Was this the best or worst Google I/O ever?

Google I/O 2024 is here, and the main keynote is done and dusted. Everyone expected AI to take center stage during the main keynote, and it most certainly did. Practically all of Google’s announcements centered around AI and Gemini, and the company made some solid announcements around new products and features that enhance the Google ecosystem experience. Google I/O extends to several days and sessions, but for the most part, the keynote sets the tone for all the big announcements.

To this end, we ask you: How did you like Google I/O 2024? Did you enjoy the keynote and the announcements? Would you consider it one of the best Google I/O ever? Or do you consider it one of the worst Google I/O ever? Let us know your thoughts in the poll below, and feel free to expand more on your thoughts in the comments below!

As Android fans, we were a little disappointed by the lack of focus on Android as a platform. As has been tradition with previous Android versions, we expected to see Android 15 Beta 2 released or detailed during the keynote. But Google has pushed Android 15 Beta 2 to tomorrow, the next day.

The company chose to devote all of its energy to AI announcements, and in many ways, Google I/O 2024 felt like a shareholders’ event more than a developer or consumer event (though to be fair, Google I/O is not a consumer event). The company even counted how many times it said AI on stage, clearly indicating where its priorities lie.

Another gnawing feeling about this year’s Google I/O keynote was that developers had very little to try out right after the show. In the past, there have been plenty of new features and products to explore, but most of what we saw today appeared to be “coming soon” or “later this year,” compounded by the absence of an Android 15 beta to test today. For products and services that many cannot experience right away, Google I/O did feel unnecessarily long and surprisingly unorganized.

There was also, undoubtedly, an overdose of Gemini. Everything is Gemini, and Gemini is everything, to the point that even hardcore enthusiasts will have difficulty finding out which Gemini exactly Google is talking about. I don’t see how any casual observer will be able to follow along with Google I/O 2024 without feeling overwhelmed and confused by Gemini. Maybe we should try asking Gemini for a summary of the keynote at Google I/O 2024. We’d ask Google Assistant, but that one seems done and dusted.

On the other end, it’s great to see Google get back up and come after its competitors. While there’s definitely room to improve their messaging about it (no Google, I am not asking for another messaging app), competition in the AI space from a big company like Google will keep the pressure on other big names like OpenAI/Microsoft and Apple. In the end, consumers should (hopefully) benefit from this AI race.