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Google CEO Sundar Pichai on stage in California
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For the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, Google has reopened its developer conference Google i/o with a live keynote in front of a large audience.
However, the far larger audience followed the show online.
The company had expected more than 180,000 spectators.
During the two-hour event, new functions, new artificial intelligence and finally new gadgets were presented to them.
Much of this can only be provided by Google.
A function in the Google app, for example, that can be used with little effort to ensure that certain personal information about you is removed from Google's search results.
Home addresses, phone numbers and email addresses were given as examples.
Or the ability to use a feature called My Ad Center to specify which topics and brands you want to see ads on.
But some of what was witnessed on Wednesday evening seemed familiar.
For example, the "Wallet" app, which appears to be similar to Apple's wallet app on iPhones.
Just like there, credit cards, admission tickets, flight tickets, vaccination certificates and more can be saved in the app and called up on the cell phone.
"Later in the year" it should also be possible to store ID cards in it.
Exactly when and in which countries was not revealed.
This is curious because Google previously had a wallet app but merged it with Android Pay to form the current Google Pay app.
Now the two are being decoupled again, at least in some countries.
In Germany, the wallet app will apparently also replace Google Pay.
A watch, a cell phone and headphones
Google plans to launch its first fully self-developed smartwatch, the Pixel Watch, in the fall.
Their design is remarkable, looks like the opposite of an Apple Watch with the circular display and is elegant at first glance.
As on Apple's watch, you can save your wallet in it, for example to pay with the watch.
The ability to control smart home devices was also demonstrated.
Most importantly, Google has deeply integrated fitness company Fitbit's technology into the new gadget.
This is to keep your health and fitness goals in mind.
As in previous years, an "a" model of the current Google smartphones was presented, the Pixel 6a.
Just like the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro (more on that here), it uses the Tensor chip developed by Google to power it.
Accordingly, it has the same performance and many features of the two large models.
These include a live translation function, certain photo capabilities and the fingerprint sensor built into the display.
From July 21st you should be able to pre-order it for 459 euros.
While the Pixel 6a is sort of a budget variant of its full-size counterparts, the also-announced Pixel Buds Pro headphones are quite the opposite.
An audio chip developed by Google is supposed to help them to achieve particularly effective noise suppression.
If you want to hear what's going on around you, you can activate a transparency mode that lets in outside noise.
Battery life is claimed to be a remarkable seven to eleven hours, depending on whether you use noise cancellation or not.
At the end of the year, the Pixel Buds Pro are to be upgraded with a software update to include a surround sound function and a search function for lost buds.
Just like the Piyxel 6a, you can order them from July 21b.
In Germany they will cost 219 euros.
A first look at 2023
There is still no price and no specific date for the market launch for the Pixel Tablet, Google's new tablet computer.
Only a few images of the device, which is slated for release in 2023, have been shown.
They are apparently intended to motivate developers to develop and adapt Android apps for the new large format.
A smart plan, after all it's the lack of compelling tablet apps that is keeping people from buying Android tablets.
The announcement that various apps from third-party providers and Google have been adapted for tablet computers also fits in with this.
A new search function in the Play Store should make it easier to find such apps.
Fuel-saving route planning
In addition, as usual, the company showed a lot of projects it is working on.
One that is scheduled to launch at least "later this year" is "Immersive View" for Google Maps.
The new feature displays selected cities as realistic 3D models.
An extra that caused applause: you can even go into some buildings virtually, for example to look at the interior of a restaurant.
At the start, Los Angeles, London, New York, San Francisco and Tokyo will be experienced in this way.
Other cities are to follow, which and when was not revealed.
In addition, Google now wants to introduce the option of planning particularly fuel-efficient routes in Maps in Europe.
The company calculates that half a million tons of CO2 emissions have already been saved in this way in the USA and Canada.
Don't say "Hey Google".
A function that could save not fuel, but time, are new "Multisearch" search functions.
For example, the possibility of combining text and images into a query in a Google search is expanded to include the option of searching "near me".
For example, you can now take a picture of a meal and not only get the name of the dish as an answer, but also where you could eat it nearby.
What might become more important in everyday life: On certain devices, you can save yourself the annoying "Hey Google" that you previously had to say to activate the Google Assistant.
Instead, it is sufficient to look at the device on which the Assistant is running.
At the start, however, this should only be possible with the Smart Display Nest Hub Max.
