Google unveiled the 2023 roadmap for its smartphone operating system, Android, at its annual developers' conference I/O on Wednesday. While not explicitly naming it Android 14, Google made several announcements that will eventually find their way into the next version of the mobile OS, which is expected to release to the public later this year.
Google executives spoke at length about the company's continued efforts to connect users to a "complete ecosystem of devices". Android currently is installed on more than 3 billion active devices worldwide.
One of the key highlights was the emphasis on Android optimisation for large-screen devices — not surprising, considering the announcement of the Pixel Fold. Google claimed more than 50 first-party apps have been optimised for large screens, including Gmail, Photos, and Meet, as well as third-party apps like Spotify, Minecraft, and Disney+.
Foldable devices were also showcased, with transitions across screens, improved multi-column layouts, and tabletop mode, allowing users to switch between tasks easily.
Google said it will be updating the Find My Device feature to support a wider range of devices from different brands and will also introduce unknown tracker alerts — on the lines of Apple's AirTags alerts — to help users locate unrecognised tracking tags. Google has also introduced new AI-powered features, including Magic Compose, Cinematic Wallpaper, and Generative AI Wallpaper, to allow for greated user customisation.
Google also claimed that RCS adoption is growing, with over 800 million people using the feature. The RCS format is the spiritual successor to the ubiquitous SMS, with extra messaging features including full-resolution video/photo uploads, emoji support and other features commonly found on internet-based chat applications.
Wear OS
Google confirmed that WhatsApp will be bringing its first-ever watch app to Wear OS and said other apps, like Gmail, Calendar, and others, will also get native watch apps later this year.
