Today, June 25, was the kickoff of Google’s annual developer conference, I/O. The nearly three-hour keynote featured a ton of updates on Google, Android and Chrome. We rounded up the top 10 below. Read about all of the updates over at The Verge.
Android Redesign
Google announced Material Design, a new design language focusing on making the look and feel of Android more like real life. It will come as part of a Fall Android update called Android L. There are a lot of colors, easily readable fonts, clean lines, and circular buttons. Check out a preview of the visual reboot below.
Android One
There are a billion smartphones worldwide, and a lot of them are Androids. But, there are still plenty of developing countries without this new technology. Through Android One, Google will share designs with manufacturers to create high quality, low cost phones for these countries. It’s starting in India with a few carriers and phones for under $100.
Smartwatches
So many smartwatches! Google demoed Android Wear, which includes 3 new watches: the LG G Watch, Samsung’s Gear Live, and the Moto 360. You can order the first two starting today and the Moto 360 later this summer. They all work like really nice-looking remotes for your Android phone.
Android Auto
Google’s bringing it’s operating system to your car. It’s fairly similar to what you know on your phone, and includes voice support for hands free use. So far, Android Auto has support for Google Now (which is uses pretty heavily), Spotify, Pandora, MLB.TV, Stitcher and Pocket Casts. The first cars to support the operating system should be released by the end of 2014.
Android TV
Replacing Google TV, this system (which runs on the upcoming Android L) sources apps from Google Play and works seamlessly with all of your other Android devices (like the multitude of smartwatches we mentioned before).
Mirroring
Android devices can now be mirrored to your TV, a feature that Apple devices have had for a while. Just by tapping cast screen on your phone (only certain phone’s will support this at first), anything can be mirrored to a TV.
Chrome & Android
Chrome OS (which runs on Chromebook computers — apparently the top 10 highest rated laptops on Amazon) is moving closer to Android. Now, you can use your phone or wearable to unlock your laptop, see phone notifications on your computer screen, and translating Android apps you know and love (like Evernote and Vine) to Chrome.
Appurify Acquisition
Google announced their acquisition of Appurify, an app testing service for developers. With it, creators (like our team at Yapp) can test different devices and platforms for their apps.
Google Fit
Sounds familiar. In a direct bat to Apple’s newly announced HealthKit, Fit gathers all of your fitness apps to give a full picture of health and wellness. It’ll also work with wearables (surprise!). Already, companies like Adidas and Nike are joining in.
