What We Learned from Google IO 2023: Insights and Strategies for Our Clients

Google IO 2023 is in the books, and like every year, there is plenty of news to digest. After the event's conclusion, the technology giant itself listed a full 100 announcements worth highlighting—a lot for even the best writer to condense into a comprehensive list of takeaways.  

So instead, let's dig a little deeper. Our focus on custom app development means we did not limit our attention to the high-level announcements like the Google Pixel fold. Instead, we took a deeper look at insights that will interest all clients hoping to build a mobile app that matches current and future possibilities and expectations.

And the insights we gathered are just the beginning. Upon further analysis, they have led to a few core strategies that any organization focused on building and leveraging Android apps should keep in mind. So without further ado, let's dig into the deeper-level takeaways and implications of Google IO 2023's biggest news.

In-App Artificial Intelligence is About to Take Off

If there was any unifying theme to the key announcements at Google IO this year, it was undoubtedly artificial intelligence. Just some of the AI-related announcements included:

• Opening the beta test for Bard, Google's answer to ChatGPT and other AI-enabled chatbots, to all users. The conference also featured other Bard-related updates, like the ability to use images in the app prompt as well as responses, the introduction of new languages (with a goal of 40 by the end of the year), and increased integration with popular apps.
• Proactive efforts to detect AI-generated content, including both written content and images, along with a watermarking process allowing for proper attribution, designed to minimize plagiarism in an increasingly AI-dominated content world
• Android Studio bot, an AI addition to the developer tool Android Studio trained in both programming and markup languages, will analyze the reasons behind coding failures, and provide potential solutions—all while keeping individual code bases separate and private.
• AI integration into popular Google tools like Google Maps, Google Workplace, Google Search, Google Photos, Gmail, and more

The tech giant also made its goal clear with these announcements: to create an integrated ecosystem of artificial intelligence that flows through the entire mobile experience.

If you're looking to build an app that will continue to be effective in the future Google envisions, that last part is crucial. By taking advantage of the new AI possibilities, you'll be able to create more efficient, interactive, and accurate apps. That greatly enhances the user experience, allowing you to stand out in the competitive app marketplace we face today. 

Wearable Integration is Becoming Increasingly Essential...

As mentioned above, Google used its annual conference for some major hardware announcements. But it also announced an updated version of the operating system powering its watches, Wear OS 4. Among standard improvements like improved battery life and new accessibility features, a few of the Wear OS-related news are especially relevant for app developers.

The improvements may be best summarized in this video, shown by Google at IO to demonstrate how to create great experiences for Android smartwatch users. Developers can now build watch faces featuring their app, while an increasing number of apps (like WhatsApp, Peloton, and Spotify) have received full watch integration.

In other words, Google is making a clear effort to integrate smartwatches as a central part of the Android ecosystem. The company has noticed that the global smartwatch market is growing nearly 15% every year, and is reacting accordingly.  And again, that signal is especially important for businesses looking to engage their audience through mobile devices.

Related: How to Develop an App Idea: A Step-by-Step Guide

The implications and resulting strategies of this development are plentiful. First, it opens the door to a new range of app ideas that could focus on the unique features—like health tracking—that Wear OS provides. But even if your business is not strictly focused on wearable optimization, you might be able to find ways for your existing app to integrate with Android smartwatches.

Now is the time to start thinking about wearable integration for your business. If Google's Wear OS 4 is any indication, both the necessity and the possibilities will only expand in the near future.

... And Android Auto is Making a Play

Not to be left behind, some of the core announcements were related to Google's smart vehicle integration, Android Auto. Now supported by all major car makers, the tech giant expects the integration to be available in more than 200 million vehicles by the end of 2023. 

So naturally, it's another core point of investment. IO saw announcements of improved integration for navigational apps, like the ability to show turn-by-turn instructions on the instrument cluster. But even more important is the announcements that non-navigational apps will see increased support as well:

• All major music streaming apps will be available on the service
• Support will be increased for messaging and call apps, like Zoom, Webex, and Microsoft Teams
• Google is opening up IoT app support for Android Auto, allowing developers to show relevant notifications to drivers
• Video, gaming, and even browsing apps will all be supported through Auto screens while parked or stopped

Put differently, Google envisions Auto as much more than just a replacement for the car's integrated GPS. It's another full-service device that opens new possibilities for businesses looking to engage their audience across screens. 

The good news: Google is also extending its Android Studio app for Auto applications, allowing Android app developers to more easily integrate this functionality into their strategy. As you build and improve your own apps, keep this application in mind for a new and unique way to engage your audience.

New Devices Come With New App Possibilities

Android Auto and Wear OS 4 are just a few of the indications that Google is thinking beyond smartphones. As mentioned above, Google IO 2023 also came with two major hardware announcements: the Pixel Fold, its first foldable smartphone, and the first Pixel Tablet. 

Now, Google is certainly not the first player in mobile hardware to introduce a tablet or a foldable phone. Instead, the key takeaway for our clients here should be the message that its branching out into the device market beyond phone screens. Consider this note about the Pixel Tablet from TechCrunch: "Google has optimized its most popular third-party apps for the big screen experience, including Gmail and YouTube."

Broaden the statement a bit, and it's clear that Android app development is about to become less dependent on a single screen size or even range of screen sizes. Sure, smartphones still account for the majority of mobile devices, but if you're not at least considering other mobile devices, you're missing out.

Related: 9 Tips to Improve Your Mobile Applications Testing Strategy

An Android app that considers tablet and foldable screens, for instance, can take advantage of much more screen real estate compared to traditional phones. Both devices also support split screens, benefiting apps that embrace multitasking. Finally, the tabletop feature of the Pixel Fold allows for new camera and display possibilities that we're only just starting to learn about.

As these possibilities continue to develop, building your app with multiple types of screens and use cases in mind becomes increasingly important. From more versatile app ideas to the need for more in-depth testing, this trend has the potential to impact every part of the app development cycle.

It's Time to Put Safety (and Security) First

Finally, and perhaps most predictably, it's impossible to discuss a major developer's conference these days without the topic of security and data privacy at least being broached. Google IO this year was no different, providing important takeaways for developers and businesses looking to build apps that could directly lead to actionable strategies.

Not surprisingly, these security features are supported by AI. For example, Google is beginning to offer developers a new Safe Browsing API that uses AI to alert users to dangerous sites and files and can be integrated into any app at a moment's notice. User-facing permissions to share location and images are also becoming more specific, and users will now have more control when deciding which information to share.

There are plenty more updates as well, like unknown tracker alerts that automatically notify Android users if their phone detects an unknown Bluetooth tracker. 

The takeaway here might be the most important of this whole guide: when building your app, data security and privacy is no longer optional; it's a primary topic for your audience, and Google is supporting both user transparency and the ability for developers to ensure it. 

Taking advantage of these new features, and communicating your security priority to your end users, will be a core part of building engagement and maintaining a successful app on the Google Play store long-term.

The Strategic Adjustments Google IO 2023 Necessitates for Businesses

Read most summaries about the 2023 iteration of Google IO, and you'll read about the shiny new hardware. But once you start reading between the lines, you can find all the different ways in which those flashy (as well as some of the less flashy) announcements will actually make a difference in the way you build, update, and maintain your mobile app.

Topics like AI and data security might have been in the national conversation for a while, but the announcements at the conference upped the urgency to integrate them. New ways of integrating your app with gadgets like Wear OS, outputs like Android Auto, and even new phones and tablets, enable new communication and engagement possibilities. It's all there, ready for you to leverage into a better, more user-focused, and more successful mobile app.

This might sound complex. Fortunately, you're not on your own. We've monitored events like Google IO 2023 closely, and are ready to make our own adjustments, recommendations, and strategic moves to continue building mobile apps that audiences will love. As truly custom developers, we're proud of the partnerships we build with our clients, and those partnerships pay off in end products that pull out all the stops to drive an app idea to success.

Ready to get started? Contact Milo Mobile to book a free 30-minute consultation about building the perfect custom app for your business. We are happy to discuss everything from the strategic adjustments our learnings from Google IO 2023 will necessitate to more general questions about developing your mobile app.

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