Before I/O 2026 kicks off on May 19, Google has promised to share an update on its Android ecosystem. Like last year, the company will stream a pre-recorded presentation highlighting some of the biggest new features in Android and beyond. You can watch it all unfold on May 12 at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT on YouTube.
Engadget already has a full list of what to expect for I/O 2026, but for those looking for a quick summary, here’s what we know. We are sure to get a glimpse of the next version of Android. Beyond that, Google might finally have more information to share about Aluminum OS, its effort to unify Android and ChromeOS into a single platform. (Sameer Samat, president of Google’s Android ecosystem, first confirmed work on the project last July.) Most recently, screenshots of the software were leaked via a bug report. Google could save the Aluminum OS reveal for the I/O itself, but given the focus on AI in the company’s recent keynotes, the Android Show seems like a more appropriate venue.
Based on recent history, Google will also share new information about Android XR. The company delivered a substantial platform update in late 2025, and if we see new hardware at I/O 2026, it’s more likely to be related to Android XR than anything new from the Pixel family. For that reason alone, The Android Show should be exciting to watch.