Surprise Android boost confirmed by Google and | Tech News

If you will have an Android telephone in your pocket and get excited concerning the newest new options that get delivered through free software program updates, there’s a new date in your diary.

Every 12 months, Google, the maker of Android, releases a new model. That model often will get pushed out first to Google Pixel telephones, and it’s then up to different Android producers, akin to Samsung, OnePlus, Oppo, Honor and Xiaomi, to take the newest flavour and ship it out to new and present gadgets.

In current occasions, Google has opted to carry the lid on the new Android model at its I/O developer convention, often held in May. This 12 months I/O falls on May 20, however in a break with custom, Google has confirmed it is going to precede its annual shindig with an online look into what’s new on Android, one entire week earlier.

“Mark your calendars to get a sneak peek of the latest innovations and experiences ahead of Google I/O”, Google mentioned.

The under teaser video asserting the The Android Show: I/O Edition that can air on YouTube on May 13, 2025 at 10am PT, which is 5pm UK time.

“We hope you’ll all tune in on May 13th to see what’s new on Android”, Samat says on the video, which is a particular version of a semi-regular YouTube show that goes out on the official Android Developers YouTube channel.

Getting my detective hat on, I feel this proves what we thought final 12 months after 2024’s Google I/O, which was extremely heavy on artificial intelligence info and very, very gentle on Android.

Google is all-in on Gemini, its AI platform, and it is going to very possible be utilizing I/O – each online and in particular person – to be an occasion centred on that. While Android is one of the principle platforms for delivering Gemini, be it by means of the app or baked into the person interface, Google has chosen to modify I/O to be AI and developer focussed.

This might be partially to Android’s maturity. Where within the final decade a new Android model might imply a dramatic visible overhaul and tons of new thrilling options, that’s no longer the case. This 12 months, Google will preview Android 16, which is more likely to be an extension of the foremost redesign we noticed with Android 12 and Google’s Material You design language.

It means Google struggles to fill a entire presentation with what’s new, and it now prefers to pile on the AI chat as an alternative.

Some of the mooted new options for Android 16 embrace an up to date picture picker UI, underneath the hood enhancements to digicam efficiency, higher privateness capabilities and maybe some visible adjustments right here and there.

These are some of the adjustments which were rumoured or seen in early beta variations of the software program. If you need to discover out what’s new, or if Google has efficiently stored a main Android announcement underneath wraps, be sure to tune in to The Android Show on May 13.