Google I/O 2016 recap
This year’s Google I/O started at a very interesting note, thanks to announcement of new apps like Google Assistance, Allo, Duo and the announcement of Google Home smart device. Then it went a bit boring (for non-devs atleast) when Google announced new Android Studio, Android Wear, Firebase, Instant apps for Android, did a recap on Android N, announced new version of Android Studio etc. Here, take a look at what Google did at the I/O keynote.
Google assistant
Google assistant can be called as ‘ok, Google’ on steroids. Assistant is an ambient experience that works across devices. Its more like how we interact with Siri, the conversation can be endless. Thanks to advancements in machine learning and AI, Google is able to create this where we can have a two way dialogue with Google assistant, get movie tickets on the go, book restaurant tablet, get route to the theatre without ever using a keyboard. Google Home, the new hardware has Google assistant running 24×7 and interact with the users.
Google Home
At first look, Google Home looks like a room freshener but it ain’t. Powered by Google assistant, Google Home is a voice activate product that can manage every day tasks, get answers from Google, play multimedia across your home Wi-Fi connected audio setup etc. All this is done by using simple voice commands or via a simple conversation. Few examples would be to ask Google Home to play a song, set a timer for the oven, check your flight, or turn on your lights. The conversation can flow like you can check your flight timing and if Home says that it is delayed, you can ask Google Home to reschedule that dinner reservation at a restaurant and send a note to your buddy. Google Home/Assistant then changes the booking at the restaurant, sends a note to your buddy with the updated time.
Allo and Duo
Allo was the most interesting part of the Google I/O 2016 keynote. This is a brand new messaging application that lets you truly express. In line with Telegram and Hike, Allo will have stickers but thats not the biggest feature of Allo. You can change the size of the text you are about to send to make it look like you are barking or make it look like you are whispering. Google call it ‘WhisperShout’. Allo app comes with Google assistant so you can either do a 1:1 chat with Google Assistant to get things done (find restaurant, check weather, book a table, get reviews etc) or you can even include Assistant in your chat with a friend as you can see below. Allo can even fetch photos from your Google Photos app.
The SmartReply feature of Allo follow the conversation and suggests you what to reply if it sees messages based on a context. If your friend sends a photo of a cute looking cat, it may suggest you phrases like ‘so cute’, ‘so lovely’ etc. There is an Incognito mode that provides end-to-end encryption, discreet notifications and message expiration. With emojis, stickers, assistant, powerful security features, Allo can be the next big app from Google.
Duo on the other hand is a simple 1:1 video chat application that works well even on a slow internet connection. Duo is also based on your phone number and you can reach out to those who are in your phone book. The “Knock Knock” feature of Dueo lets you see who is calling (live video before you accept the call). The calls support up to 720p HD resolution. And as expected, the calls will be end-to-end encrypted.
Android N, Wear, VR, and Instant Apps
Google has announced that the name for Android N, the next version of Android will be done bye users. You can go to Android.com/N and enter the name that you think should be the
ideal name or N.
Google has announced a new VR platform named Daydream. Google has partnered with Android OEMs to make sure that the new platform will be compatible on upcoming smartphones. The new platform comes with a new controller and shared design concept that will make Google’s VR solution immersive, comfortable and intuitive. You should be able to use your favorite applications in VR mode in the future.
Android Wear 2.0, the OS for smart watches and wearable devices can now have applications that does not need to connect to the Android/iOS phones. The apps can be standalone. The UI is revamped and we will get more detail on this later. You can also have data from any application displayed on any watch face on Android Wear 2.0.
This would be one of the most used features and it will work even on an Android KitKat device. Android Instant Apps—let you run Android apps instantly, without requiring installation. Here are three example apps:
Firebase and Android Studio
Firebase is the comprehensive developer offering from Google. Now, the new versions of Android Studio and Firebase make development and build work lot faster and easier for developers/testers/build engineers. Google is launching a brand new analytics prouct that ties everything together, key features listed below. For full detail on the new Firebase, head to this page.
- Developer experience matters. Ease-of-use, good documentation, and intuitive APIs make developers happy.
- Work across platforms. We’ll support you whether you’re building for iOS, Web, or Android.
- Integrate where possible. Firebase has one SDK, one console, and one place to go for documentation and support. You can mix-and-match any of our features and, where it makes sense, data flows between them to help you do more, faster.
So, thats what has happened at Google I/O 2016. Did you like it? Which is the announcement that made you feel exciting? It was the Allo chat application and Instant Apps that made us happy!
