Google I/O 2023 is a wrap — here is an inventory of every little thing introduced


On Google I/O keynote day, the search and web promoting supplier put forth a rapid-fire stream of bulletins throughout its developer convention, together with many unveilings of current issues it’s been engaged on.

Since we all know you don’t all the time have time to observe a two-hour presentation, the TechCrunch group took that on and delivered story after story on new merchandise and options. Right here, we offer you fast hits of the most important information from the keynote as they have been introduced, all in an easy-to-digest, easy-to-skim checklist. Right here we go:

Google Maps

Google's new Immersive View for Routes feature

Picture Credit: Google

Google Maps unveiled a brand new “Immersive View for Routes” characteristic in choose cities. The brand new characteristic brings all the info {that a} consumer might have into one place, together with particulars about visitors simulations, bike lanes, complicated intersections, parking and extra. Learn extra.

Magic Editor and Magic Compose

Picture Credit: Google

We’re all the time wanting to alter one thing in regards to the photograph we simply took, and now Google’s Magic Editor characteristic is AI-powered for extra complicated edits in particular elements of the pictures — for instance, the foreground or background — and might fill in gaps within the photograph and even reposition the topic for a better-framed shot. Test it out.

There’s additionally a brand new characteristic referred to as Magic Compose, demoed right this moment, that exhibits it getting used with messages and conversations to rewrite texts in numerous types. “For instance, the characteristic may make the message sound extra constructive or extra skilled, or you can simply have enjoyable with it and make the message sound prefer it was “written by your favourite playwright, aka Shakespeare,” Sarah writes. Learn extra.

PaLM 2

Picture Credit: Google

Frederic has your take a look at PaLM 2, Google’s latest giant language mannequin (LLM). He writes, “PaLM 2 will energy Google’s up to date Bard chat device, the corporate’s competitor to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, and performance as the inspiration mannequin for a lot of the new AI options the corporate is asserting right this moment.” PaLM 2 additionally now options improved assist for writing and debugging code. Extra right here. Additionally, Kyle takes a deeper dive into PaLM 2 with a extra crucial take a look at the mannequin by way of the lens of a Google-authored analysis paper.

Bard will get smarter

Picture Credit: Google

Excellent news: Google shouldn’t be solely eradicating its waitlist for Bard and making it obtainable, in English, in over 180 international locations and territories, however it’s additionally launching assist for Japanese and Korean with a aim of supporting 40 languages within the close to future. Additionally new is Bard’s capacity to floor photographs in its responses. Discover out extra. As well as, Google is partnering with Adobe for some artwork era capabilities by way of Bard. Kyle writes that “Bard customers will have the ability to generate photographs by way of Firefly after which modify them utilizing Specific. Inside Bard, customers will have the ability to select from templates, fonts and inventory photographs in addition to different belongings from the Specific library.”

Workspace

Google Workspace Icons

Picture Credit: TechCrunch

Google’s Workspace suite can be getting the AI contact to make it smarter, with the addition of an automated desk (however not system) era in Sheets and picture creation in Slides and Meet. Initially, the automated desk is less complicated, although Frederic notes there may be extra to return with regard to utilizing AI to create formulation. The brand new options for Slides and Meet embody the power to sort in what sort of visualization you’re searching for, and the AI will create that picture. Particularly for Google Meet, meaning customized backgrounds. Take a look at extra.

MusicLM

Google MusicLM

Picture Credit: Google

MusicLM is Google’s new experimental AI device that turns textual content into music. Kyle writes that, for instance, in case you are internet hosting a cocktail party, you possibly can merely sort “soulful jazz for a cocktail party” and have the device create a number of variations of the tune. Learn extra.

Search

Picture Credit: Google

Google Search has two new options surrounding higher understanding of content material and the context of a picture the consumer is viewing within the search outcomes. Sarah experiences that this consists of extra info with an “About This Picture” characteristic and new markup within the file itself that can permit photographs to be labeled as “AI-generated.” Each of those are extensions of labor already occurring, however is supposed to supply extra transparency on whether or not the “picture is credible or AI-generated,” albeit not an end-all-be-all of addressing the bigger drawback of AI picture misinformation.

Aisha has extra on Search, together with that Google is experimenting with an AI-powered conversational mode. She described the expertise like this: “customers will see urged subsequent steps when conducting a search and show an AI-powered snapshot of key info to contemplate, with hyperlinks to dig deeper. Whenever you faucet on a urged subsequent step, Search takes you to a brand new conversational mode, the place you possibly can ask Google extra in regards to the matter you’re exploring. Context might be carried over from query to query.”

There was additionally the introduction of a brand new “Views” filter that we’ll quickly see on the prime of some Search outcomes when the outcomes “would profit from others’ experiences,” in accordance with Google. For instance, posts on dialogue boards, Q&A websites and social media platforms, together with these with video. Suppose having a better time discovering Reddit hyperlinks or YouTube movies, Sarah writes.

Sidekick

Picture Credit: Google

Darrell has your take a look at a brand new device unveiled right this moment referred to as Sidekick, writing that it’s designed “to assist present higher prompts, doubtlessly usurping the one factor individuals are supposed to have the ability to do finest in the entire generative AI loop.” The Sidekick panel will reside in a facet panel in Google Docs and is “continually engaged in studying and processing your total doc as you write, offering contextual options that refer particularly to what you’ve written.”

Codey

We just like the title of Google’s new code completion and code era device, Codey. It’s a part of quite a lot of AI-centric coding instruments being launched right this moment and can be Google’s reply to GitHub’s Copilot, a chat device used for asking questions on coding. Codey is particularly educated to deal with coding-related prompts and can be educated to deal with queries associated to Google Cloud basically. Frederic has extra.

Google Cloud

There’s a brand new A3 supercomputer digital machine on the town. Ron writes that “this A3 has been purpose-built to deal with the appreciable calls for of those resource-hungry use instances,” noting that A3 is “armed with Nvidia’s H100 GPUs and mixing that with a specialised information heart to derive immense computational energy with excessive throughput and low latency, all at what they recommend is a extra affordable value level than you’ll sometimes pay for such a bundle.”

Imagen in Vertex

Google additionally introduced new AI fashions heading to Vertex AI, its totally managed AI service, together with a text-to-image mannequin referred to as Imagen. Kyle writes that Imagen was previewed by way of Google’s AI Check Kitchen app final November. It may well generate and edit photographs, in addition to write captions for present photographs.

Discover My Gadget

Picture Credit: TechCrunch

Piggybacking on Apple and Google teaming up on Bluetooth tracker security measures and a brand new specification, Google launched its personal collection of enhancements to its personal Discover My Gadget community, together with proactive alerts about unknown trackers touring with you with assist for Apple’s AirTag and others. A number of the new options will embody notifying customers if their cellphone detects an unknown tracker shifting with them and can embody connectivity with different Bluetooth trackers. Google’s aim with the upgrades is “elevated security and safety for their very own respective consumer bases by making these alerts work throughout platforms in the identical method — which means, for instance, the work Apple did to make AirTags safer following experiences they have been getting used for stalking would additionally make its strategy to Android gadgets,” Sarah writes.

Pixel 7a

Picture Credit: Google

Google’s Pixel 7a goes on sale Could 11 at $100 lower than the Pixel 7 ($499). Just like the Pixel 6a, it has the 6.1-inch display screen versus the 6.4-inch Pixel 7. It additionally launched in India. In terms of the digicam, it has a barely greater pixel density, however Brian mentioned, “I actually miss the flexibleness and zoom of the 7 Professional, however I used to be in a position to seize some good pictures round my neighborhood with the 7a’s cameras.” Its new chip does allow options like Face Unblur and Tremendous Res Zoom. Discover the complete breakdown right here.

Venture Tailwind

The names sounds extra like an undercover authorities task, however to Google, Venture Tailwind is an AI-powered pocket book device it’s constructing with the purpose of taking a consumer’s free-form notes and routinely organizing and summarizing them. The device is on the market by way of Labs, Google’s refreshed hub for experimental merchandise. Right here’s the way it works: Customers decide information from Google Drive, then Venture Tailwind creates a non-public AI mannequin with experience in that info, together with a customized interface designed to assist sift by way of the notes and docs. Test it out.

Generative AI wallpapers

Now that you simply obtained that new Pixel 7a in your hand, you must make it fairly! Google will roll out generative AI wallpapers this fall that can allow Android customers to reply urged prompts to explain your imaginative and prescient. The characteristic will use Google’s text-to-image diffusion fashions to generate new and authentic wallpapers, and the colour palette of your Android system will routinely match the wallpaper you’ve chosen. Extra right here.

Put on OS 4

Google WearOS smartwatch announced at Google I/O 2023

Picture Credit: Google

Google debuted the subsequent model of its smartwatch working system, Put on OS 4. Right here’s what you’ll discover: improved battery life and performance and new accessibility options, like text-to-speech. Builders even have some new instruments to construct new Put on OS watch faces and publish them to Google Play. Look ahead to Put on OS 4 to launch later this yr. Learn extra. Additionally, there are different enjoyable new apps and issues coming for smartwatches, together with enhancements to its suite of gives, like Gmail, Calendar, and so forth, but in addition updates from WhatsApp, Peloton and Spotify.

Common Translator

Picture Credit: Google

Additionally unveiled right this moment is that Google is testing a strong new translation service that places video into a brand new language whereas additionally synchronizing the speaker’s lips with phrases they by no means spoke. Referred to as “Common Translator,” it was proven as “an instance of one thing solely just lately made attainable by advances in AI, however concurrently presenting critical dangers that should be reckoned with from the beginning,” Devin writes. Right here’s the way it works: The “experimental” service takes an enter video, on this case a lecture from an internet course initially recorded in English; transcribes the speech; interprets it; regenerates the speech (matching type and tone) in that language; after which edits the video in order that the speaker’s lips extra intently match the brand new audio. Extra on this.

Pixel Pill

Picture Credit: Google

You knew it was coming, and we will affirm that the Pixel Pill is lastly right here. Whereas Brian thought the interface regarded like a “big Nest Dwelling Hub,” he did just like the dock and the design.

And since tablets are used primarily at dwelling, Brian notes that the Pixel Pill is “not only a pill — it’s a wise dwelling controller/hub, a teleconferencing gadget and a video streaming machine. It’s not going to exchange your tv, however it’s actually a stable alternative to observe some YouTube.” Take a look at extra right here.

Pixel Fold

Picture Credit: Google

One of many large bulletins that already dropped, lined by Brian, is that Google used Could 4 (aka “Could the Fourth Be With You” Day) to unveil a foldable Pixel cellphone. In a brand new story, Brian does a deep dive into the cellphone, which he writes Google has been engaged on for 5 years.

He additionally notes that “the actual secret sauce within the Pixel Fold expertise is, unsurprisingly, the software program…The app continuity when switching between the exterior and inside screens is sort of seamless, permitting you to select the place you left off as you modify display screen sizes. Naturally, Google has optimized its hottest third-party apps for the large display screen expertise, together with Gmail and YouTube.” Learn extra right here.

Firebase

Firebase, Google’s backend-as-a-service platform for software builders, has some new options, together with the addition of AI extensions powered by Google’s PaLM API and opening up the Firebase extension market to extra builders.

Google’s Play Retailer will get some AI love

Sarah and Frederic teamed as much as report on new methods builders can use Google’s AI to construct and optimize their Android apps for the Play Retailer alongside a number of different instruments to develop their app’s viewers by way of issues like automated translations and different promotional efforts.

New options and updates embody:

  • Writing Play Retailer listings: Utilizing Google’s PaLM 2 mannequin, “All of the builders should do is fill out just a few prompts (viewers, key theme, and so forth.) and the system will generate a draft, which they will then edit to their coronary heart’s content material.”
  • Abstract of app critiques: “For now, although, that’s solely obtainable in English and just for constructive critiques.”
  • Retailer Itemizing Teams: Working in tandem with the customized retailer listings that Google kicked off final yr, Retailer Itemizing Teams are created by customizing the bottom itemizing and overriding particular parts.
  • Promotional Content material: “The Play Retailer can even now incorporate in-app occasions in new locations, together with by way of Play Retailer notifications, the For You part on the Apps and Video games tabs on the Play Retailer app, inside Play Retailer search outcomes, beneath the search outcomes for a particular app by its title, and even on the Search display screen itself, earlier than you sort in a question, above different suggestions.”

Take a look at extra right here.

Builders even have new security measures

Along with the Play Retailer getting AI updates, Sarah writes that builders additionally now have new safety and privateness options to mess around with. A few of these embody a brand new beta model of the Play Console app and adjustments to the Knowledge security part on the Play Retailer.

In the meantime, Play Retailer customers can obtain prompts to replace their apps that builders can push out or get routinely when their app is crashing. Extra right here.

Well being Join

Google Health Connect illustrated

Picture Credit: Google

Well being Join, Google’s platform for storing well being information, could also be in Beta at the moment, however Aisha writes you can begin to see it’s part of Android and cellular gadgets with the discharge of Android 14 later this yr.

Some enjoyable options coming embody new train routes so you possibly can share maps of the place you run, a better strategy to log menstrual cycles and sharing controls. As well as, MyFitnessPal now has an integration with Well being Join, giving customers with sort 1 and kind 2 diabetes entry to glucose information throughout the MyFitnessPal app. Learn extra.

Extra developer instruments

  • Android Studio is getting an AI infusion with Android Studio Hedgehog, a brand new conversational expertise to assist builders write code and repair bugs and reply extra basic coding questions. Test it out.
  • ML Hub is a brand new one-stop vacation spot for builders who need to get extra steering on practice and deploy their ML fashions, irrespective of whether or not they’re within the early phases of their AI profession or are seasoned professionals. It comes with a toolkit of frequent use instances that Google intends to usually replace and add to sooner or later. Extra right here.
  • There are additionally new performance to design Put on OS watch faces.
  • Over 1 million Flutter-based apps have been printed. The open supply, multiplatform software framework will see some adjustments that embody simpler integration of Flutter parts into present net apps.

Venture Starline

Picture Credit: Google

Google unveiled the newest prototype of Venture Starline, its 3D teleconferencing video sales space. Brian notes the most important adjustments embody much less {hardware}, for instance, fewer cameras, and extra leaning on AI and ML to generate the three-dimensional photographs. Extra right here.

Related automotive expertise

  • Rebecca and Kirsten teamed as much as carry you all the automotive information from right this moment’s convention, so let’s dive in:
  • First is a roundup of latest options and providers for automobiles, together with video conferencing, gaming and YouTube. They write that “the corporate has been making inroads into automotive by way of two paths: Android Auto, an app that runs on the consumer’s cellphone and wirelessly communicates with and initiatives navigation, parking, media and messaging to the car’s infotainment system, and Google built-in, which is powered by its Android Automotive working system and integrates Google providers immediately into the car. Android Automotive OS is modeled after its open supply cellular working system that runs on Linux. However as an alternative of working smartphones and tablets, Google modified it so automakers may use it of their automobiles.”
  • Updates to Android Auto that embody conferencing out of your favourite names, like Cisco, Zoom and Microsoft.
  • Including YouTube to extra automobiles, beginning with Polestar.

Read more about Google I/O 2023 on TechCrunch



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