Google I/O 2025 Live Blog: Gemini, Android 16, and everything we know so far
Here's everything you need to know before the big show on Tuesday, May 20!
Google's biggest conference is happening on May 20 - 21 and we want to make sure you're caught up on everything we know so far.
A lot of features and news have been already announced during the Android Show: I/O edition that happened last week. We'll be walking you through what is coming to Android 16 and Gemini, but if you prefer an overview of everything announced during the Android Show, we have just the thing.
Read about how to watch the event here and here's the full schedule of the different sessions happening at I/O this year.
But until the show happens on Tuesday and we get to hear CEO Sundar Pichai's keynote speech at 1pm ET, grab a coffee or tea, and enjoy our Live Blog!
We know that Gemini is going to be a big deal at I/O 2025, but there's a pretty good chance Android XR steals the show. Despite there not being any Android XR-powered hardware just yet, Google gave us a glimpse at some of the things that Gemini will be able to do.
At one point during The Android Show, Android president Sameer Samat appeared on screen wearing some sunglasses that look similar to Ray-Bans. However, as my colleague Nick Sutrich points out, these are likely "Google and Samsung's upcoming smart glasses, complete with tinted lenses."
It shouldn't come as too much of a surprise, but even Google TV is getting a Gemini upgrade, albeit one that's a bit smaller than other services. Once available, you'll be able to summon Gemini and ask it for specific recommendations.
In the announcement, Google said "you can ask for action movies that are age-appropriate for your kids." Plus, you can ask generalized questions, and along with a response, Gemini and Google TV will provide related videos for you to watch.
One of the more obvious focal points of I/O 2025 is going to be Gemini. The Android Show got the ball rolling, as Gemini will soon be available on the likes of Wear OS, Google TV, Android Auto, and Android XR. This comes following Google's replacement of Assistant with Gemini earlier this year, so the company must feel as though it's evolved enough to make it more widely available.
Arguably, the platform getting the biggest Gemini upgrade is Android Auto, with Google claiming it operates as a "more intuitive assistant." You'll still be able to perform simple tasks, but Gemini is also capable of understanding more complex requests.
With Wear OS 6, we're finally getting more customization options, and we don't mean more watch faces. Material 3 Expressive brings the ability to change color of the entire UI, so you can either match the color to your phone, or opt for something a bit different.
Not only that, but various UI elements are also being redesigned in order to make smartwatches easier to interact with. Buttons and notifications will now "hug the display," maximizing the screen real estate and hopefully resulting in a much better experience.
Morning everyone!
Technically, Google I/O 2025 is already underway, as Google gave us an early look at what's coming with The Android Show: I/O Edition. Material 3 Expressive brings about one of the more drastic UI overhauls that Google has undertaken, bringing it to our phones with Android 16 and smartwatches via Wear OS 6.
From everything we've seen so far, it's not just about making your phone and watch more personal, but aims to improve on aspects that you might not pay close attention to. This includes things like UI animations, buttons, all while retaining the essence of what Material You was all about.
