OMG! Google I/O 2021 is coming! Will we see the debut of the new phone?

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Google canceled Google I/O outright in 2020. There were originally rumors that it could do an all-virtual event, but that didn’t come to pass.

In 2021, Google is delivering the all-virtual I/O we were hoping for last year. The Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, CA, might not be filled to the brim with attendees as in years past, but the show will go on!

What is Google I/O?
It’s an annual developer conference where Google announces new hardware, software, and various updates for its existing apps and services.

When is Google I/O 2021?
A: The event will take place from Tuesday, May 18 through Friday, May 21. The first part of the show will be a keynote from Sundar Pichai and other Google executives, delivered at 10:00 AM PT (1:00 PM ET). This is usually when the biggest news drops.

How can you watch it?
As with every year, Google will live stream its keynote and various other events. However, due to the all-virtual nature of the show, every single event will be live-streamed for free. This differs from previous years in which parts of the show could only be experienced by paid attendees.

What to expect at this event

Without a doubt, a bulk of Google I/O will be devoted to Android 12. The world’s largest mobile operating system is constantly seeing tweaks and updates, but the newest numbered iteration of Android is always a big deal.

As for Google Pixel 5a

There is the 50 to 50 chance we shall find this phone launch at Google I/O. Google launched the original “a” series devices at I/O 2019 — the Google Pixel 3a and 3a XL. It also likely would have launched the Pixel 4a at the 2020 event had it actually happened. Instead, the Pixel 4a landed in August.

Google launched the second-gen version of its Pixel Buds in 2020, which acted as its first entry into the incredibly competitive true wireless earbuds space. Currently, rumors suggest Google could launch a cheaper variant of the Buds that could land as the Google Pixel Buds A.

Rumors abound that Google could launch its first-ever custom mobile processor this year, likely within the upcoming Google Pixel 6. Although we almost certainly won’t see a Pixel 6 announcement at Google I/O, it’s possible Google could take the wraps off the processor itself, codenamed Whitechapel.