Google I/O 2012 is less than a day away. What do you think we can expect?

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andrewkalies June 26, 2012

Google I/O 2012 is less than a day away. What do you think we can expect?

Google I/O, the company's annual developer conference (think Apple's WWDC, but for Google) starts tomorrow in San Francisco and has the possibility to be a pretty big deal. Last year at I/O, the big unveiling was Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) and Google Music. Now the big question is, what's going to happen this year?

Well, according to current rumors, we may see:

Android 4.1 (or 5.0) Jelly Bean?
Nexus tablet?
Google business-focused cloud service?
Project Glass?

Jelly Bean seems like a pretty good bet seeing as it leaked on the Galaxy Nexus Play Store page earlier this week (www.droid-life.com/2012/06/21/galaxy-nexus-listing...) and now Google has this in its front yard:

But rumors are also pointing to a possible Nexus tablet, which could be as cheap as $199. This would make sense, since Microsoft just announced its Surface tablets and Apple's third-generation iPad still doesn't have much competition. Earlier this past week, a camera called the "Asus Nexus 7" popped up on Picasa and then Gizmodo Australia uncovered an apparent training document (www.gizmodo.com.au/2012/06/this-is-googles-new-nex...) that detailed the exact specs and included this:

Besides all of that, there's also talk of Google launching a business-focused cloud service to compete with Amazon (gigaom.com/2012/06/22/google-to-launch-amazon-micr...), or even showing off more of Project Glass (since it's supposed to work with Android).

What do you think we'll see? Android Jelly Bean? And if so, what do you think will change? The Nexus tablet? And if so, what do you think the specs and pricing could be? Something else? And why?

Sound off below, and be sure to watch the event here https://developers.google.com/events/io/?utm_sourc... or here www.engadget.com/2012/06/26/google-i-o-2012-kicks-....

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9 replies

danhallock 2012-06-26 18:19:51

How has Google's followthrough been on previous I/O promises? In 2011 we had the commitment that Verizon, HTC, Samsung, Sprint, Sony Ericsson, LG, T-mobile, Vodafone, Motorola, and AT&T were going to work together to make sure new devices got software updates for 18 months, which I'm pretty sure hasn't happened at all. They also talked up their accessory SDK and home automation framework, which afaik haven't really gone anywhere (tell me if I'm wrong about this — I use Android but secondarily to iOS so it's possible I've just failed to notice). Also Chromebooks, which I like but which haven't taken the world by storm.

2010 introduced Google TV and Flash/AIR for Android, which I'd rate as failures (Adobe's not developing Flash for Android further, and Google TV never took off). Also the Chrome Web Store, which is pretty great; and WebM.

What I remember from I/O 2009 is Wave, which of course flopped.

I hope this year they announce stuff they're actually ready to deliver on. The Nexus tablet is promising on that front. But if I can't put my hands on it tomorrow I'm not going to bother getting excited until it's real.

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TgD 2012-06-26 18:31:46

you are totally right. google hasn't delivered, or has delivered half baked products when it comes to I/O. I feel they CAN deliver 4.1 and a nexus tablet. I wouldnt put much faith into anything else they reveal.

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TgD 2012-06-26 17:28:30

Android 4.1 including a bunch of new tweaks and little things
Nexus Tablet

That will be the big two

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frankspin 2012-06-27 09:43:36

I may be in the minority here but I don't want another OS iteration, cheaper tablets or more nexus devices. I just want to see Google actually take control of their platform, their OS and give me something that feels ready for prime time.

I think danhallock said it best with "I hope this year they announce stuff they're actually ready to deliver on".

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KidCuda 2012-06-26 19:07:24

Google maps offline, they debuted it a few weeks ago saying it was coming, but nothing has surfaced yet. Tomorrow is the perfect time.

And maybe Chrome OS for Android comes out of beta?

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njashanmal 2012-06-26 18:58:15

It's also likely that we'll see a more comprehensive API for Google+ and tighter integration between G+ and the major Google services.

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greenarcher 2012-06-26 19:13:54

There will be some bluetooth device that has not been mentioned on the rumor mill.

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Journal 2012-06-26 20:29:22

Google is going to pull a Microsoft and introduce two tablets, on spec ed to challenge the Amazon Kindle Fire and another for the iPad. Hopefully they'll be available day-of in the play store.

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mansionhouse 2012-06-28 03:32:51

Google look to be one of the technological companies in the world to watch over the next few years. I think a rivalry with Apple in the tablet market is imminent and could spark a turf war on a similar scale to that between apple and Samsung in the Smatphone market. For for on the upcomming Apple-Google rivalry log onto: www.abhirdayaram.com/2012/06/23/rim-nokia-compete-...

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