With Google I/O just a few weeks away, it’s time to start thinking about what we may see at this year’s developer conference. This time we’re talking about a new version of Android, whether that be Android 4.5 or 5.0. We typically see a new version of Android at Google I/O and then a bigger version in the fall. However, last year Google decided not to show off a new version of Android at Google I/O but about a month later Google announced Android 4.3 alongside the new Nexus 7 and the Chromecast. So we may see it in July again this year. Or maybe Google will go back to announcing it at Google I/O? Which I think is unlikely since they are only doing two days this year and a 2-hour keynote. So it’s likely we’ll only see some app updates and maybe a new version of Google Play Services at I/O, but what do you guys think?
We are thinking Android 4.5 in about a month or two, then a bigger update in the fall. Because Google can’t release a new Nexus device without a new version of Android. Or at least I should say, they’ve never done that before. And the Nexus 8 is supposedly going to be announced at Google I/O since it’s slated to go on sale at the end of the month. Which the Nexus 8 is going to be made by HTC, so it’s great to see HTC getting back into the Nexus game, since the original Nexus One back in the day. We’ve also been seeing lots of leaks about the next version of Android lately. Including some new features, and a redesign of many apps. The new Gmail and Google Calendar app that were leaked recently, I believe we will see at Google I/O but since those are updated through Google Play, we don’t need a new version of Android for those redesigns. That doesn’t mean we won’t need a certain version of Android to use those apps though.
While we’d all love a new version of Android at Google I/O this year, I just don’t think there’s time for it in the keynote. Especially with all the Android Wear and Android TV stuff they need to go over and announce. Maybe we’ll see some more Google Play Edition devices this year. It’s likely we’ll get a new version of Android in the next couple of months, and if not then we’ll definitely see it this fall alongside the new Nexus smartphone, which we’ve heard will not be the Nexus 6. So perhaps the Nexus 5 2014? This next version could even be named KitKat again as they did with Jelly Bean for Android 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3. Albeit confusing, it’s still Jelly Bean, and I can see them doing the same for KitKat.
How many of you are thinking we will see the next version of Android at Google I/O in a couple of weeks? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.