Google IO 2021 Reaction: My favorite announcements

 

The Google I/O keynote has finished and in the mountain of announcements we have some amazing changes to the core competency of the Google ecosystem. We'll take brief looks at the changes coming to Android 12 and Wear OS (now called "Wear"). Along some of the smaller tidbits such as digital car keys and an update on project Starline. Let's start with what I think to be the most important announcement: Wear. 

Wear

Google I/O brought some much-appreciated announcements about Wear OS with the first of which being the re-brand of Wear OS to just Wear. I like this new name; it has a nice ring to it while keeping an open door to being used on devices other than smartwatches (Google glass anyone?). The actual news is a new partnership with Samsung to combine the current Wear OS and Samsung's Tizen. Google is promising faster UI, better battery life, and better apps and from what I've seen in both the current Wear OS and in Tizen this might just work.  

 
 

Image Credit: Google

Promising a 30% increase in performance, Google is trying to make Wear OS lighter by making a more efficient UI. This UI includes new animations, better tiles, and more optimization with third-party manufacturers. Although this might turn Wear into a madhouse of design (see Android circa 2014) it also might mean special flavors for a Galaxy Watch or Pixel watch (see One UI circa 2021). We also are seeing heavy app investments (at least by earlier Wear OS standards) with Google pledging to update Google Maps, Google Pay, and Google assistant. Some third parties are also getting on board with Spotify and YouTube music both supporting downloads and apps for the new system.  

 
 

Image Credit: Google

Image Credit: Google

Thankfully, Fitbit is a part of this new platform as a choice for your health tracking needs. Both Samsung health and Google fit are a part of Wear, but my hopes are that they lean on Fitbit for health tracking because the full ecosystem that already exists is amazing. It also provides a segue for older Fitbit users to switch to this new OS without fear of having to lose data or switch fitness systems.  

 
 

Image Credit: Google

The Android Smartwatch ecosystem has always been separate ecosystems each with its own weaknesses. Together they seem to cover the bases of what makes a good smartwatch. Having extra customizability in watch-faces and in the actual OS itself will also open the door to even better hardware from manufacturers who regain faith in this new platform. I only hope existing Wear OS users like me snag the update. Finally: the redemption of a once-forgotten platform.  

 

Android 12 

Now for the second biggest announcement: the Android 12 open beta. Before I dive into some of the details, I will note that a deep-dive and analysis is in the works and will most likely be forgotten will be coming soon after this post. I will also note that some channels have made videos about the new beta, so I'll embed them below for visual reference. Ok cool? Cool. 

 
I'll start with the massive design changes courtesy of the newest version of material design: Material You. You read that right, Google is shaking up Android (and maybe Chrome OS) with innovative design principles that adjust to elements that you choose such as wallpaper or theme. With this contemporary design comes changes to notifications and quick settings, you can see in the videos that now it is one uniform area, and it you can also see it now places emphasis in the most important quick settings by making them bigger. The UI adjusting to things like your wallpaper means you get custom colors for the tiles on your quick settings and even on smaller parts such as the volume bar.  

 
Some other changes include a more streamlined lock screen following the principles of the notification shade but also gives you a personal clock that centers when you clear your notifications. When you sign in it transports you to a lock screen color where the pattern and PIN unlock have rounder more circular keys that remind me of the Pixel slate keyboard (good vibes). Speaking of clocks Material You also happens to invest in widgets for Android 12. At last, we see changes that aren't simply copies of IOS 14's widgets but instead simple, lively, and friendly widget design. 

Some new features include a conversation widget that seems to tap into any app that supports the Widget API (like slack). Other widgets include the weather and planner widget; the planner seems unchanged barring some font and color styling, but the weather widget is a suspicious circle of sorts. I don't feel that weather widgets should be circles (IMO), but I suppose it's nice to have options. As an avid widget Meister, I look forward to hoping apps will adopt the modern design language while knowing they won't and approaching the new widget age with optimism.  

 
 

However just to remind everyone that Google giveth and taketh they seem to have removed and given up on the power menu of Android 11. In its place is a remap to activate Google assistant with a long power button press. I will never forgive them I think that was a mistake that most won't notice but I'll take 3 lines of text to complain about. 

 
 

All these new animations and designs would most likely bog down Android in 2013 but in 2021 Google claims Material You speed up animations by 22% and have optimized for hardware. Material You is there to give you a much more personal design to Android; I can't say I agree with some design principles but having something new is reason enough to welcome Android 12.  

 
 

Taking a few moments from geeking out over the lock screen, I wanted to touch on some new privacy features to wrap up Android. Google now provides a privacy dashboard to check on permissions, track usage of data, and management of sensors such as microphones and cameras. Also new is a tip of the quick settings panel dedicated to turning microphones and cameras off at a system level if you so wish to do so while also alerting you if any of the two are on at any time. Location tracking is also improved by giving you the option to share approximate location instead of precise location. Might not be useful with Google maps but will give you more peace of mind with your weather app. Finally, a new "Privacy Core" is coming to Android 12 that is a private sandbox inside the OS to run sensitive system functions that might provide a privacy risk if runed otherwise. 

 
 

My reaction so far is positive: if Google is going to continue competing it certainly has proved its interest. I feel like Android 12 doesn't bring much-needed visual changes, just, nice visual changes. It's redecorating an already nice yard just to make the squirrels feel more at home. I guess that makes me one happy squirrel. 

Fun tidbits 

 
Now that we're wrapping up my initial reaction, I wanted to just mention a few tidbits that I found fun. The first of which is car keys on Android 12, just like iOS 14 Android is now introducing a new framework for using your phone as keys for your car. The Digital Car Key framework is using UWB tech to try for precision location unlock; or for phones that don't support UWB NFC unlock. 

Image Credit: Google

Image Credit: Google

Again, I'm still on the fence about digital keys but with more effort and refinement the idea will become more useful over time. Although there are several alternative methods made by other car manufacturers and third parties but having an official framework by Google will allow for more secure standardization and wider adoption.  

 
 

 
 

 Our last tidbit is the update on project Starline. In a year where video calling was one of the most important means of communication Starline brings true 3D video calling to life. No, it's not some gimmick with 3D glasses or any of those shenanigans; instead, it is using advanced computer vision, machine learning, and spatial audio to create a 3D chat. It may sound like nonsense but unlike many earlier attempts the method yields results. In the demo Google supplied the calling experience looked life-size and real. I admit: the table placed in the middle is part of the illusion but that's ok. Although this doesn't feel like the video calling, we need its part of what I someday hope to have. 

 
 

That's what Google I/O is all about: hoping to have what might be.  

 

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