The outstanding tasks and open fronts for the Google I/O 2014  

This week we have Google I/O, and it is not more that we stop to analyze what are plotting in the Californian company headquarters. As usual, we have a mix of news, rumors, and speculation about what we are going to present. We have much to say about Android, the common denominator in the company to enter new markets. Renewed hope in the system for phones and tablets, but no doubt it gets more interesting when we talk about its introduction into wearables, cars or televisions.

Wear starring Android

The project’s main character sounds like the event is Android Wear, took small doses of weeks getting information from Google, and light product presentations from their partners, such as watches LG or Motorola. You may even see one developed by Samsung. Basically, we have presented it as an Android smart watch, but it is possible that in the future we may know in new formats. For now they seem to have pretty clear that the invention requires touch screen, and remains dependent on a phone or tablet, for many functionalities.

Here is where we find enough interest in the presentation, development libraries. The idea is to have developed applications for the device, but the potential is in the notifications and the relation to what happens on the phone. Looking developer boast that spice up its applications in the watch will be very simple, without losing functionality. We did not miss anything in any of the three sessions will discuss Wear Android devices given away to developers.

Android and its next update 

For some less striking in that follow within the same devices where it was born always featured a new version of Android. The latest we have is from October 31 KitKat, so you play (although it is only a 14% of devices). In the past Google I / O, to the surprise of many, none were introduced, so there is no guarantee that this will happen. This does not mean that there are dozens of information touching the subject, with many unexpected developments:

• Support for 64-bit. Since Apple introduced its iPhone 5s, competition does not have a system and hardware to play in that league. Qualcomm has ready solutions, at least on paper, and Google is doing its part for the whole case. We hope that the next Android version comes with support for the new architecture, which will open the way to more powerful hardware.

• ART. Also known as “Android Run Time”, is the engine of Android applications has to replace Dalvik (JIT), and is presented as an option – unfinished – in KitKat. There will be a session devoted to it in the event, in which we count the improvements brought under its arm. 

• New API for the camera. It’s one of the things that normally evolve, and therefore it expected the new version. Google decided to take its own application “Google Camera”, and since then is very active with development. In the system we expect new interface, effects, and ability to take advantage of hardware: bursts, RAW, etc..

• A by the companies. It is said that Google wants to gain ground in the enterprise market, forsaken BlackBerry, and several candidates to occupy. You may come with the new Android new ciphers, authentication, remote control systems / off, and goes to work with hardware manufacturers to more robust solutions.

• Google Play Fitness could be one of the most important changes; taking advantage that Android comes in. Wear. We could meet a recipient of the data health and fitness and can be shared between applications and services that we want to use them.

Some believe it will be a completely new version, i.e., numbered 5.0, others who advocate a 4.5. Tap the letter “L”, so possibly finish calling Lollipop. Another aspect that we believe has some way to evolve is to integrate search, third party applications can use the technology of Google Now (less touch screen and mouse, plus voice recognition). We also hope that design and functionality go on doing more like Chrome and Android. It is interesting to remember that Google are liking the idea much chop the important parts of the system, and to update them as appropriate, instead of having to wait for a specific version.

Android Silver, is there still life for Nexus?

It is an interesting debate on the future of Android terminals reference. We know very well and we like the Nexus as a product. But we have the shadow of Android Silver planning the Google I / O, and we can not disregard. The idea is to create a program with manufacturers to create devices the Nexus style, ie, with Google software without customizations. We talked about art hardware, faster updates, and more variety in not having to stay with a single Nexus.

Google will be happy to sell them on their own, and give you the promotion you deserve. It is rumored that they will spend 1,000 billion to give visibility to these products. In support of this initiative appear to be LG and Motorola. If we believe the rumors, it could be released in 2015, in the United States, Germany and Japan. The probability to talk about this strategy in the Google I / O is low, but there is always the possibility of a prototype, or drop some information. If execution of Nexus is not immediate, there may be some still in the oven model. Indeed there are strong indications on a tablet HTC, known internally as Volantis. I honestly do not see very doable, but hopefully I’m wrong.