Google I/O is a week from today. Anyone excited? If you’re not, there’s something wrong with you. As usual when we get close to events like this, more and more rumors are surfacing. After last year’s huge Android update, we aren’t expecting a whole lot from the Android team, but there’s a new report out today from The Information that Google will announce new Internet of Things software at their developer event next week. That can’t be too surprising right? Seeing as everyone – it seems – is doing something with the Internet of Things.
The Information states that Google will introduce the software under the codename “Brillo”. There’s no word as to whether this is an Android-based platform. However, the group working on Brillo does fall under the Android group. So it’s likely that it is based off of the Android OS. The report also states that this technology needs just 32MB or 64MB of RAM to work. So we could be looking at low-powered electronics. That would include everything that would be in the internet of things. It appears that Google isn’t developing Internet of Things devices, but rather a platform for developers to create on and quickly advance Internet of Things before Microsoft or Samsung can. And we know they are working on it.
Brillo could turn out to be a lot like Android, where Google basically gives it out for free. It would give smart electronics makers an easy way to get into the Internet of Things for free, without having the need to develop much software themselves. Which is always a big thing for developers getting started in something new.
The report from The Information states that the initial release would be targeted at home appliances, and that they would also be able to connect in with Google’s Nest devices. Some of you may remember something called “Android@Home” a few years ago, that never really went anywhere. Google, last year, reinvented the TV with Android TV and it appears to be a success. Google could do the same thing this year with Brillo. Either way, we’ll be at Google I/O next week for the keynote, so make sure you keep it locked to Android Headlines for all the details.