Google I/O 2017: There are now 2 billion monthly active Android devices globally – #IO17

Google I/O, an annual developer conference held by Google, kicked off today, May 17.

I/O showcases technical in-depth sessions focused on building web, mobile, and enterprise applications with Google and open sources such as Android, Chrome and Chrome OS, APIs, Google Web Toolkit, App Engine, and more.

Here are some of the highlights of the first day of the event from CEO Sundar Pichai keynote address.

Android Devices

Google announced that there are now 2 billion monthly active Android devices globally. This makes it the largest reach of any computing platform of its kind. Today at Google I/O, Google celebrated that milestone and showcased a number of ways it is working to make Android even more useful, including a beta release of Android O and a new initiative to help bring Android to the next billion users.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_M4B-pl05M

Android is bringing the power of computing to the many screens in your life—from watches to TVs and beyond.

• Watches: With new partners such as Emporio Armani, Movado and New Balance, Android Wear now enables 24 of the world’s top watch brands.
• Cars: Android Auto has seen 10x user growth since last year, supported by more than 300 car models. And just this week, Audi and Volvo announced next generation infotainment systems will be powered by Android.
• TVs: With 1 million new device activations every two months, Android TV has doubled its number of users since last year. And today we announced Android TV is revamping its home screen with a new channel-based, content-first experience so you can discover new shows and watch your favorites even faster.
• Internet of Things: Android Things, which will fully launch later this year, already has thousands of developers in more than 60 countries using it to build connected devices with easy access to services such as the Google Assistant.
• Chromebooks: Chromebooks, which can now run Android apps, comprise nearly 60 percent of K-12 laptops sold in U.S. schools and momentum is spreading. Adoption of Chromebooks in schools has doubled internationally, and we saw 75 percent growth in enterprise as well.
• Play: Android users installed a staggering 82 billion apps and games in the past year from Google Play.

Android O is coming….

Android O, coming later this year, will bring more fluid experiences to your smaller screen, as well as improvements to what we call “vitals” like battery life and security. With picture-in-picture, you can seamlessly do two tasks simultaneously, like checking your calendar while planning a party on a Duo video call. And Smart Text Selection improves copy and paste—because who enjoys fumbling with text selection handles? By using machine learning to recognize entities on the screen—like a complete address—you can easily select text you want with a double tap, and even bring up an app like Maps to help navigate you there.

O will begin rolling out later this year, but developers can try the preview at android.com/beta now.