Google I/O to Take Place in May, Will Once Again Be Online

Google today announced that its annual Google I/O developers conference is set to take place on Wednesday, May 11, and Thursday, May 12, about a month ahead of when we're expecting Apple to hold the annual Worldwide Developers Conference.

Google Logo Feature Slack
Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai shared the news this afternoon, and he said the event will be "live from Shoreline Amphitheatre," with the content available online. The wording of his tweet was confusing, but Google has clarified that this will be an online-only event as it has been for the past two years.


A "limited audience" will be at the event, but that will consist of Googlers, with press and other attendees expected to tune in online.


With COVID cases dropping in California and mask mandates lifting, it's possible Google could have chosen to invite some people to attend in person, but the company has opted not to do so, perhaps because Google I/O typically sees attendees from around the globe.

Google's decision to hold an online-only event may give us some insight into Apple's plans. Apple has not announced the dates for the Worldwide Developers Conference, nor has the company said whether this year's event will have an in-person element. Apple has been cautious throughout the global health crisis, so with Google going online only for I/O, we are likely to see Apple opt for an online event as well.

Apple last year announced the dates for the 2021 Worldwide Developers Conference on March 30, so we may not have too long to wait to find out what Apple has in store for WWDC 2022.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro 34ths Perspective

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Sunday March 23, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
Generic iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Coming Soon With These New Features for Your iPhone

Tuesday March 25, 2025 6:45 am PDT by
Apple is expected to release iOS 18.4 to the general public as soon as next week, following more than a month of beta testing. Apple's website says some iOS 18.4 features will be released in "early April," so the update should be out as early as Tuesday, April 1. Apple this week seeded the iOS 18.4 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, barring the discovery of any...
ios 19 messages app

Here's What Apple's iOS 19 Messages App Might Look Like

Tuesday March 25, 2025 11:52 am PDT by
Leaker Jon Prosser today shared a mockup of what he says the Messages app will look like in iOS 19, demoing an interface with rounded, translucent bubble-shaped navigation buttons at the top and softer, rounder corners for the keyboard and word suggestions. Jon Prosser's Messages app mockup The return button, a button for going back to the Messages list, and the FaceTime button have a deeper...
iCloud General Feature Redux

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive a New Perk

Thursday March 20, 2025 12:01 am PDT by
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, Apple has a new perk for you, at no additional cost. The new perk is the ability to create invitations in the Apple Invites app for the iPhone, which launched in the App Store last month. In the Apple Invites app, iCloud+ subscribers can create invitations for any occasion, such as birthday parties, graduations, baby showers, and more. Anyone ...
macbook pro blue green

When Will Apple Release the M5 MacBook Pro?

Wednesday March 26, 2025 4:53 pm PDT by
Apple regularly refreshes the MacBook Pro models, and a new version that uses M5 series chips is in the works. Apple just finished refreshing most of the Mac lineup with M4 chips, and now it's time for the M5. Rumors suggest that we could see the first M5 MacBook Pro models this fall. Design There have been no rumors of a design update for the M5 MacBook Pro models that are coming this...
airpods max 2024 colors

Don't Buy Into Apple's Hype About AirPods Max Gaining Lossless Audio

Monday March 24, 2025 4:24 pm PDT by
Apple today announced that AirPods Max with a USB-C port will be gaining support for lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio with a firmware update next month, alongside the release of iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS 15.4. For context, audio files are typically compressed to keep file sizes smaller. There are lossy compression standards like MP3 and AAC (Advanced Audio Codec), which...
Apple Lumon Terminal Pro

Apple's Mac Site Features Fictional 'Lumon Terminal Pro'

Wednesday March 26, 2025 12:19 pm PDT by
Apple is going all out with promotions for the popular Severance Apple TV+ show today, and as of right now, you'll find a new "Lumon Terminal Pro" listed on Apple's Mac site. The Lumon Terminal Pro is designed to look similar to the machines that Severance employees like Mark S. and Helly R. use for macrodata refinement. The Terminal features a blue keyboard, a small display with wide...
Facebook Feature

Facebook's New iPhone App Feature Turns the Clock Back to 2007

Thursday March 27, 2025 1:59 pm PDT by
In the mid-to-late 2000s, Facebook was all about staying connected with friends and family. However, as the social media platform added new features and grew over time, that core experience began to get drowned out. That changes starting now, according to Meta, which today introduced a new feature that will "bring back the joy" of classic Facebook. Specifically, Meta has redesigned the...

Top Rated Comments

Kierkegaarden Avatar
40 months ago

I’m pretty dubious about them going back to live events… ever? The streaming ones give them so much more control over making everything go perfect and I think they’ll have a hard time letting go of that.
The digital events are definitely more polished, but they miss the energy that comes from the audience reaction. Can you imagine the difference if the iPhone was first announced in a digital event vs a live event?
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
goobot Avatar
40 months ago

The digital events are so much better than the live ones, I hope they don’t ever go back now.

The quality and transitions are better, and it seems strange if they really did go back to live events.
I like live events better. Hearing the unbiased grumbling over the 1000$ stand was worth it.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kierkegaarden Avatar
40 months ago
WWDC will most likely be digital as well. But I think (hope) the live events return in the fall!
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
44267547 Avatar
40 months ago
Sundar needs to deliver a product that can execute against the Galaxy and iPhone, and the Pixel seems to be falling behind relevant features to the competition.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
RalfTheDog Avatar
40 months ago
The sad fact is, the numbers are going back up. If it is a sharp spike, it may be over by then. If not, it could be hitting peak about that time. Why take the risk?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CarlJ Avatar
40 months ago

WWDC will most likely be digital as well. But I think (hope) the live events return in the fall!
I’m pretty dubious about them going back to live events… ever? The streaming ones give them so much more control over making everything go perfect and I think they’ll have a hard time letting go of that.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)