Google I/O runs May 20 and 21 this year, and on the event’s first day, the company is holding what may be its biggest keynote of the year. We expect Google to talk about its latest innovations across all of its software and services, often with some sneak peeks at upcoming hardware.
But this year, Google is also hosting a separate Android event, which it’s calling the Android Show: I/O Edition. The event will be prerecorded and take place exactly a week before the I/O keynote. We anticipate that it will focus closely on what we can expect from Android 16, Wear OS and other Android-related products.
By breaking out Android news into its own virtual event, Google frees itself to spend more time during the I/O keynote to talk about Gemini, Deep Mind, Android XR and Project Astra. It’s likely going to be a jam-packed series of events, so here’s how you can watch them both and what you can look forward to.
Android Show: I/O Edition: Where to watch
While the main I/O keynote isn’t until later in May, the company’s new Android Show is mere days away, taking place on May 13, 10 a.m. PDT (1 p.m. EDT, 6 p.m. BST). It’ll be livestreamed on the Android YouTube channel. It will focus heavily on Android 16, which has been in public beta for some time and is expected to launch officially in June. It’s earlier than Android usually rolls out; a driving force behind that move is to give developers more time with the early software to help optimize apps and software that focus on AI.
Rumored Android 16 features include updates to the camera for more fine-grain control over exposure and color temperature, more dynamic app resizing when using foldable phones and updates to the ways notifications are displayed. It’s possible Google may also talk about Android XR, the company’s latest foray into mixed-reality headsets in partnership with Samsung and its Project Moohan headset. We also expect announcements around Wear OS, Google’s software powering Android-based smartwatches.
Android 16 may launch soon on the Pixel 9 Pro and other compatible Android devices.
Google I/O: Where to watch
Google I/O proper kicks off with a keynote taking place on May 20, 10 a.m. PDT (1 p.m. EDT, 6 p.m. BST). It’ll almost certainly be available to stream online on Google’s own YouTube channel, although a holding video is yet to be available. There’s no live link on the I/O website yet, either, though you can use the handy links to add the event to your calendar of choice. Expect links to a livestream to be available closer to the day.
What to expect from Google I/O 2025
Google has talked less and less about Android at its I/O developer conference, with uses of the word “Android” falling far below the 124 times the word “AI” was spoken on stage during the 2024 keynote. Given that Google is spinning its Android announcements into its own event, it’s safe to expect that Android will continue to take a back seat.
Samsung’s Project Moohan may get an outing during I/O or the Android Show.
AI will definitely dominate the conversation at this year’s I/O. From its integration into Android to the always-seeing Project Astra, AI tools will continue to be infused deeper into everything that Google does, whether you like it or not. Hopefully, Google will do a better job of communicating its new AI tools than it did last year.
