Google has just pushed live its I/O 2021 schedule. Outside the usual expected talks like the I/O and developer keynotes, “What’s new in Android?,” and the (always great) fireside chats, there are a few new interesting-sounding topics, like “anomaly detection with TensorFlow” and “serverless demo derby.” And, nestled among the three days of events, there’s even a talk from Android Police alumni Liam Spradlin.
Oh snap a @LiamSpradlin talk at Google I/O!! Welcome to my star list. https://t.co/7VdiSnOnbO pic.twitter.com/p94DTjfFYd
— Ron Amadeo (@RonAmadeo) April 28, 2021
We’re still diving through to pick out our must-watch list (keep an eye out tomorrow), but those interested in Android should at least tune in for the main I/O keynote, which is set for 1 PM ET (10 AM PT). If that’s too late for you based on your time zone, you can actually catch a rebroadcast at 4 AM ET — though I assume a recorded version will also be available on-demand.
On that note, quite a lot of the sessions this year aren’t actually set for a specific time, and you can tune into them on-demand and whenever you like.
Also keep in mind, Google usually holds back any talks on topics it plans to introduce for the first time during the keynote itself. I’m not sure if the remote nature of this year’s I/O will change that, but it’s possible we will see more talks added later.
Curiously, Google seems to be dropping the “OS” from any talks describing Google’s wearables platform — as in, just calling it “Wear.” There are also several talks that discuss Android 12 changes, including one regarding a new look for widgets, which is leading. So far the biggest two Widget-related changes in Android 12 are the conversations widget (which this presumably has nothing to do with) and some minor corner rounding. This could indicate more is coming.
Developers should especially check out several of the “What’s new,” “AMA,” and “Meetup” events for subjects they work in, and try to be choosy; there’s a whole lot of overlapping events this year, and you can’t attend them all. Google’s schedule for the 2019 I/O (the last one that happened given last year’s cancellation) is currently down, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the final count shows this year has more total events.
Star some events, plan for a few meetups, and mark your calendar — Google has made it easy to add them with a single click. If you have to register for a spot in any limited-capacity events, keep in mind only one registration is allowed per time block.
