When is Google I/O 2018?
- 20 January, 2018 05:11
Every summer Google hosts its annual developers' conference, Google I/O. It's of more interest to developers than consumers, but the opening keynote typically contains some interesting information on upcoming Google software (this is not a hardware event). In 2018 we expect to hear more about Android P, Android Wear 3.0, Android Things and the Google Assistant.
When is Google I/O 2018?
Google has not officially confirmed when is Google I/O 2018, but the Channele2e site suggests it will be held 16 May to 18 May.
There's also a dubious Twitter account counting down to 15 May 2018. We're not entirely sure what makes the owner think 15 May is when the conference will take place, but it is at least the same week.
Google I/O 2017 took place 17 May to 19 May 2017, so the timing is about right.
The developers' conference is held in the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California.
We'll update this story when we have confirmation from Google on a date.
What will be announced at Google I/O 2018?
For consumers, the two big announcements are likely to be Android P, the next Google operating system for phones and tablets, and Android Wear 3.0, the next instalment of its smartwatch OS. We may also hear news on Google Home and Google Assistant.
Android P may be announced ahead of I/O again, as it was last year, but the final consumer release won't arrive until late August. It's probable that a new beta version will be released at I/O in May.
It is possible to install the developer preview on consumer devices, but unless you know what you're doing its usually best to wait for the full release. In August Android P will be available to recent Google Pixel devices, and at September's IFA 2018 we will likely see the first devices running Android P out of the box.
