Google always uses its annual developer conference to drop big updates to its hardware and software lines, and this year's I/O was no exception. The search giant declared its plan to takeover the mid-range smartphone market with two new Pixel devices, released a new voice- and gesture-controlled home hub and a raft of updates to its upcoming operating system, Android Q.
Here's everything you need to know from Google I/O 2019.
Google Pixel 3a and 3a XL
The cheaper Pixel phones are here, in the form of the £399 Pixel 3a and £469 Pixel 3a XL. As expected, they’re very much pared down versions of Google’s flagship device, with reduced specs and features. The Android 9.0 phones run on a mid-tier Snapdragon chipset and eschew ‘premium’ features such as water resistance and wireless charging. It’s the same camera tech and sensor as the 2018 phone, though, and there’s also a headphone jack, which was missing from the Pixel 3.
The new phones will also come with AR-enabled Google Maps. Users will be able to lift their phone cameras up and see directions superimposed over the real world. The Pixel 3a and 3a XL are on sale from today online and in US stores and 8 May in stores in the UK.
Google Nest Hub Max
The big smart home product news from I/O was the new 10-inch Nest Hub Max - or Google Nest Hub Max to give it its full name. It’s an oversized version of last year’s 7-inch Home Hub with improved speakers and a new 6MP camera on the front for video calls, video messages, gestures and personalised alerts and onscreen info via face recognition.
Google Nest is the new home brand across Assistant and Nest - even the thermostats will be renamed later this year - and Google’s grand plan is to persuade Nest customers to abandon the Nest app for one Google account for all their home devices.
To allay potential privacy concerns, Google is making it easy for people to keep track of when they’re being listened to or watched by their new smart home device. A physical switch at the back of the device disconnects both the microphone and camera, while a green light will inform users when the camera is on.
The Nest Hub Max will cost $229 and be available in the US and UK from this summer.
Android Q dark mode and wellbeing settings
The next version of Google’s operating system, Android Q, will include a dark mode that makes the screen easier on the eye for long periods of time. Dark mode can be activated through a quick tile or from within the battery settings.
Q also comes with a smattering of other features. It’ll have the ability to add captions to any audio or video playing on the device, in every single app. The live captioning will run completely on the device so no audio is sent to the cloud, letting it run even when the device doesn’t have a network connection.
Google is also pulling a little of the wisdom from its Gmail autocomplete feature with smart replies. These allow users to select an algorithmically-generated response to a message from a number of choices, removing the need to type simple messages by hand.
But not all of Google’s updates are about making devices easier to use. In a nod to the growing smartphone wellbeing movement, Google is bringing out a focus mode. This mode will let users pre-select a list of apps that they can access and block all over apps while the mode is enabled, letting them shut our extraneous distractions when desired.
The third beta version of Q is available now on over 20 devices, including all Pixel phones.
The next-generation Google Assistant
Google’s voice-powered assistant is getting a major update. Referred to on-stage as the “next-generation Assistant,” Google says that the new Assistant is up to ten times faster than the current version. In the demonstration, Google employees used Assistant to open up apps, send messages and order taxis with very little lag.
Assistant’s ability to understand its users has also been enhanced. In the next-generation of the Assistant, users will be able to string multiple requests together rather than starting each sentence with “Hey Google”. Users can select a photo, for example, and just say “send it to Kevin” rather than having to spell out precisely what they’re trying to do every time.
Google is also letting Assistant get a little more personal, allowing it to draw on contextual information from your calendar so it understands your requests more accurately. A new driving mode will let users answer or reject calls without interrupting their directions.
The next-generation Assistant will be available on the latest Pixel phones from later this year.
Security and privacy
Google placed a big emphasis on user privacy in this keynote. It’ll now be easier for users to access their Google security settings from their smartphone and from there quickly delete their web history and app activity. The firm will also process more user data on the device without uploading it to its own servers.
Google Maps is also getting its own minor privacy overhaul, with a new incognito mode that won’t remember search results or dropped pins. This brings Maps in line with Chrome – which has had incognito mode for a decade – and YouTube.
On the security front, Google is making it easier for Android phone owners to verify their identity through two factor authentication. For certain Android smartphones, the phone itself will act as a security key, allowing users to verify their identity with a single press, doing away with the need to receive and input a code.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
