Google I/O is happening this 10 May, could we be seeing a Pixel Fold and Pixel 7a?

After putting up a literal input/output puzzle that developers might enjoy playing with, Google has finally let the cat out of the bag: Google I/O is back for this year, and will be happening on 10 May 2023. You can already sign up for it on the Google I/O 2023 website, and by the time May rolls around you’ll be able to watch it live on the Google YouTube account.

As for what we can expect to see, there’s a good chance Google will be showing off all the new features coming with Android 14. The upcoming version of Android is actually already available as a developer preview, with new features such as per-app language preferences, better security and more accessibility options already teased by Google. By the time Google I/O rolls around, it should already be in beta, with a final stable release of Android 14 expected some time in August or September of this year. There should also be a lot of news about Google’s latest exploits in the AI scene.

However, when it comes to hardware, Google is widely expected to showcase the long-rumoured Pixel Fold, their first foldable. Previous leaks have indicated that it would be a pretty solid foldable for a debut showing, with a more tablet-like aspect ratio on the main display compared to rivals such as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 and the Oppo Find N2. It’s also likely that the Pixel Fold (or Pixel Notepad) would feature their own Google Tensor G2 system-on-chip, along with a triple rear camera setup housed in a horizontal bar across the back of the phone.

Another clue that the Pixel Fold—or maybe even the Pixel Tablet they teased last year—is imminent could even be from Google themselves; the Google I/O countdown page features a UI that’s kinda similar to what a tablet or a foldable device’s UI could look.

Likewise, we can expect to see the debut of Google’s more affordable smartphone, the Pixel 7a; the previous Pixel 6a was launched during last year’s Google I/O event too. Earlier reports suggest that the Pixel 7a might be a reasonable upgrade over its predecessor by incorporating a ceramic body, while still retaining a design mostly similar to their current Pixel 7 offering. Just like how the Pixel 6a packed the same chip as the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, the Pixel 7a is also believed to have the same Google Tensor G2 processor that powers the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. Google might also tease the upcoming Pixel 8 series, just like it did with the Pixel 7 lineup during last year’s Google I/O, months before it actually debuted.