Google I/O 2023: All the Exciting Tech Google Announced

Google’s annual event Google I/O happened yesterday and Google had some quite exciting technologies for its users. The event lacked the pomp you’d expect from Apple’s September events but still packed some exciting tech and announcements. Here’s a list of everything we thought was exciting from Google I/O.

All the Exciting Tech Announced During Google I/O 2023

Google Pixel Fold

Google dropped its first foldable phone during Google I/O 2023, marking its entry into the foldable phones category.

Pixel Fold Screens

The Pixel Fold features two OLED screens with 120Hz refresh rates. The inner screen is protected by ultrathin glass and comes with a factory-installed screen protector that is not intended to be removed. The outer screen has a resolution of 1080 x 2092 pixels and can reach a brightness of 1550 nits, while the inner display has a resolution of 2208 x 1840 pixels and reaches a brightness of 1450 nits. These specifications indicate that both screens are suitable for outdoor use.

Pixel Fold Processor and Memory

The Pixel Fold boasts high-end specifications internally. It is equipped with the Tensor 2 processor, which is also present in the Pixel 7, 7 Pro, 7A, and Pixel Tablet. The device is coupled with 12GB of RAM. The Pixel Fold offers storage options of either 256GB or 512GB, but unfortunately, there is no option to expand the storage capacity in the future.

Pixel Fold’s Five Cameras

The Pixel Fold is equipped with a total of five cameras. There are two 8.3-megapixel cameras, one located on the outside for taking selfies and another positioned above the inner display for video calls. Additionally, there are three cameras on the back: a 48-megapixel main camera with optical stabilization, a 10.8-megapixel ultrawide camera, and a 10.8-megapixel 5x telephoto camera.

While the camera features and capabilities resemble those found in the Pixel 7 Pro, the sensors used in the Pixel Fold are different. Due to the slim design of the Fold, however, Google was unable to incorporate the larger sensors from the 7 Pro.

Battery Life

The Pixel Fold comes packed with a 4821 mAh battery which Google touts will go for more than a day. The phone supports wireless charging and will fast charge at 30W on a generic Qi charger. The Pixel Fold’s performance is sufficiently supported by the battery even as initial use shows that despite the battery being slightly larger, it is outdone by the Samsung Galaxy Fold 4’s 4400 mAh battery.

What Sets the Pixel Fold Apart

The Pixel Fold’s biggest strong point is its software. The phone is the best translation of how to build an Android foldable phone from the ground up with native Android created just for it. The transitions are so fluid that the phone just flows as you use it. It also supports use when folded, with clever features such as allowing you to use the front screen as a viewfinder and take selfies with the main camera.

The Drawbacks of Pixel Fold

The Pixel Fold’s biggest drawback is its huge bezel. According to Google, the bezel was necessary to allow them to fit the inside camera; but for users, it will be something that you notice. The Pixel Fold’s hinge is okay and will tilt and stop at anywhere between 0 and 180 degrees, but the phone’s crease is visible. To some people, they may even find that the crease is shouting.

Google Pixel Tablet

Google announced a new tablet, the Pixel Tablet that is now detachable from its dock. The tablet’s dock is also a speaker, allowing you to enjoy music as the phone charges. The Pixel Tablet attaches to the dock magnetically and can be detached to be used as a tablet. The dock will be bundled in with the tablet. The tablet itself is well spec’d and will provide a really useful smart home experience. It also comes with Chromecast built-in, so you can easily cast onto it or even continue listening to music that is on your phone with its dock’s speaker.

The Pixel Tablet boasts a 10.95-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 2560×1600 pixels, providing a typical brightness of 500 nits. It incorporates an “anti-smudge coating” and supports USI 2.0 styluses for enhanced functionality. The device is equipped with Google’s Tensor G2 chipset and features the Titan M2 security coprocessor. It offers 8GB of RAM and storage options of either 128GB or 256GB utilizing UFS 3.1 technology. The Pixel Tablet is priced at $499.

The Pixel 7A

Google also announced a lower-budget Pixel 7 as part of their A series, conjuring up the Pixel 7A. Compared to the Pixel 7 Pro, the 7A has a larger camera sensor and will take clearer and brighter photos. The phone still retains the Tensor 2 chip. The 7A is quite an improvement from its predecessors and makes it hard to recommend the Pixel 7 Pro. The phone’s biggest drawback is that it features a 6.1-inch screen instead of the larger 6.4-inch display found on the Pixel 7.

The Pixel 7A shares similarities with its predecessor, the Pixel 7, including the same 6.1-inch screen. However, it introduces a new 64-megapixel main camera. As the Pixel 7A runs on Google’s mobile processor, it offers various Pixel-specific features found on other devices. These features include the Hold for Me setting in the phone app, Google’s Recorder app, and the Real Tone photo processing technology. The Real Tone processing is designed to enhance the realism of skin tones in photos. The Pixel 7A is priced at $499.

Immersive View for Google Maps

Google also announced that it would bring ‘Immersive View’ to Google Maps which models the view in Maps in a more 3D-oriented way. With Immersive View, you will be able to see near-life-like views of streets and it will also have information like weather forecasts and even show lanes for bicycles and passenger traffic.

Magic Editor

Following its announcement of Magic Erase which could allow users to delete elements in a photo, Google announced a new feature, Magic Editor that does the opposite. If you have a photo that cuts off part of something, Magic Editor, with the help of AI, can help you complete the cut-off object and show the picture as a more complete one.

The Integration of AI into Google Workspace

Google had some interesting AI announcements during Google I/O 2023 including that it would be bringing AI capabilities to Google Workspace. This will mean that you will be able to use AI in Google Docs to help you write a job description, for instance, or have Gmail write an email for you.

Generative AI

Google also announced that it would bring generative AI to its suite of apps where you can describe something to the AI and have it create an image of it. The feature will be introduced in collaboration with Adobe. Google says that it will also introduce a way to distinguish normal and AI-generated images even in Search.

RCS Messaging Standard

Google threw a jab at iMessaging during I/O while announcing that it has improved the RCS messaging standard on its phones. RCS allows for integrated messaging that comes with end-to-end encryption. Google announced that the standard is catching on and encouraged “other operating systems” to adopt it. RCS messaging, if adopted on all OSs, could mean more integrated messaging that would work similarly to something like WhatsApp natively.

This article has been written with the help of A.I. for topic research and formulation.