How to watch Google’s Android Show: I/O Edition today
Google I/O is still a week away, but Google’s big announcements kick off today with the “Android Show: I/O Edition,” where it is expected to announce key highlights of the upcoming Android ecosystem at its annual developers conference.
When the Android Show will take place and where you can watch it
Android Show: I/O Edition will stream live on YouTube and the Android website on Tuesday, May 12 at 10:00 a.m. PT / 1:00 p.m. Eastern. Based on last year’s Android Show, we can expect highlights to include a look at the next major Android update as well as announcements about Gemini features on Android and potentially teases of some more future-oriented projects, like Aluminum OS and Android XR.
The Android Show livestream takes significantly less time than the I/O keynote. Last year’s Android Show lasted just over 20 minutes, while the entire Google I/O keynote lasted almost two hours.
The main event of Tuesday’s Android Show will likely be a preview of Android’s next big update, which could include design changes – at least that’s what some Android users suspect. In the 15-second teaser video from this year’s Android show, the Android robot momentarily changes from its usual solid green to a translucent, glassy appearance with pops of color inside. This led some users to speculate that Google would give Android a Liquid Glass look like iOS 26, but Android ecosystem president Sameer Samat responded to a post about it saying, “Not happening!”
Although the Android robot in the video looks a bit like Apple’s Liquid Glass, it also resembles early glimpses of the Gemini app redesign that has started appearing on macOS, iOS, and Android. Liquid Glass or not, it’s possible that Android 17 will feature some visual tweaks that Google will cover during Tuesday’s livestream, as well as new features and the update release window.
Beta builds and early developer previews of Android 17 include a few key features to look forward to, like “app bubbles” that let users view themselves in a small windowed “bubble” that they can move around in, like a windowed app on PC. Android 17 is also expected to include more location controls, including an option to uniquely share location with apps and an indicator that shows when a “non-system app” is accessing your location.
The Android Show: I/O Edition will likely include some highlights on upcoming updates to Google Gemini, particularly features built directly into Android (or Gemini’s Android app).
One of this year’s announcements could be the wider rollout of the Gemini redesign that users have started seeing on the chatbot’s app. It features a new pill-shaped dialog box with simplified buttons. The redesign also adds some subtle pops of color in the background, which closely resemble the “glassy” look of the Android robot in Google’s teaser video for this year’s Android Show.
The Android Show could give us our first official look at Aluminum OS, Google’s PC version of Android. A first look at it was leaked in January in a bug report that included screen recordings showing a user interface combining elements of Android and ChromeOS.
Even if Google shows off Aluminum OS during Tuesday’s livestream, we may still have to wait a while for a proper release. Court documents from Google’s antitrust case indicate that although Android ecosystem Sameer Samat said Google hopes to launch it in 2026, a full launch may not happen until 2028, particularly for the “enterprise and education sectors.” Aluminum OS may only be available in beta or testing this year, with a full launch later.
It’s also worth noting that Aluminum OS might not be compatible with all existing Chromebooks. Court documents also mention that Aluminum OS “is not expected to be able to support older hardware” due to “heavier software.”
Last year’s Android Show ended with a teaser for Android XR, with Android Ecosystem President Sameer Samat donning a pair of XREAL smart glasses, ahead of some Android Although just like last year, Google might also end up saving this for the main I/O talk.
