The 15th edition of Google I/O kicked off on May 10, 2023, at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California. The main keynote gave us a look at many of the new Google hardware coming to market in 2023, alongside upcoming AI improvements.

Here we will dive into every noteworthy announcement made on stage, helping you stay informed and detailing when you can expect to get your chance to experience these new products.

Artificial Intelligence Implementation in Google Products

Google started the keynote by detailing how it would work generative AI into its tools. It showcased this with multiple examples, the most notable of which are changes coming to Search, Photos, and Maps. There are also implementations in Gmail and Google's workspace tools — Sheets, Docs, Slides, and Meet.

Google is revamping the Search tool — arguably its most popular product — with "snapshots." These are AI-powered responses to your requests, providing more context.

As for Photos, the eye-catching addition is Magic Editor, which takes the capability of editing tools like Magic Erase to the next level. With this addition, you will be able to edit images to a level where one might even begin questioning the image's authenticity. Google showcased a scenario where it moved the subject of the image from one edge of the image to the center, after which AI took over and filled the gap, creating a seamless photo.

And in Google Maps, you will see generative AI come alive in Immersive View for routes which will generate previews of the path you may take to reach your destination. It will also provide contextual information via visuals, including details about the traffic and weather conditions during your journey.

Gmail and other Google Workspace tools will see additions like Help Me Write, which will compose email messages based on the context in trailing emails and the ability to generate images from prompts.

Bard is also improving rapidly with "Bard + tools," which will allow you to utilize Bard results in Google apps and other third-party ones that develop support. Bard is also said to become more elaborate in its responses by including images — it will also accept image prompts via Google Lens. Also, Google is removing its waitlist for Bard while expanding its availability to over 180 countries and territories.

Android 14 and Wear OS 4

While we expected Android 14 and Wear OS 4 to be a big part of Google I/O 2023, the company had different plans. While the mobile platform did receive some time during the main keynote, the additions announced were less significant. Google unveiled that the upcoming Android 14 will bring the AI-powered Smart Compose feature to its Message application and the ability to create a custom Lock Screen with shortcuts for frequently used activities — like scanning a QR code.

Wear OS 4, on the other hand, is said to bring more comprehensive upgrades, solving long-standing issues with poor battery performance and the inability to restore wearables without needing a factory reset. Google will release the developer preview for the platform on May 10, 2023, and has said the update will arrive later in the year. It's still unclear which devices will receive the update, but we expect to learn more about this soon.

Google Pixel 7a

After the success Google saw with the Pixel 6a, it was guaranteed a follow-up would make its way to market, and I/O 2023 set the stage for this successor, the Google Pixel 7a. The smartphone will cost $499 and will be available for purchase from May 10, 2023, completing the Pixel 7 family.

As you may expect, the Pixel 7a features a design that closely resembles the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, adopting the wraparound metal design, where the frame seamlessly blends with the camera bar on the back. But what's unique to the device are its compact size and lighter weight owing to the use of plastic on the back.

Coming to the upgrades you'll see with this generation, Google is finally shipping a high refresh rate panel on an A-series smartphone — the 6.1-inch OLED display on the Pixel 7a refreshes at 90Hz. There's also support for wireless charging on this generation, a first for the mid-ranger but a welcome improvement. The processor also sees an improvement, with the Tensor G2 packaged for an improved user experience alongside 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage.

But the most significant change this generation brings is an all-new camera array. Google is shipping a 64-megapixel wide shooter on the Pixel 7a; this enables the ability to capture higher quality images and adds a zoom mode that offers 8x magnification. And in support of this is a 13-megapixel ultrawide camera with autofocus and a 120-degree field of view.

Google Pixel Fold

A product that has been teased countless times and even made public a few days before I/O 2023, the Google Pixel Fold, at first glance, looks to be a stellar first attempt at tackling the foldable market by Google. The device will cost $1,799 and pre-orders are already open, with deliveries set to begin in June 2023.

Now, unlike the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, Google has chosen a more compact design for its folding phone — sharing a resemblance to the Oppo Find N2. The outer FHD+ (2092x1080) OLED display measures 5.8 inches with a 17.4:9 aspect ratio, giving it a comfortable width, while the inner screen is 7.6 inch OLED (2208x1840) with a 6:5 aspect ratio.

It has also emphasized making the device as thin as possible with a stainless steel hinge. Pocketnow's Jaime Rivera, who had a chance to spend some time with the foldable, said it felt a lot like the Surface Duo in terms of thinness. Other materials involved in the phone's build are a glossy aluminum frame and a Gorilla Glass Victus front and back.

Focusing on the internal hardware, it ships with the Tensor G2 processor with 12 GB of RAM and is available in two variants, one with 256 GB of storage and another with 512 GB. The battery on this device is a reasonable 4,800 mAh, with support for Google's 30W fast wired charging standard and wireless charging.

As for the cameras, like with the Pixel 7a, Google is shipping an entirely new setup on the Pixel Fold. It's headlined by a 48-megapixel wide and supported by a 10.8-megapixel ultrawide plus 10.8-megapixel telephoto camera. There are also two "front-facing" cameras, one on the external display (9.5-megapixel) and another on the inner screen (8-megapixel).

Google Pixel Tablet

The last bit of mobile hardware that made its way to the main stage at I/O 2023 is the Google Pixel Tablet. It was a year ago, at I/O 2022, when Google first teased the device, touting how it aims to create a complete ecosystem of Pixel hardware, which is now essentially complete.

Also, with the launch of the OnePlus Pad and the Pixel Tablet, there are more competitors than ever in the tablet market, which gives us hope of seeing more unique implementations that offer something to the users.

Bringing the focus back to the Pixel Tablet, the device is built with the intent to be something that adds convenience to your life when in your hand and when kept away from you! It does this with help from the Charging Speaker Dock, which serves as the perfect station for the 11-inch display on the tablet. Also, the dock is included in the box despite the relatively low $499 price.

Another use case that Google details for the tablet is entertainment. Its LCD is touted to allow for great visuals, and the built-in Chromecast on the tablet will even allow you to stream content from your phone when the tablet is docked on the Charging Stand.

Like the other Pixel devices announced at I/O 2023, the tablet is also powered by the Tensor G2 and has 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB or 256 GB of storage.

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What do you think about these major announcements at Google I/O? Are you excited to try out the new products? Let us know with a comment.