In spite of having canceled entirely its I/O developer conference last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Google has now planned to hold a virtual I/O event in 2021 that will be free to attend. The company will be hosting its biggest annual conference from May 18-20 of this year.
Following a tweet from the Google Developers Twitter account this morning, CEO Sundar Pichai has announced that the show will run from May 18th to 20th, along with the series of puzzles. In revealing the date after solving Google’s cryptic I/O puzzle, 9to5Google revealed that the event will take place on May 18th–20th and will be free to attend.
Google’s FAQ page on I/O 2021 claims that consumer and developer keynotes will primarily cover “company and product news” — followed by Technical Sessions, which will focus on “product announcements and how to adopt new features.” There will be instructor-led workshops, and there will be Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions that give users the chance to ask Google experts their questions.
During the event, these sessions will be offered throughout the three-day period and on-demand. The full lineup is expected to be launched later this month.
Meetups will also require registration and reservation. Google describes them as “casual, open, facilitated forums that enable attendees to connect with one another.”
The Google I/O Adventure will also include an Interactive Sandbox that enables developers to try Google’s products and features through a hands-on experience. Besides this, the Codelabs and Learning Pathways are Google’s always-on, self-guided learning capabilities that help you learn how to use Google’s solutions.
During the event, registration allows access to live Q&A, as well as workshops, AMA sessions, personalized content, badges, and a Chat session.
At the Google I/O event in the past, Google has demonstrated upcoming builds of Android and showcased its conversational technology, known as Duplex. At Google I/O, the company usually showcases updates to its products, new hardware, i.e., it unveiled the Pixel 3A and the Nest Hub Max smart display in 2019. Even though we do not know exactly what to expect, we’re likely in for more software updates from the company, as it prepares the way for what’s to come.
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