Everything announced at The Android Show: I/O 2026 edition

Everything Announced At The Android Show: I/O 2026 Edition

Big Tech

Google Everything announced at The Android Show: I/O 2026 edition By Kris Holt May 12, 2026 1:10 pm EST Google Google I/O, the company's big annual developer conference, is almost upon us. But the company isn't waiting until then to reveal what it has in store for Android. There was just far too much news on that front to squeeze into the I/O keynote, so Google revealed the details in the latest edition of The Android Show today. And, my goodness, were there a lot of details to reveal. From Gemini Intelligence and new laptops in the form of Googlebooks to an AirDrop-related update and Instagram editing tools in Android, Google had plenty of announcements to make. So, without further ado, here's an overview of everything Google announced during The Android Show: I/O edition. Googlebooks Google Somehow, next month marks the 15th anniversary of the first Chromebook. Google is now looking to build on that device family with a new lineup: Googlebooks. Not to be confused with Google Books, I presume. These systems are built for Gemini Intelligence, a suite of fully integrated generative AI features (more on that in a moment). If this sounds a little familiar, you might be thinking of Copilot+, an initiative Microsoft debuted in 2024 to highlight a wave of Windows laptops that can handle more Copilot tasks locally rather than in the cloud. The concept didn't exactly catch fire — data indicated consumers weren't rushing out to buy Copilot+ PCs in grand numbers. In fact, Microsoft has started stripping Copilot features out of Windows apps after users revolted against the company for cramming generative AI junk into every possible part of the operating system. Whether folks will be more accepting of Gemini Intelligence and Googlebooks is something to keep an eye on over the next couple of years. In any case, Googlebook laptops will be "seamlessly compatible with Android phones," the company said. Google has been working on a platform that unifies ChromeOS and Android, and this is the next step. For one thing, you'll be able to access files on your Android phone from the file browser on your Googlebook. Google is far behind Apple when it comes to interoperability between its products, and it's trying to catch up. Google will reveal more details about Googlebooks in the coming months. The first such laptops will be made by the likes of Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP and Lenovo, and will hit shelves this fall.  Gemini Intelligence Google is injecting even more Gemini into Android and ChromeOS devices with Gemini Intelligence. "It integrates premium hardware and innovative software to help you stay a step ahead by working proactively to get things done throughout your day — all while keeping your data private, and keeping you in control," the company said in a press release. It's an attempt to bring more agentic AI features to more devices that run on Google software. Google is pitching this as a more streamlined way to get things done. It suggests that, when you long press on a grocery list in your notes app, you can ask Gemini to create a shopping cart with all of the items so you can check out faster. The company says Gemini will work in the background to do things like locking in a spot in a spin class. You'll still need to confirm actions before Gemini, for instance, books a trip for you. There's more to Gemini Intelligence than that, though. For Googlebooks, the Google Deepmind team helped build a tool called Magic Pointer, which is a gesture-based feature baked into your cursor. Every time you wiggle your mouse at something on your display, Gemini-powered contextual suggestions for what to do with it will pop up. For instance, wiggle at a date in an email, and Magic Cursor might suggest that you set up a meeting. It sounds like Clippy, but potentially 1,000 times more annoying. Google is doubling down on widgets as well, including by bringing them to Googlebooks and Wear OS. Using the Create My Widget tool, you'll be able to generate custom widgets with a Gemini Intelligence prompt. You might use this to deliver fresh recipe suggestions to your phone every week or to bring all of the information about a trip from sources like Gmail and Calendar into one place. One other thing that Gemini Intelligence will be able to do is connect to Autofill with Google (the company says this is entirely optional and you can opt back out at any time). The AI system will fill out forms for you using relevant details from connected apps. Google suggests this will come in useful when you're faced with punching in details into tiny text boxes on mobile devices to complete a form. Gemini Intelligence will bring a refreshed look to your devices as well. Google says this builds on the design language of Material 3 Expressive, which debuted last year. Google is promising that you'll have granular control over Gemini Intelligence, including the ability to disable certain features and what data is shared with Gemini and certain apps. Gemini Intelligence will only run in apps that you permit it to and won't start automating any tasks until you tell it to. Along with Googlebooks, Gemini Intelligence is coming to devices running Wear OS, Android Auto, Android XR and, of course, Android. These features will first appear on the latest Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel phones, and Google will start deploying them starting this summer. Gemini for Chrome in Android As desktop users may be well aware by this point, Chrome isn't sheltered from Gemini. The company will soon bring Gemini in Chrome to the web browser on Android devices as well. It says this tool, which is built on Gemini 3.1, "can help you research, summarize and compare content across the web." You can tap the Gemini icon at the top of the screen to bring up a chatbot and ask it questions related to the webpage or get explanations for complex issues. Gemini in Chrome can also connect to other apps, so it will be able to dig up information from Gmail, create events in Calendar and make notes in Keep. Gemini in Chrome features Nano Banana integration as well, so you can generate images right in your browser or customize images from the web. An auto-browsing option is said to be able to carry out certain tasks for you, like reserving a parking spot close to an event you're attending. This will initially be available for AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the US. As with other Gemini Intelligence agentic features, you'll be prompted for a confirmation before the tool purchases something or carries out another sensitive task, like posting something on social media. The auto-browsing tool will start rolling out at the same time as the rest of Gemini in Chrome. Google said it will start deploying these at the end of June to select devices in the US that are running at least Android 12. Android 17 updates Google Google has largely shifted away from big annual operating system updates in favor of more frequent Pixel Drops. Still, the pre-I/O edition of The Android Show gives the company a chance to give you a peek at what's coming via Android 17. The most exciting update for many will be the introduction of 3D emoji. Google is calling this collection Noto 3D. Pixel phones will be the first to gain access to these emoji later this year. Google says they'll be available across its products. A new Gemini Intelligence-powered speech-to-text feature called Rambler will aim to remove filler words and clarify what it seems you're trying to say. "You can speak naturally and it will take the important parts, then fit them all together into a concise message," Google says. The company claims that Rambler will even account for switching between languages mid-sentence. The tool won't save or store your speech, which is only used for transcription. A feature called Pause Point is designed to help you use your phone more intentionally, given how easy it is to dismiss things like app timers. If you enable Pause Point and a time-sucking app, there will be a 10-second delay during which you'll be prompted to consider just why you're trying to use it. Pause Point might suggest a breathing exercise, setting a timer, some ph