Google VP, Sundar Pichai, confirmed yesterday we’ll see the next version of Android today – a break from the tradition of releasing later in the year alongside new hardware. In an in-depth profile piece on Bloomberg, Pichai said: “I want the world to understand what we are doing sooner.”
Releasing a preview this early before a general release later this year adds credence to a complete visual overhaul in the next version of Android. It would give developers time to prepare and ready their apps to fit in with the new “flat” design we’re starting to see across Google’s core apps.
One of the rumours being thrown around is that through “Project Hera” some functionality could be quite radically changed. The main benefactor of this is thought to be multitasking on Android which currently only shows “snapshots” of recent apps. The new functionality would allow certain functions to be performed without opening the full application; similar to how expanded notifications work.
Built on HTML5, this could extend to the desktop to bring the two platforms closer together.
It’s time we got some more details on Android Wear, and I’ll eat my hat if we don’t hear some solid details about the wearable devices platform. We’ll likely hear about devices – perhaps an immediate release of the LG Watch – and how sensors on the devices will tie-in with a new health monitoring service on Android to compete in “The Battle of Fitness”.
2014 looks set to be a big year for Google, and as such, some preparations have been made ahead of I/O. One of the most notable is Google’s IoT acquisition, Nest Labs, opening up its platform to third-party apps and hardware. It’s obvious the company will be making a big play into home automation via Google Now, and the keynote can now focus on explaining how advancements will tie-in with their $3.2 billion purchase.
One of the ways could be through Android TV. The TV tends to be the centre of your home and where a significant amount of time is spent. This makes it the perfect place to control the rest of your home. It is undoubtedly where Microsoft wants to be heading with the Xbox One. A software platform – if not a physical set-top box – is anticipated for Google I/O and a pulled changelog update from hit Android game, Riptide GP, seems to suggest as such.
Google is working on a new consistent design framework across its products on Web and Android called “Quantum Paper” which ties into documents obtained by The Verge that suggests Google has been getting developers to create apps which have consistent interfaces on the TV.
Your car is about to be hijacked by the major platform holders. Apple has announced its intentions with the ‘CarPlay’ standard adding Siri and basic functionality such as maps and music control to your dashboard. Google appears to be readying itself with a head unit called “Auto Link” which is powered by NVIDIA’s Tegra chips and has ambitions to implement advanced driving assistance features such as those in Google’s self-driving cars via comparing laser scans with pre-scanned maps.
There is so much more we could hear about but have few details to expand or speculate upon. These include; Project Ara – Google’s build-your-own-phone program, Project Tango – which maps rooms in 3D, Project Loon – the ambitious project to deliver internet access to remote locations, Google Fiber, Google+, Google Glass, and there’s even some crazy (if it was anyone but Google) talk of Nano blood bots which can detect cancer via Android Wear.
What do you think about some of the announcements expected to be made at Google I/O? Let us know in the comments.
