed with upgrades like an improved camera interface, a new Favorites tab, and support for a bunch of new device types.

In a nutshell, Google I/O 2023 was a wild ride of innovation, with new Pixel devices, AI advancements in Search and Android, and updates to Wear OS, Google Home, and Google Photos.

If you missed the show and want to watch it for yourself, here’s a quick five-minute rundown:

Have any thoughts on this? Drop us a line below in the comments, or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Kevin is KnowTechie's founder and executive editor. With over 15 years of blogging experience in the tech industry, Kevin has transformed what was once a passion project into a full-blown tech news publication. Shoot him an email at kevin@knowtechie.com or find him on Mastodon or Post.

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