Google I/O 2013: 6 Things Developers can Expect from the Conference Starting May 15

Sundar Pichai, who took over the position of Head of Android replacing Andy Rubin has appeared in a major interview on Monday. As per a report by Wired, he has not disclosed any information about the highly rumored Motorola smartphone or other devices, but has shed some light on the future projects based, Android OS and more.

Speaking of I/O event, Pichai said, "It's going to be different. It's not a time when we have much in the way of launches of new products or a new operating system. Both on Android and Chrome, we're going to focus this I/O on all of the kinds of things we're doing for developers, so that they can write better things. We will show how Google services are doing amazing things on top of these two platforms."

With the Google I/O all set to debut soon, speculations on what to expect from the event is all over the tech world. From the new hardware to applications and also about the updated version of Android OS.

Earlier, Google I/O was strictly aimed for the software developers, but now the event commands a more of attention from the public, especially the tech enthusiasts who are concerned about new smartphones, tablets, Google services and other cool stuff.

This year, the tech show will happen from May 15 to May 17 in San Francisco with many technical sessions and meetups. As mentioned above, the Head of Android as already told that this year the Google I/O event will deal with Google Android OS, Chrome software for notebooks and more, that will make it completely different.

Hence, GizBot has come up with a rundown of the rumors and speculations that will remain until the conference will kickstart on Wednesday.

Android Key Lime Pie

Its been awhile since Android got whole new version number. Google has been working within version 4 for long and so its likely that the v5.0 of Android will get a debut at the Google IO.

Since the current version is Jelly Bean, Google's naming convention of working down the alphabet via dessert names hints at Key Lime Pie. Of course, most devices are not running on 4.2 yet, so if we see Key Lime Pie at Google IO, that does not mean it will hit the devices immediately. From the interview of Sundar Pichai, Google is likely to add some new bells and whistles to its current generation, called Jelly Bean.

Next Nexus 7

Come July, Nexus 7 tablet will be one year old and the tech world will not be surprised to see a sequel to that tablets this year at Google I/O. It would be perfect timing for the launch of the Nexus 7 successor with its aggressive $199 (approx. Rs 11,000) price tag that has challenged Apple's expensive offerings.

The rumor mill has it claiming that Google is teaming back with Asus, the maker of original Nexus 7. It is speculated that the new tablet will have an upgraded resolution and pixel density, something to compete with the new iPad mini 2 with Retina display.

Further, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts that the device will come sporting a 7-inch LTPS panel carrying 1920 x 1200 pixel resolution, a 5 megapixel rear camera, a VGA front camera with HD, 4,000 mAh battery, Wireless charging, NFC and Wi-Fi.

Motorola X Phone, Upgraded Nexus 4

Well, it would be great to get a new smartphone at the Google I/O, but there have not been reliable rumors, though the tech headlines have been flooded with speculations. Google-owned Motorola has been working on an X device, as well, but there is no indication that it will launch at I/O.

While announcing the first quarter earnings of Google, CEO Larry Page stated that a whizzy Motorola phone, which many call the X Phone, was in the works. This hints that a Google branded Nexus smartphone is on its way to the consumers.

Further, there are rumors that are whipping that Google is in plans to unveil an upgraded variant of Nexus 4 with goodies including LTE and 32GB internal storage.

Maps

A few days back, some screenshots suggesting that Google Maps will receive a redesign have surfaced online. It looks like the sidebar will disappear and there will be a full-screen map with some overlays for directions, location details and similar items.

Google Play Games

Many smartphone users do play numerous games and hence, after nabbing a new Chief Game Designer for Google Play, signs indicate that Google is about to launch its own Game Center like feature rumored as Play Games.

Recently, there were leaked screenshots of Google Play Games that were obtained from the Google Play Services v3.1.36 that was to roll out to smartphones. The architecture of Play Games looked like it has room for matchmaking and achievements, much like its iOS counterpart.

Google Bable

Rumors about a unified hub for all the Google chat services have been circulating for a while, with some saying that the originally reported Babel code name will be ditched for the Hangouts name Google has been using for its group video chat since the launch of Google+ in 2011. Either way, a major unified chat experience, which if executed properly could be the most important announcement of all at the Google I/O.