Google has shared the dates of this year’s I/O event.
- The event will happen on May 19 and 20.
- We are not sure, yet what will be announced, but Android, Gemini, and other updates are likely to be featured.
It was always expected that Google I/O would happen in 2026, and now Google has officially confirmed the dates.
Google I/O 2026 will take place on May 19 and 20 at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California. The event starts at 10 a.m. PT, 1 a.m. ET, and 6 p.m. BST on May 19, or 3 a.m. AEST on May 20 in Australia.
TechRadar will be there to cover all the announcements and share our reactions as they happen. While Google hasn’t revealed what’s coming, we’ve listed our best guesses below.
Gemini Upgrades
AI has been a major focus for tech companies recently, and since Google is a leader in this area, we expect upgrades to its AI tools, especially Gemini.
Google’s save-the-date for I/O 2026 mentioned both AI and Gemini, so it’s likely they’ll have a big presence at the event.
We can only guess what may be announced, but Gemini will become increasingly integrated into phones, making it better at handling tasks on your device. We might also see improvements to current AI features, like a smarter Gemini or more realistic AI photo edits.
Android 17 Features
The first beta of Android 17 is out, but there’s still more to come. Future betas and the final release may bring additional changes.
So it’s likely we’ll hear about Android 17 features at Google I/O 2026. Google’s Save the Date event includes updates from Android, making it almost certain.
The final release likely won’t arrive at I/O since it is expected in June, but the final beta might launch during the event. We don’t know what will be included, but Google is working on motion cues to help with motion sickness when using your phone in a moving vehicle, so that could be announced.
Android XR is Google’s new augmented reality operating system for smart glasses and headsets. Right now, there aren’t any glasses that use it, and only the Samsung Galaxy XR headset runs it.
We might see updates and new features for Android XR at Google I/O 2026, or announcements about new products that will use it.
Google will likely want to generate excitement for this new product category. Even if there isn’t much new to show, Android XR will be featured.
While Android XR is still new, Google is also developing a new operating system called Aluminum OS, which isn’t available yet. Aluminum OS is a desktop operating system that could combine Chrome OS and Android into one platform. Google has said it plans to do this, but hasn’t shared many details. The name, which uses the non-US spelling of aluminium, has appeared only in a job listing so far and might be a code name.
The job listing said Aluminum OS will have AI at its core and will work on laptops, desktops, and tablets.
Now that this information is public, it is the right time for Google to share more about Aluminum OS. I/O 2026 is the perfect place for an announcement, so we’ll likely hear more then.
Aluminum OS
Android XR has only just launched, but Google is already working on another operating system called Aluminum OS, which isn’t available yet.
Aluminum OS is meant to be a desktop system, but it combines Chrome OS and Android into one platform. Google has said it plans to do this but hasn’t shared many details yet. So far, the name, spelled the British way, has only shown up in a job listing and could be a codename.
The job listing said Aluminum OS will be built around AI and will work on laptops, desktops, and tablets.
Now that this information is public, Google should share more about Aluminum OS. I/O 2026 would be the perfect place to hear more about it.
Hardware Teasers
Google I/O is primarily a developer conference focused on software, but we sometimes see hardware announcements as well.
What could we see this year? There are no guarantees, but we might get another look at Xreal’s Project Aura smart glasses. These run Android XR and were shown at last year’s event, but they or a similar product still aren’t available. We could also see other Android XR devices.
We won’t see any phones from the Google Pixel 11 line or the Pixel Watch 5 since these usually launch around August.
Source: Google I/O 2026 is official: here are 5 things to expect
