Google I/O 2021: Here's what to expect from Google's biggest annual conference

• Google’s biggest annual developer conference is just around the corner.
  
• We are expecting some major updates from the tech giant as it missed last year’s event due to the pandemic.
  
• Android 12, Assistant, Wear OS are some of the areas where some major announcements are awaited.

Google I/O, the search giant's biggest developer conference is back after being dropped last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The event will take place from May 18 through May 21. The first part of the show will be a keynote from Sundar Pichai and other Google executives delivered at 10 a.m. PT. This year's conference comes a little different in an online-only format, but that doesn't mean it's going to be any smaller in scale.

From what's known, the event is going to be a big one, especially with all the anticipation build up after skipping a year.

Although we don't know everything Google has in store for the Google I/O 2021, there are some easy guesses and some that have been churning out of the rumour mills. Read on to find out what to expect from this year's I/O conference.

Final details of the Android 12 OS

The Android 12 OS is the easiest guess to make as Google has a history of revealing its new-gen operating system at the I/O every year. The search giant will make all the new updates and features official, most of which have been out in the public thanks to the three developer previews that it has released during the course.

From the developer previews, it's almost certain that the OS is getting a major design overhaul this year. In addition to that, there are tons of other features lined up which will make more significance once the company reveals its vision behind them. If things go as usual, you can expect to see an initial public beta of Android 12 soon after the keynote and a final rollout by September.

New product announcements and updates for the Assistant

Information about new Google Assistant based products and feature updates is still scarce but the company noted in its blog that we’ll see “new product announcements” and “feature updates”. This keeps our hopes high in this department. Also, the company has a history of detailing tons of new Assistant updates at its annual conference in the past.

So new hardware devices along with some improvements in the Assistant are likely to be showcased.

Some light on the Wear OS

The Wear OS platform may finally see some updates after being bashed for staying far behind in the race. Google smartwatch platform has got two sessions scheduled during the I/O and combined with the unforeseen rumours of Pixel Watch, our hopes have revived. Reliable YouTuber Jon Prosser recently showed real-looking renders of a circular watch that seems quite on point with our imagination of the Pixel Watch.

Very slim chances of the Pixel Buds and Google Pixel 5A

Neither the Pixel Buds nor the Pixel 5A is highly anticipated but there still might be a slight chance that we might see the two devices during the I/O. The Pixel Buds A, a cheaper alternative to the normal Pixel Buds have been leaked more than once, which makes us expect them to find a place at the event.

Due to the global chip crunch, expecting the budget-friendly Pixel 5A is also like asking for too much. The phone might be in the charts but it might not be ready to be launched during the I/O. We know it's coming for sure, but when -- is still hard to say.