Can Google keep up with Apple and Microsoft? (Photo : REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz)
Google's annual developer conference, Google I/O is beginning today, and all eyes are on the search giant to make big announcements after Apple and Microsoft's recent unveilings.
First off, Google has to compete with Apple's newly updated Retina Macbook and Apple iOS 6 showcasing. Microsoft too, recently showed off a new Windows phone OS as well as their upcoming tablet, the Surface.
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Here's a preview of what to expect from Google I/O and what the developer might have up its sleeve.
Android "Jelly Bean"
Google will most likely present the next iteration of their Android operating system at Google I/O. Nicknamed "Jelly Bean," it could include Google's answer to Siri - "Majel." The voice assistant is named after Majel Barrett-Roddenberry, Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry's wife and the voice of the computer aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise.
Google might also begin sending Android updates directly to Android phones, meaning that users will no longer have to wait for Samsung, HTC, or any other Android phone manufacturer to send out their own updates. The move would help consolidate what is known as "Android fragmentation."
Despite the competition from the new Apple iOS 6, Google's Jelly Bean is not expected to be a major overhaul, and will probably be an Android 4.1, rather than an Android 5.0.
Nexus
Google usually releases new versions of its phones and tablets with every new Android. In May, the Wall Street Journal reported that Google is planning on releasing new Nexus devices with the upcoming Jelly Bean.
In December, Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt said that the company was working on its own tablet, and given Microsoft's recent Surface announcement, Google might have come out with their own now if they want to stay relevant in the race against Apple's dominance.
Google Cloud
Given Apple's cloud service and the rising popularity of online storage, it only seems natural that Google, one of the leading providers of online services, will announce their own cloud storage service. The move would complement their Google Docs service well, and would put them in a better position to compete with the prominence of Microsoft's Office products.
Google's Project Glass
This one's a stretch, but given the buzz around Google's augmented reality glasses, it could be an announcement that puts the company over the top of Apple and Microsoft. Sure a new iPhone is exciting, and so is a Microsoft tablet, but this product would be the first of its kind, and according to the video, is pretty damn cool.
Google co-founder Sergey Bring did say that the glasses wouldn't be available until at least 2013, but it's never too early to tease the public is it?
