Google I/O 2022 event: From Pixel watch to Wallet app, check key announcements

Google took a big step toward pushing its Pixel product line-up down a road already paved by Apple and its array of trendsetting devices.

Google Pixel watch

Google’s smartwatch became the latest addition to its six-year-old Pixel brand. The new watch, targeted for an autumn release, marks Google’s first major attempt to make its mark in wearable technology. Until now, Google’s presence in the smartwatch market had been limited to making a version of its mobile Android operating system for watches made by other companies.

The Google Pixel Watch will run Wear OS and incorporate features like–heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and other FitBit kind of features.

Google Pixel 6A

Before launching its smartwatch, Google will be fleshing out its selection of Pixel phones with a new budget model called the 6a coming out in late July. The Pixel 6a will include Google’s top-of-the-line processor but sell for $449 — a 25% discount from the slightly more sophisticated Pixel 6 released last fall.

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Google Pixel Buds Pro

The wireless earbuds, which will include a noise cancellation feature, are scheduled for a July 28 release. The Pixel Buds Pro will sell for $199.

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Pixel 7 and Pixel tablet

The tech giant did not reveal much about these two products in its I/O event. However, Google did give a sneak peek of the Pixel 7. The lens of the smartphone looked a lot different on the model coming this year. On the other hand, the Google tablet is slated for a 2023 release.

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Google’s other announcements

In addition to these products, Alphabet Inc’s Google also previewed augmented-reality glasses that display translations of conversations in real-time. Eddie Chung, a product director at Google, called them “subtitles for the world.”

“What we’re working on is technology that enables us to break down language barriers, taking years of research in Google Translate and bringing that to glasses,” he said.

The company showed a video of its glasses prototype displaying translations for conversations involving English, Mandarin, Spanish, and American Sign Language.

The company also laid out additional plans to bridge the real world and its digital universe of search, Maps, and other services using artificial intelligence. Later this year, Maps will launch an immersive view for some big cities that fuses Street View and aerial images.

In other announcements, a relaunched Google Wallet app will support virtually storing drivers licenses in some areas of the United States later this year, mirroring a feature Apple debuted for Arizona on its iPhones in March.