Google LLC today revealed that its annual I/O conference for developers will take place on May 10 near its headquarters in Mountain View, California, but it will involve only a “limited live audience” and will be open to everyone else online.

Google I/O is an annual event that’s geared for developers building on Android and Google Cloud. Traditionally, it’s where the world gets to see a good look at the annual Android update, changes for developers and often some upcoming devices, especially new smartphones.

In 2020 Google was forced to cancel Google I/O completely, and the next year’s edition was a completely virtual experience. In 2022, Google I/O returned with a limited, in-person event to which some developers were invited to watch the keynotes live at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View.

Google I/O 2023 will be similar, with some developers invited and the rest having to make do with the online experience. The event will kick off with a keynote from Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai, followed by a developer keynote and more than 100 on-demand technical sessions.

Google said its full agenda and program will be published in the coming weeks, but interested developers can register now. Once again, virtual attendance is free for everyone.

As to what’s in store for developers, it’s likely that there will be see lots of developments on the artificial intelligence front, where Google is under pressure to deliver something good as an answer to OpenAI LLC’s ChatGPT. So there may be more news about Bard, the company’s response to ChatGPT, and maybe some other AI products that developers can use to generate images, write code, or test product prototypes.

No doubt, there will be a great deal about the next version of Android, which has already been made available in preview for developers. There may also be some hardware announcements. For instance, reports indicate there could be more details about the upcoming Pixel 7A phone, a cheaper version of its flagship, and perhaps even the long-rumored Pixel Fold device.

Meanwhile, given that the countdown timer on this year’s Google I/O website looks suspiciously like a tablet device, that hints at the possibility of some concrete news about Google’s long-rumored Pixel tablet.

Image: Google