Google I/O 2022: Android 13 to Pixel 6a - Top 15 things announced at Google annual conference

Google I/O 2022: Google's annual developers conference - Google I/O,  kicked off for 2022 with the usual keynote . During the keynote Google announced major updates about the next version of its operating system, Android 13, and the company launched the Pixel 6A phone, Pixel Watch ,Pixel Buds Pro earbuds, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro and more. 

Here are top 15 things Google announced at I/O 2022: 

1. The US-based tech giant Google revealed the first look at the upcoming Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro smartphones, powered by the next version of Google Tensor chipset.

2.  Google announced an early look at Google Pixel Watch! It’s first-ever all-Google built watch: 80 per cent recycled stainless steel, Wear OS, Fitbit integration, Assistant access…and it’s coming this fall. Fitbit is coming to Google Pixel Watch.

3. The new Pixel Buds Pro use Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), a feature powered by a custom 6-core audio chip and Google algorithms to put the focus on your music — and nothing else. They also come in new colors: Charcoal, Fog, Coral and Lemongrass. 

4. The launch of Google Pixel 6a. The new Pixel 6a has the same Google Tensor processor and hardware security architecture with Titan M2 as the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. It also has two dual rear cameras — main and ultrawide lenses. You’ve got three Pixel 6a color options: Chalk, Charcoal and Sage. The options keep going if you pair it with one of the new translucent cases.
It costs $449 and will be available for pre-order on July 21.

5. Google also showed off an early look at the upcoming Pixel tablet, which they are aiming to make available next year.

6. You’ll no longer need to grant location to apps to enable Wi-Fi scanning in Android 13. Android 13 will automatically delete your clipboard history after a short time to preemptively block apps from seeing old copied information.  Android 13’s new photo picker lets you select the exact photos or videos you want to grant access to, without needing to share your entire media library with an app.

7. You’ll soon be able to copy a URL or picture from your phone, and paste it on your tablet in Android 13. Android 13 allows you to select different language preferences for different apps. The latest Android OS will also require apps to get your permission before sending you notifications. And later this year, you’ll see a new Security & Privacy settings page with Android 13.

8.Google Wallet is here! It’s a new home for things like your student ID, transit tickets, vaccine card, credit cards, debits cards. You can even use Google Wallet to hold your Walt Disney World park pass. Google Wallet is coming to Wear OS, too. Google Wallet users will be able to check the balance of transit passes and top up within Google Maps.

9. Google is also expanding quick phrases to Nest Hub Max, so you can skip saying “Hey Google” for some of your most common daily tasks – things like “set a timer for 10 minutes” or “turn off the living room lights.” You can choose the quick phrases you want to turn on.  Your quick phrases will work when Voice Match recognizes it’s you .

10. Google Meet video calls will now look better thanks to portrait restore and portrait light, which use AI and machine learning to improve quality and lighting on video calls. Later this year Google is also scaling the phishing and malware protections that guard Gmail to Google Docs, Sheets and Slides. Live sharing is coming to Google Meet, meaning users will be able to share controls and interact directly within the meeting, whether it’s watching an icebreaker video from YouTube or sharing a playlist.

11. Google Translate added 24 new languages. Google Translate now supports a total of 133 languages used around the globe.

12. Google Maps’ new immersive view is a whole new way to explore so you can see what an area truly looks and feels like. Immersive view will work on nearly any phone or tablet; you don’t need the fanciest or newest device.

13. Google Search will use the Monk Skin Tone Scale to make it easier to find more relevant results — for instance, if you search for “bridal makeup,” you’ll see an option to filter by skin tone so you can refine to results that meet your needs.

14. Google is also releasing LaMDA 2, as a part of the AI Test Kitchen, a new space to learn, improve, and innovate responsibly on this technology together. PaLM is a new language model that can solve complex math word problems, and even explain its thought process, step-by-step.

15. Google ecently launched multisearch in the Google app, which lets you search by taking a photo and asking a question at the same time. At I/O, They announced that later this year, you'll be able to take a picture or screenshot and add "near me" to get local results from restaurants, retailers and more.