Google I/O 2025: What to expect over the next two weeks on Android 16, Android XR and Gemini
In about two weeks, Google's annual developer conference will kick off on May 20. The event is probably the most important on the company's calendar, offering a glimpse at everything it has been working on over the past year.
Judging from rumors and information Google has trickled out, I/O 2025 should be one of the more exciting tech keynotes in recent memory. Plus, for the first time, Google has spun out a dedicated Android showcase planned a whole week earlier. If you want to know what to expect from the company later this month, read on.
In years past, some of my favorite I/O moments involved watching Dave Burke take to the Shoreline stage to talk about the latest updates for Android. But for the past couple of years, Android hasn't had much of a spotlight at Google's annual developer conference. That's about to change, with the company hosting a dedicated showcase that will air a week before I/O proper. Scheduled for May 13, Google says it has "so many things to share" during the Android Show: I/O Edition. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the "Content and social-media partners" setting to do so.
— Android (@Android) April 28, 2025
The presentation will feature Android Ecosystem President Sameer Samat, who took over for Burke in 2024. As for what to expect from Samat and company, a preview of Android 16 is an obvious bet. Google has already confirmed the new operating system will arrive sometime before the second half of the year. As such, it may even release a stable build of Android 16 that same day. One feature Google could announce for Android 16 is Live Activities-like "Ongoing notifications". Per Android Authority , Google could also add a more robust photo picker, with support for cloud storage solutions.
We've also seen lots of hints at an upcoming design change to the platform, reportedly called Material 3 Expressive. The most damning (or credible) indication that this is real is the recent self-leak by Google, which was caught by 9to5Google and remains archived and visible on the Wayback Machine. This leaked blog post discusses the research behind Material 3 Expressive and how the visual overhaul led to action elements standing out more and greater responsiveness on the users' part. According to the post, "When participants were asked to 'Send the email' in the app, their eyes saw the button 4x faster in the expressive design."
One of the best places to get an idea for what's to come in Android 16 is in its beta version, which has already been available to developers and is currently in its fourth iteration. For example, we learned in March that Android 16 will bring Auracast support, which could make it easier to listen to and switch between multiple Bluetooth devices. This could also enable people to receive Bluetooth audio on hearing aids they have paired with their phones or tablets.
Remember Google Glass? No, how about Daydream? Maybe Cardboard? After sending (at least) three XR projects to the graveyard, you would think even Google would say enough is enough. Instead, the company is preparing to release Android XR after previewing the platform at the end of last year. This time around, the company says the power of its Gemini AI models will make things different. We know Google is working with Samsung on a headset codenamed Project Moohan. Last fall, Samsung hinted that the device could arrive sometime this year.
Whether Google and Samsung demo Project Moohan at I/O, I imagine the search giant will have more to say about Android XR and the ecosystem partners it has worked to bring to its side for the initiative.
If Google felt the need to split off Android into its own showcase, we're likely to get more AI-related announcements at I/O than ever before. The company hasn't provided many hints about what we can expect on that front, but if I had to guess, features like AI Overviews and AI Mode are likely to get substantive updates. I suspect Google will also have something to say about Project Mariner, the web-surfing agent it demoed at I/O 2024. Either way, Google is an AI company now, and every I/O moving forward will reflect that.
Speaking of AI, Project Astra was one of the more impressive demos Google showed off at I/O 2024. The technology made the most of the latest multi-modal capabilities of Google's Gemini models to offer something we hadn't seen before from the company. It's a voice assistant with advanced image recognition features that allows it to converse about the things it sees. Google envisions Project Astra one day providing a truly useful artificial assistant.
However, after seeing an in-person demo of Astra, the Engadget crew felt the tech needed a lot more work. Given the splash Project Astra made last year, there's a good chance we could get an update on it at I/O 2025.
Last year, Wear OS didn't get a mention during the company's main keynote, but Google did preview Wear OS 5 during the developer sessions that followed. The company only began rolling out Wear OS 5.1 to Pixel devices in March. Given that, you might expect Google wouldn't have much new to share, but the official Wear OS X account told fans to watch the Android Show for updates.
Since 2023, Google has offered NotebookLM on desktop. The note-taking app uses machine learning for features like automated summaries. Based on App Store and Google Play listings, the company is getting ready to release a mobile version of the service on the first day of I/O 2025.
Google has a terrible track record when it comes to preventing leaks within its internal ranks, so the likelihood the company could surprise us is low. Still, Google could announce something we don't expect. As always, your best bet is to visit Engadget on May 20 and 21. We'll have all the latest from Google then along with our liveblog and analysis.
Update, May 5 2025, 7:08PM ET: This story has been updated to include details on a leaked blog post discussing "Material 3 Expressive."
Update, May 6 2025, 5:29PM ET: This story has been updated to include details on the Android 16 beta, as well as Auracast support.
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