Google I/O 2014: smartwatches, Google Fit – and Android Lollipop?

Connected cars, Android TV, home automation, Google Glass and some surprises likely as annual developer conference opens


Google's annual developer conference – Google I/O – begins on Wednesday evening UK time – and expectations are high for a new version of Android, a fresh assault on TV, and a focus on wearables and fitness. A keynote session led by Sundar Pichai, in charge of both Android and Chrome, will introduce the new technology and services that the company has been working on.


Coming just weeks after Apple's similar WWDC event, the I/O keynote will offer the latest chance to compare the fierce rivals' strategies across a range of devices, from smartphones and tablets to wearable gadgets, connected cars and home automation kit.


Google has already confirmed that it will show the next version of its Android software during the keynote, while strong speculation suggests there will also be a new activity-tracking platform called Google Fit; more details and some devices from the Android Wear wearables programme; and a new move into connected TV called Android TV, possibly with a set-top box to show it off.


But this being Google, there are plenty of other areas of its business that may get the spotlight tonight: Glass, YouTube music, Project Ara, Google Fiber, Project Loon... Here are a few predictions on what's likely to be talked about on-stage.


1. Android 5.0 … Lollipop?

We know the next version of Android will be shown off, because Pichai has said so, in a profile by Bloomberg Businessweek. It's earlier than expected based on previous versions - possibly to give handset makers time to incorporate it into new devices for Christmas sales. "I want the world to understand what we are doing sooner," said Pichai.


Speculation is already underway about what sweet treat beginning with 'L' will give the new software its name, following Cupcake, Donut, Eclair, Froyo, Gingerbread, Honeycomb, Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean and KitKat. The current favourite is Lollipop, but curveballs could include Lemon Meringue Pie, Liquorice or – for optimistic Brits – Lion Bar.


More importantly, what will the key features be? More design tweaks are likely, and there has been lots of speculation that Android 5.0 will introduce support for 64-bit processors from companies like Qualcomm and Intel, for faster and more powerful devices.


Google Now software will surely get some clever new features. There has been speculation about a wider feature called Nearby, which "lets you connect, share, and do more with people, places, and things near you" – a way for Android devices to connect and swap data when within range. Perhaps a counterfoil to Apple's iBeacon technology?


Google will hopefully outline its next improvements for its Google Play store – although the latter has tended to get bits and bobs added throughout the year, rather than following Apple's model of a bigger annual update.


Also see Android Police's story this week about plans for a new Quick Settings pane - which looks a bit like Samsung's quick settings pane. The nitty-gritty of Android 5.0 may be about these kinds of small, iterative but welcome changes to the operating system.


2. Android Wear

Google's ambitions to make Android the most popular software for wearable gadgets through Android Wear are already public. Pichai himself announced the plans at the SXSW conference in March:


"In about two weeks, you will see us launch the first SDK for what we think of as Android for wearables. When we think of wearables, we think of it as a platform. We see a world of sensors... Sensors can be small and powerful, and gather a lot of information that can be useful for users. We want to build the right APIs for this world of sensors."


The SDK was launched later that month, as promised, along with first partners: Samsung, Asus, HTC, LG, Fossil and Motorola, with the latter showing off renders of its Moto 360 smartwatch. The emphasis then was on watches, including voice commands, fitness tracking and the ability to control other devices from your wrist.


No secrets here, but I/O should be a coming-out party for Android Wear: we expect more devices to be shown – the LG G Watch has already been shown to journalists and appears to be gearing up for a 7 July release date. I/O may be the time for Google to show off other kinds of wearable devices running Android Wear too: pure (i.e. non-watch) activity-trackers, for example.


3. Google Fit

One of the big announcements at Apple's WWDC conference was HealthKit, a feature in that company's upcoming iOS 8 software that will scoop in data from various health and fitness apps and systems and even records and share it back out to others – complete with a Health app for users to keep tabs on it all.


Apple isn't alone in these ambitions: Google has been strongly tipped to unveil something called Google Fit at I/O. Pichai said in the BusinessWeek interview that “You obviously need to be able to measure these [fitness and health] things so many more times and then apply more intelligence to it".


Forbes claimed an exclusive on the plans earlier in June, suggesting that it will also involve aggregating data from third-party fitness and health apps:


"Google Fit will aggregate data through open APIs, instruction sets that allow apps to share information, and will also announce partnerships with wearable device makers at its I/O conference, Forbes understands. One source with knowledge of Google’s plans said Google Fit would allow a wearable device that measures data like steps or heart rate to interface with Google’s cloud-based services, and become part of the Google Fit ecosystem."


Assuming Google Fit is announced tonight, it's likely to be closely tied to Android Wear, albeit also drawing in devices running other software. If there's a standalone Google-branded fitness app – the equivalent to Apple's health – it may be part of the Android 5.0 software.


4. Android TV

Google has had ambitions in the living room for a long time now, particularly around televisions. In 2011, those ambitions were focused on the Google TV software for connected TVs and set-top boxes, but it failed to take off. More recently, Google's Chromecast dongle has been a hit, enabling people to send content to their TVs via their Android smartphones or tablets, or the Chrome browser.


Next: Android TV, if strong speculation is to be believed. The Verge bagged some leaked documents in April providing some of the details, in Google's own words:


"Android TV is an entertainment interface, not a computing platform. It’s all about finding and enjoying content with the least amount of friction... cinematic, fun, fluid, and fast... Android TV is Android, optimized for the living room consumption experience on a TV screen."


That report claimed Android TV – software running on set-top boxes and TV sets – will focus on apps, games, TV shows, films and music. Expect YouTube to figure prominently too, of course. Vevo, Netflix, Hulu, Songza and Pandora have all been tipped to be available from launch on Android TV.


More recently, the Wall Street Journal claimed that Google is working with several manufacturing partners on Android TV, with at least one device – likely a set-top box – set to be unveiled at I/O.


That would be a direct rival for Apple's Apple TV, Amazon's Fire TV and existing devices from the likes of Roku, then, although it will be interesting to see how Android TV will fit with what Google is doing with Chromecast: perhaps the company will explain that at I/O too.


5. Cars and Android Auto Link

Google is very interested in cars, and not just the self-driving ones it's developing in its research labs. In January, the company launched its Open Automotive Alliance (OAA), pitching it as "a group of leading automakers and technology companies that share a vision for making technology in the car safer, more seamless and more intuitive for everyone".


Or, alternatively: Google's decision to enter the race to control connected cars, going up against Apple, Microsoft and carmakers like Ford that have developed their own platforms. Here's how Google explained it in January:


"Today, millions of people already bring Android phones and tablets into their cars, but it’s not yet a driving-optimized experience. Wouldn't it be great if you could bring your favorite apps and music with you, and use them safely with your car's built-in controls and in-dash display? Together with our OAA partners, we're working to enable new forms of integration with Android devices, and adapting Android for the car to make driving safer, easier and more enjoyable for everyone."


I/O should see Google talking about the next steps in its connected car strategy. Rumours suggest that it'll unveil something that's been codenamed Auto Link internally: the equivalent for cars to Android Wear for wearables (or, indeed, a direct rival to Apple's CarPlay software).


That'll be the first of the "new forms of integration" referred to above, although it's more doubtful whether we'll see any specific cars announced that will use Auto Link – those unveilings may come at one of the major motor shows later in the year.


But what else?

Google has many fingers in many pies, so its I/O keynote could also showcase any number of new products and announcements. For example, the company may talk more about its plans to put Google Glass on general sale in the US, as well as its rollout to international countries beyond the UK, where it launched this week.


Google might get its Nest subsidiary on-stage to talk about home automation, its $555m acquisition of connected camera company Dropcam, and its vision for the internet of things. We may get updates on research projects like modular smartphone Project Ara and location-aware phone Project Tango, and perhaps something on floaty internet-beaming initiative Project Loon.


There has been speculation about the lack of sessions focused on the Google+ social platform during the rest of I/O – it's extremely unlikely to be killed off during the keynote, but we'll be watching closely to gauge how it fits into Google's priorities, following the departure earlier in the year of its driving force, Vic Gundotra.


What about new hardware? While there have been rumours of a new 8.9in Android tablet in Google's Nexus range (allegedly made by HTC), that may be held for later in the year. It seems if there will be new devices, they'll more likely be shown off by partners.


Finally, there may well be a carefully-staged Big Moment during the keynote. The one to beat is 2012, when Glass-wearing skydivers landed on the building housing the I/O conference, then hopped onto mountain bikes to pedal into the venue.