What you need to know
- Google has begun to tease what awaits its I/O 2026 conference with the arrival of its list of sessions.
- Among the highlights on May 19 (after the keynote), Google plans to talk about its AI software, Android 17, and Chrome by 2026 that same afternoon.
- The next day, the company offers information about Android 17’s “Adaptive Everywhere” approach, which incorporates Android, Chrome OS, and XR.
- I/O 2026 will take place on May 19 at 1 pm ET/10 am PT.
As usual, Google is teasing what’s to come at its annual I/O conference after the highly anticipated keynote.
This morning (April 14), Google session list publishedadvancing its plans for its I/O 2026 conference in May. First, the company reiterates that its keynote address will take place on May 19 at 1 pm ET (10 am PT). The sessions page allows users to add it to their calendars so they don’t miss it. What’s more important, however, is the listing itself, as Google says other conferences, such as AI, will begin at 3:30 p.m. PT on May 19.
For those interested, Google says its AI conference will cover information on its “latest model capabilities in multimodal, media generation, and robotics, and how to leverage them…”. Then the list highlights Android 17 as a major event, lasting approximately 45 minutes. Google intends to cover Android 17’s performance updates, along with “new capabilities for media and camera apps, new features for desktop and big-screen apps, and how we’re using agent automation to let users do more things faster.”
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Google Chrome is also gaining prominence. While the company has been busy rolling out more AI-focused updates to the browser, there’s more in store. The short blurb says that Google will discuss “new capabilities” for Chrome by 2026 at this meeting. Later, on May 19, Google Play will be discussed. It appears that this particular conference is aimed at users with businesses looking to grow on the platform.
The “Adaptive Development” note was also mentioned regarding Android 17. The next major Android operating system is reportedly taking an “Adaptive Everywhere” approach, where users can “move fluidly between phones, cars, living rooms, and immersive environments.” Google has labeled this as related to Android, ChromeOS, and XR.
Intrigued?
We started getting previews of I/O 2026 in February, when Google started its annual puzzle line for users to reveal the date. This year there were quite a few, each taking advantage of their artificial intelligence systems, such as Gemini 3. Users quickly solved the puzzles, completed them 100%, and revealed the event date of May 19-20. Google also confirmed that I/O 2026 will take place at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California.
Yeah are you looking to lookGoogle will livestream its keynote on May 19 starting at 1 pm ET/10 am PT. Developers can register for the event, but it’s worth noting that it “follows a lottery or invitation system, so registering does not automatically guarantee a spot at the keynote.” The interesting thing about today’s session list is that it hasn’t yet mentioned Android XR. We hope Google at least talks about this in some way during its keynote, but more would also be welcome.
We got that little teaser from XR for Android 17’s “Adaptive Everywhere,” but maybe that’s not all.
Android Central’s opinion
Google’s software side is usually where I/O shines. While we always hope for a Pixel preview, we usually have to wait until later in the summer for the Made by Google event. Anyway, Google is probably preparing a lot of things this year. Android 17 is a heavy hitter, but it is also Android XR experience. Then there is Gemini. Personal Intelligence was its most recent (and significant) update for users, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t expecting another major reveal at I/O.
