Google I/O 2026 kicks off on May 19, and while we already have a pretty good idea of what to expect, there’s plenty of room for surprises. The tech giant has been all about AI for the past few years, and that probably won’t change, but there could be a few hardware announcements this year.
From Android XR specs to hearing more about Aluminum OS, there’s a lot to look forward to. Below, we’ll fill you in on what we expect Google to talk about during the I/O keynote.
Other features of AI
We expect Google to announce several new artificial intelligence features that are heavily integrated into its products. Now that Agent AI All the rage, we’ll probably see Google lean more towards this approach. This type of AI can perform tasks on your behalflike controlling your computer, with less supervision. We will have to wait and see what and how many AI features Google announces this time.
And let’s not leave out updates to existing or new products that Google may announce. Wow, LyriaBeam and countless others could get the spotlight at this year’s conference.
Veo and Lyria are Google’s AI-powered video and music tools, respectively, and have continued to evolve since they were first announced. Beam is an ambitious and futuristic method of video conferencing that uses several cameras to make it appear as if you are talking directly to the person in front of you as a 3D model.
Gemini 4.0
The next generation Gemini will probably be announced at Google I/O 2026
Of all the AI announcements, we expect Google to spend a lot of time talking about its flagship AI model Gemini. Whether it gets a solid 4.0 status or something like 3.8, we know that the new version of Gemini will probably be one of the biggest announcements of Google I/O 2026.
Exactly what Google was working on with Gemini is anyone’s guess. It’s easy enough to think that the latest model will be smarter and faster than previous models, but Gemini itself is in all Google products these days, so how the latest and greatest AI from Google will be interesting to see.
Google recently released a new feature for Gemini notebooks that will allow you to store resources for a specific topic in one place for easy access. Notebooks are self-contained databases full of resources on a particular topic that you can keep adding to. Gemini will use the content directory, so you don’t have to start over with sources.
Those notebooks also sync directly with Google’s AI research assistant NotebookLMwhich allows you to create a number of different effects, such as video overviews, charts and more. Another major difference between NotebookLM and Gemini is that NotebookLM will only use your notebook as a source of truth, while Gemini will scan the Internet for the notebook’s context for search.
Gemini can also now be creative The simulation is dynamic and interactive directly into your conversations when you ask it to “show” or “see” something.
Google hasn’t slowed down its Gemini feature releases, so there’s more likely to be on the way for the latest version of the AI model.
Glasses for Android XR
Android XR is sure to steal some of the limelight during this year’s I/O conference.
Google has shown its Android XR last year’s I/O glasses, and a few partnerships formed to create them, so we’ll likely see smart glasses become more of a product than a concept this year.
Smart glasses are gaining popularity, and Google took a while to get back into the space after its first foray into the field. Google Glass it was ahead of its time, but from the demos we’ve seen of Android XR, that patience may have paid off.
Google’s first set of “smart glasses” back in 2013 were transparent glasses with a bright lens through which the wearer could view information, even take photos and record video. The product was met with an immediate and significant backlash as an invasion of privacy, as well as being sophisticated and crude. This eventually led to the wearers having the name “Glassholes.”
A lot has changed since the launch of Google Glass, too Android XR glasses it won’t look nearly as transparent when it’s removed, which it probably does even creepierbut at least they will come with loads of useful features like alert notifications, live translation and Gemini Live. They also introduced to the now established market, which has competitors of smart glasses from the collaboration of Meta no. Ray-Ban, Oakley and more. Samsung itself Galaxy XR headset it runs on the Android XR platform and is already available for purchase. This first piece of hardware that runs on the platform paves the way for more hardware, with smart glasses being the next natural step.
Google I/O may bring us more demosthe final hardware details and release date for when you’ll be able to get the Android XR glasses in your hands. Given that there are multiple partners in the ring, the price range can vary, potentially offering both entry-level and high-end offerings.
Android 17
Android is Google’s playground to show off its best AI features, although some of them may only be new. Pixel phones we expect to see later this year.
Google released the first beta version of the Android 17its mobile version, back in February, and three additional betas have been released since then, the latest in mid-April. We can expect the latest version of the OS to be released in its final form in June or July, just before we expect the next family of Pixel devices to be announced. For the past few years, the new Pixel lineup has been announced in August during A Google event has been created.
So far, there are no blockbuster features in the Android 17 beta, but Google has introduced some interesting tweaks throughout. One of the most interesting features so far is app bubbles, which allow you to quickly access any app in a floating window and pop it into a bubble on your screen.
Last year, Google split its Android announcements into a separate show a week before its I/O conference: Android Show. This allowed Google to spend more time talking about AI without sacrificing the announcements it has on tap for Android. Whether the Android app will return this year remains to be seen — though reportedly, a YouTube proxy for the event was accidentally live last week before it was taken down.
Aluminum OS
One of the most interesting projects that Google has been cooking up is a new operating system includes Android and ChromeOS. Dubbed Aluminum OS, the product will bring Android to laptops and other devices with a full Chrome web browsing experience.
When we will see the new OS hardware is still unknown, but Google could surprise us with partner announcements or a complete product announcement at I/O this year. The return of a Pixelbook by Google It doesn’t seem out of the realm of possibility, either.
Integrating both Google apps will deliver a seamless software experience between AluminumOS computers and Android phones work together.
