5 Key Takeaways From Google I/O Keynote Address

Each year, developers, marketers and consumers look forward to Google I/O. The 2013 event was met with great anticipation, much of it built around existing Google developments, technologies and products.

While the latest edition of I/O certainly delivered on many fronts, some of its most intriguing takeaways were delivered in the initial keynote sessions.

1. Android is Living Large

Google got the keynote underway by touting the success of its Android operating system. It was revealed that Android has been activated on more than 900 million devices, directly attributing to the over 48 billion app installations via Google Play. In April alone, the store, which serves as the official Android marketplace, garnered 2.5 billion installs. Android is growing huge rapidly, and creating new opportunities along the way.

During the keynote, Google introduced the Android Studio, a new tool that streamlines the development of apps in multiple screen sizes and languages. The company also teased the audience with new tools that add functionality such as activity recognition and location data to the existing Google Play API.

With Android rising in popularity, developers and marketers that have been partial to Apple and iOS should consider broadening their scope. Android may be the most prosperous platform in the mobile space.

2. Google Plus is Sexier

It’s easy to forget about Google Plus with Facebook and Twitter making all the social headlines, but trust that its creator hasn’t. At I/O, the search giant unveiled 41 new features designed to take the Google Plus experience to the next level.

The stream, for example, now boasts a multi-column design that treats the user to more space for what matters as well as interactive animated content. Also announced was a Twitter-inspired feature that analyzes your posts and suggests hash-tags to use. Slowly but surely, Google is making social discovery more of a priority.

3. Google Now ... Is Now

Some are calling Google Now the search giant’s answer to Siri. The voice-powered assistant is available in the form of an app that aims to make search easier than ever. In addition to conducting searches with voice commands, it allows you to personalize your results based on location and perform a wide variety of useful tasks.

The app is being hyped as a handy tool for general searches, organizing information, and keeping up with everything from traffic and sports to flight details and world news through timely alerts.

Perhaps the most interesting thing it brings to the table is the ability to anticipate what the user wants. For instance, if you search for the population of a specific region, Google Now will pull up the figures, in addition to supporting information that compares the region to similar areas.

This example is similar to the demonstration made using a search for India’s population during the keynote. Google Now is live in your favorite app store. While it has a few kinks, its inventor believes it represents the next big thing in search.

4. World View Expanded Through Maps

Google made some big changes to its Maps product, many of them related to the look and feel. In this effort, the company revealed that its goal was to empower users to explore the world and create maps for virtually every location.

To accomplish this, the maps team has incorporated powerful 3D features from Google Earth, and richer sources of data that give users the ability to better personalize the interactive mapping experience. An overhauled experience for Mobile Maps is said to be slated for a summer roll out.

5. There’s An Alternate Galaxy

I/O 2013 also saw the unveiling of a new Galaxy — the Samsung Galaxy S4 that is. What Google showed off here is a version of the existing S4 running a pure copy of Android 4.2. This should be a welcomed upgrade for Android fans who didn’t necessarily take to the changes Samsung made with tweaks to the user interface and custom apps.

The alternate Galaxy S4 will roll out in the early summer of 2013 at $650, packaged to compete with the likes of the iPhone 5. 

The keynote at this year’s I/O ran nearly four hours long and delivered some of the best highlights from the three-day event. Even Google co-founder Larry Page made an appearance, which surprised a few of those aware of his voice-related health issues.

All keynote speakers did a great job of breaking down the developments and setting the tone for what would go on to be another successful conference. At the very least, I/O gave us a lot of interesting trends to watch out for.

   Aidan Hijleh

About the Author:

Aidan Hijleh is a freelance copywriter and serves as the Non-Profit Partnership Liaison for Benchmark Email Marketing Services. Aidan advocates free email marketing services to assist with the flourishing of grassroots organizations.