Google I/O 2023 as it happened: Pixel Fold, 7a, Tablet, Bard and more
Google's conference was packed with AI and Pixels galore
The Google I/O 2023 keynote presentation certainly delivered, giving us a host of exciting new devices and a glimpse at the AI-powered future the search giant envisions for us.
In two hours of exciting, inspiring, and innovative announcements on Wednesday (May 10), Google delivered multiple updates to its AI chatbot Bard, completely overhauled its search experience with more AI and revealed a trio of devices: the Pixel Fold, Pixel Tablet and Pixel 7a.
Maybe this was a response to the high stakes of the moment. While Google is the undisputed search leader, Microsoft's Bing caught the public's imagination with Bing AI's shockingly good chatbot integration.
Did Google do enough to regain the momentum? We're still digesting all the news that Google shared. Below, you'll find all of our thoughts on what we saw, plus news and hands-on reviews from Google's big event.
What was announced at Google I/O 2023
- Check out our hands-on Pixel Fold review
- We also have an early review of the Pixel Tablet
- Meanwhile, our Google Pixel 7a review gives you an honest look at Google's new handset
- The Pixel Fold is the thinnest foldable you can find (and wow is it expensive)
- We finally get the Pixel Tablet plus a magnet dock speaker for smart homes
- The new Pixel upgrades the Pixel 6a, but read our Pixel 7a review before you buy
- Google Bard just got a whole lot smarter, including picking up new AI art generation skills from Adobe
- Google Maps is becoming more immersive thanks to AI and all those street views
- 5 ways AI is going to change the way you use Google Search
- Android's huge Find My Device upgrade is as controversial as it is useful
- Plus, YouTube could be getting a real-time translator in the future
- We've also got all the details on the Google Pixel Fold preorders, the best Google Pixel Tablet pre-order deals and the best Google Pixel 7a preorder deals
- We take a closer look at Google Photo's upcoming AI-powered Magic Editor and what this means for budding photographers
Watch the full Google I/O 2023 keynote
Missed the I/O 2023 livestream? It's embedded below, so you can catch up at your leisure.
Phil Berne is a preeminent voice in consumer electronics reviews, having reviewed his first device (the Sony D-EJ01 Discman) more than 20 years ago for eTown.com. He has been writing about phones and mobile technology since before the iPhone, for a variety of sites including PCMag, infoSync, PhoneScoop, and Slashgear. He holds an M.A. in Cultural Theory from Carnegie Mellon University.
Good morning, and welcome to our Google I/O 2023 live blog. Marc McLaren here in the UK to get this show on the road. The action gets under way at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST today, which means we have plenty of time to discuss everything that we expect to see later today.
Keep this page bookmarked for all the last-minute rumors and news ahead of the keynote, then stick with us once the event gets going for all the big reveals as they happen.
While we wait for the festivities to begin, we can satisfy ourselves with this tasty Google I/O 2023 primer. It covers all the big announcements we're expecting, including the Pixel Fold, Pixel Tablet, and what could be a very popular Pixel 7a. It's easily the most anticipated mid-range Android phone of the season.
While the Bard updates and Pixel Watch 2 might be speculative, Android 14 is a lock as one of the stars of the development show. We do wonder, though, if Google can do enough to make Android cool again.
So, what's the device that we're most excited about (hopefully) getting a big reveal later today? Personally, it would be the Google Pixel Fold. We know this will definitely feature at I/O 2023, after Google itself teased the Fold on Star Wars Day. And we also think we know quite a bit about the device after months of rumors and leaks.
The biggest of these came from Jon Prosser of FrontPageTech a few weeks ago. He released a seven-minute video teasing full details about the Pixel Fold, and if the details he shared are accurate then there's reason to be very excited indeed.
Among the reasons to be cheerful about the Pixel Fold are the fact that it's rumored to have a bigger battery than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4. We don't yet know exactly how big it will be, of course, but it's been tipped to have a capacity of between 4,500mAh and 5,000mAh. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 (pictured), in contrast, has only a 4,400mAh cell.
A bigger battery doesn't always equal better battery life - the size of the screen, efficiency of the processor and lots of other factors can influence that - but it's a good start. And given that Google is apparently pitching the Fold as having “Beyond 24-hour battery life”, we're optimistic about this one.
Sticking with Google's first foldable phone, a last-minute Google Pixel Fold teaser video has shown it off in full.
The video - which we've included above, assuming Google hasn't removed it yet - shows the phone being used by various NBA stars. It's not clear whether Google meant to share it ahead of I/O, but it's out in the wild now anyway!