Today Google kicked off its I/O 2017 event with a keynote that covered a wide range of announcements. While the event was centered towards Google extending its reach, several of its announcements were particularly relevant for Apple users. Other than this, there were a slew of additional features that the company is bringing to its various platforms. To make things easier for you, we have compiled the list of things Google announced today. So let's dive in to see some more details on the Google I/O 2017 event.
Google Assistant For iPhone
First and foremost, the Mountain View search company has something special in store for iPhone users. During its Google I/O 2017 keynote, the company announced Google Assistant for iPhone. We previously got the hint that the assistant was making a major push to iPhone users, but the details were scarce.
Now that it has finally been announced, Google Assistant for iPhone is proactive and it will take care of any query you throw at it. However, taking into account the limitations imposed by Apple, you still cannot replace Siri. Henceforth, various features like creating an alarm are trimmed. Nonetheless, we're glad that its here.
Google Lens For Assistant And Photos
Google Lens is a neat addition announced at the Google I/O 2017 that makes searching information a whole lot easier. Google Lens will be part of the company's Google Assistant and Google Photos. The way it will work is quite intuitive, you simply open the Google Assistant and tap on "Google Lens". The camera will open and scan the image you want information on. The camera will then provide contextual information and options about the subject you are looking at. There are other exciting features part of Google Lens as well, so do check them out here.
Google Photos's Suggested Sharing And More
Google Photos adhered to an update as well on the company's I/O event for this year. Some of the major additions include Suggested Sharing, Shared Libraries And Photo Books. As the name implies, Suggested Sharing will suggest you with contacts with whom you want to share a photo with. The Shared Libraries feature on the other hand will share photos with your family members or with any other person. There are quite a handful of sharing features available so do check it out in our detailed coverage. Moreover, Google has also announced a new service called Photo Books that allows users to create amazing books which you can physically send it to any one you like. Check out more details here.
Google Home Gets Hands-Free Voice Calling More
At the Google I/O 2017 conference, Google released free voice calling and other media services on its Google Home smart speaker. Google Home will now be able to call any phone number in the United States or Canada. All of this will be done via simple voice commands like "Ok Google, Call Mom".
The search engine giant has also collaborated with several media services like SoundCloud, Spotify and HBO to work with Google Home. Check out more details on it here.
Standalone VR Headsets
The company at its Google I/O 2017 event unveiled its standalone series of headsets in an attempt to extend its Daydream VR program. Moreover, Qualcomm is in the works for a reference design for the platform. In addition to this, HTC and Lenovo have joined the VR race as well. According to the company, the Daydream platform is also going to support a new category of VR devices, which the company is calling as standalone headsets. Check out further details on the subject here.
Smart Reply For Gmail
Smart Reply is a new addition in the Gmail for iOS as well as Android app. The feature will basically allow you to save time while you respond to messages. As the the name specifies, it uses machine learning technology to determine which emails can be answered with only short replies. Once this process is complete, you will be given a few possible responses to choose from. This will save you some time and energy to answer to emails that require no major attention. Check out more details here.
Android Go For Low-End Markets
Google is back at its long time initiative to give immense attention to low-end devices. The company is introducing a new version of Android called Android Go which is centered towards devices with low-end specs like 512 or 1GB of RAM and is based on Android O. What this means is that if a device has less than 1GB of RAM, it will automatically receive Android Go. The version is meant for devices with less powerful internals. The Play Store is customized and apps included are made for low end devices. There are other aspects of the Android Go version which you should also check out.
Google's Second Generation Tensor Processing Unit
At the Google I/O 2017 event, the company unveiled its second generation of tensor processing unit. The unit is capable of delivering a lot of computing power. This states that Google has decided to built its own hardware that better suits its software needs. According to the company, the second generation of TPU system is now completely operational and being deployed across its Google Compute Engine. Check out more details on it here.
Android O And New Arrivals
There are a lot of new features coming with Android 8.0 beta version. The Picture-in-Picture mode is one of them and we're all familiar what that it. Moreover, the Notification Dots that appear on the Home screen when you have an app notification will be according to the color of the app icon. Other features to make the experience more fluid includes Autifill, smart text selection, Chrome and a lot more. Do check out the complete list.
Google Play Protect
Google wants its devices to stay away from the pesky and malicious apps. In order to achieve that the company's Google Play Protect will keep the devices safe and secure. The program will run in the background and has been developed with security in mind since the first day. The company is working hard to keep its platform as safe as it can be - away from malicious and apps with potential threats to your device.
Google And Its 2 Billion Active Devices
In the Google I/O 2017 event, company CEO Sundar Pichai provided a road map of the company's future prospects across various fields. In addition to this, Google's mobile operating system is now used on more than two billion active devices around the world. In contrast to Apple, there are only 700 million active devices running on iOS. Henceforth, Google's numbers are huge and an appreciable milestone. If you missed the Google I/O 2017 event, you can still watch it here.
Conclusion
This is everything the search engine giant introduced at the Google I/O 2017 event. What are your thoughts on Google's I/O event? Do you think there were some major announcements this year? Share your views in the comments.
