What to anticipate together with Gemini AI, Android 16 updates, Android XR and extra

In only a week, Google’s annual developer convention will kick off on May 20. The occasion might be a very powerful on the corporate’s calendar, providing a glimpse at all the things it has been engaged on over the previous yr.

From the rumors and even data Google has trickled out, I/O 2025 ought to be one of many extra thrilling tech keynotes in latest reminiscence. Plus, for the primary time, Google has spun out a dedicated Android showcase deliberate a complete week earlier. That simply occurred immediately (Could 13), and you’ll take a look at everything that was announced at the Android Show or go to our liveblog to get a really feel for a way issues performed out.

Now that the Android Present is over, it is time to stay up for I/O, the place the main target will virtually undoubtedly be about AI. We have gathered probably the most credible studies and leaks to place collectively this roundup of what to anticipate, and although a lot of the Android-related bulletins have been made, it is nonetheless doable that Google shares extra particulars about its cellular platform subsequent week.

If you would like to tune in from dwelling and comply with alongside as Google makes its bulletins, take a look at our article on how to watch the Google I/O 2025 keynote. We’ll even be liveblogging the occasion, so you possibly can simply come to Engadget for the breaking information.

Android 16

A few of my favourite I/O moments concerned watching Dave Burke take to the Shoreline stage to speak concerning the newest updates for Android. However for the previous couple of years, Android hasn’t had a lot of a highlight at Google’s annual developer convention. That is about to vary, with the corporate’s devoted showcase throughout immediately’s Android Present: I/O Version.

The presentation featured Android Ecosystem President Sameer Samat, who took over for Burke in 2024. We noticed Samat and his colleagues showcase the new Material 3 Expressive design, and what we discovered confirmed a number of the options that have been beforehand leaked, just like the “Ongoing notifications” bar. Materials 3 Expressive can also be coming to Put on OS 6, and the corporate is expanding the reach of Gemini by bringing it to its smartwatch platform, Android Auto and Google TV. Android 16 will also come with new scam-detection features and a refined Discover Hub that may see assist for satellite tv for pc connectivity later within the yr.

Talking of timing, Google has already confirmed the brand new working system will arrive someday earlier than the second half of the yr. Although it didn’t launch a steady construct of Android 16 immediately, Samat shared in the course of the present that Android 16 (or no less than a part of it) is coming subsequent month to Pixel gadgets. And although the corporate did cowl some new options coming to Android XR, senior director for Android Product and UX Guemmy Kim stated in the course of the presentation that “we’ll share extra on Android XR at I/O subsequent week.”

It clearly looks like extra continues to be to return, and never only for Android XR. We did not get affirmation on the Android Authority report that Google might add a extra sturdy picture picker, with assist for cloud storage options. That does not imply it will not be in Android 16, it’d simply be one thing the corporate did not get to say in its 30-minute showcase. Plus, Google has been releasing new Android options in a quarterly cadence these days, reasonably than wait until an annual replace window to make updates out there. It is doable we see extra added to Android 16 because the yr progresses.

Among the best locations to get an concept for what’s to return in Android 16 is in its beta model, which has already been out there to builders and is currently in its fourth iteration. For instance, we discovered in March that Android 16 will bring Auracast support, which might make it simpler to hearken to and swap between a number of Bluetooth gadgets. This might additionally allow folks to obtain Bluetooth audio on listening to aids they’ve paired with their telephones or tablets.

Android XR

Bear in mind Google Glass? No? How about Daydream? Perhaps Cardboard? After sending (no less than) three XR initiatives to the graveyard, you’d suppose even Google would say sufficient is sufficient. As an alternative, the corporate is getting ready to launch Android XR after previewing the platform on the finish of final yr. This time round, the corporate says the facility of its Gemini AI fashions will make issues totally different. We all know Google is working with Samsung on a headset codenamed Challenge Moohan. Final fall, Samsung hinted that the machine might arrive someday this yr.

Whether or not Google and Samsung demo Challenge Moohan at I/O, I think about the search large could have extra to say about Android XR and the ecosystem companions it has labored to deliver to its facet for the initiative. This falls in step with what Kim stated about extra on Android XR being shared at I/O.

AI, AI and extra AI

If Google felt the necessity to cut up off Android into its personal showcase, we’re more likely to get extra AI-related bulletins at I/O than ever earlier than. The corporate hasn’t supplied many hints about what we are able to anticipate on that entrance, but when I needed to guess, options like AI Overviews and AI Mode are more likely to get substantive updates. I think Google may also have one thing to say about Project Mariner, the web-surfing agent it demoed at I/O 2024. Both manner, Google is an AI firm now, and each I/O shifting ahead will mirror that.

Challenge Astra

Talking of AI, Project Astra was one of many extra impressive demos Google confirmed off at I/O 2024. The expertise made the a lot of the newest multi-modal capabilities of Google’s Gemini fashions to supply one thing we hadn’t seen earlier than from the corporate. It is a voice assistant with superior picture recognition options that enables it to converse concerning the issues it sees. Google envisions Challenge Astra sooner or later offering a really helpful synthetic assistant.

Nevertheless, after seeing an in-person demo of Astra, the Engadget crew felt the tech wanted much more work. Given the splash Challenge Astra made final yr, there is a good probability we might get an replace on it at I/O 2025.

A Pinterest competitor

In accordance with a report from The Information, Google may be planning to unveil its own take on Pinterest next week. That characterization is courtesy ofThe Data, however primarily based on the options described within the article, Engadget workforce members discovered it extra paying homage to Cosmos as an alternative. Cosmos is a pared-down model of Pinterest, letting folks save and curate something they see on the web. It additionally lets you share your saved pages with others.

Google’s model, in the meantime, will reportedly present picture outcomes primarily based in your queries, and it can save you the photographs in several folders primarily based by yourself preferences. So say you are placing collectively a lookbook primarily based on Jennie from Blackpink. You’ll be able to seek for her outfits and save your favorites in a folder you possibly can title “Lewks,” maybe.

Whether or not that is merely constructed into Search or exists as a standalone product is unclear, and we’ll have to attend until I/O to see whether or not the report was correct and what the characteristic actually is like.

Put on OS

Final yr, Put on OS did not get a point out in the course of the firm’s primary keynote, however Google did preview Wear OS 5 in the course of the developer classes that adopted. The corporate solely started rolling out Wear OS 5.1 to Pixel gadgets in March. This yr, we have already discovered on the Android Present that Put on OS 6 is coming, with Materials 3 Expressive gracing its interface. Will we be taught extra at I/O subsequent week? It is unclear, nevertheless it would not be a shock if that was all of the air time Put on OS will get this yr.

NotebookLM

Since 2023, Google has supplied NotebookLM on desktop. The note-taking app makes use of machine studying for options like automated summaries. Based on App Store and Google Play listings, the corporate is on the brink of launch a cellular model of the service on the primary day of I/O 2025.

The whole lot else

Google has a horrible observe file in the case of stopping leaks inside its inner ranks, so the chance the corporate might shock us is low. Nonetheless, Google might announce one thing we do not anticipate. As at all times, your greatest guess is to go to Engadget on Could 20 and 21. We’ll have all the most recent from Google then together with our liveblog and evaluation.

Replace, Could 5 2025, 7:08PM ET: This story has been up to date to incorporate particulars on a leaked weblog publish discussing “Materials 3 Expressive.”

Replace, Could 6 2025, 5:29PM ET: This story has been up to date to incorporate particulars on the Android 16 beta, in addition to Auracast assist.

Replace, Could 8 2025, 3:20PM ET: This story has been up to date to incorporate particulars on how one can watch the Android Present and the Google I/O keynote, in addition to tweak the intro for freshness.

Replace, Could 13 2025, 3:22PM ET: This story has been up to date to incorporate all of the bulletins from the Android Present and a brand new report from The Data a few doable picture search characteristic debuting at I/O. The intro was additionally edited to precisely mirror what has occurred for the reason that final time this text was up to date.

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