(Update: Android TV/game console?) Xiaomi will play an exciting part at Google I/O, apparently

Update, May 18: Hugo Barra shared a second teaser and it looks like that our initial hunch about an Android TV console was correct. Perhaps something along the lines of NVIDIA Shield Console? Here’s the Konami code-style teaser:

Original post, May 17: I/O, the great celebration of all things Googley, is right around the corner, and Hugo Barra is super giddy about it.

But it’s not just because Hugo has fond memories of announcing Nexus devices and new Android versions on the stage of Google I/O. The former Google executive is excited about something else, something that has to do with his current position of head of international expansion at Xiaomi.

Here’s the cryptic tweet we’re working with:

The wording suggests that Xiaomi will play an important role in the Google I/O keynote. The “sneak peek” is rather vague; on an obvious level, it’s a stylized “I/O.” But the volume rocker and the concentric circles point in the direction of some sort of media player. Will we see an Android TV from Xiaomi? Or an all new type of media player?

Virtual reality is also a distinct possibility, as Google is rumored to unveil a new Android VR initiative and a headset that rivals Samsung’s Gear VR in terms of capabilities.

Xiaomi has recently entered the Western markets, but its presence there remains very limited. We can speculate that a Google tie-up on a consumer device would help make Xiaomi a truly global brand.

The Google I/O keynote is scheduled for tomorrow morning Pacific time, and besides a Hugo throwback, we expect lots and lots of details on Android N, Google’s top apps, updates on crazy projects like Tango, Soli and Ara, and a whole lot about VR. Here’s our full preview for the event!

What do you think we’ll see from Xiaomi?