One other Google I/O got here and went, and this yr’s occasion felt a bit completely different than previous years.
To nobody’s shock, AI was the massive focus of Google I/O this yr, and whereas the corporate confirmed off some fascinating issues, it was maybe the brand new Google AI Extremely plan that actually bought a response out of me when it was introduced. The plan, which now joins Google’s newly renamed AI Professional subscription, prices a whopping $249 per 30 days. That’s no typo, and it looks like an ideal illustration of simply who Google I/O is absolutely for, which clearly isn’t me.
What do you get with Google AI Extremely? Just about every little thing. It comes with nearly every little thing Google introduced at I/O, from the brand new Gemini 2.5 mannequin to Movement with Veo 3 and early entry to options like Undertaking Mariner. Oh, and Google threw in 30TB of Google One storage and YouTube Premium. It’s Google’s “Every little thing AI However The Kitchen Sink” plan.
Subscriptions like which might be for the individuals who can profit from instruments like Veo 3 and Undertaking Mariner and might afford to pay about as a lot as my cellphone invoice (with 4 traces, thoughts you). Once we requested Google concerning the plan and why it prices a lot in comparison with the $20 per 30 days AI Professional plan, it was defined that “the way in which to think about the Google AI Extremely plan is it is nearly like your VIP entry to all of Google’s AI.”
Frankly, I can’t think about this can be a well-liked choice amongst common shoppers akin to myself and even a few of you studying this. I don’t even need to pay $20 for AI Professional. It simply feels very out of attain, which was a sense I bought all through a lot of the keynote presentation.
In truth, lots of my colleagues have lamented in recent times about how boring and developer-focused I/O has turn into. Nonetheless, as Android Central senior editor Jerry Hildenbrand factors out, that’s precisely what I/O is for.
“Apple and Microsoft wouldn’t be the place they’re at the moment with out third events constructing causes to make use of them. Give it some thought — do you need to use a smartphone platform that has zero apps?”
“Developer conferences exist to attempt to ensure that would not occur. Hour after hour of sophisticated and complicated displays might sound pointless to you, however the individual constructing the subsequent nice thought is paying shut consideration.”
A minimum of somebody’s paying consideration, as a result of frankly, that keynote was boring as hell. I imply, it wasn’t all unhealthy, and there have been some issues that stood out to me. The Undertaking Astra video demo in all probability bought fairly a little bit of applause and confirmed off a product that appeared genuinely helpful, particularly on prime of Gemini Reside. The stay demo of the prototype Android XR glasses was additionally fairly cool, even when issues didn’t go 100% as deliberate.
Even so, with the bevy of AI merchandise introduced at I/O, the keynote felt a bit exhausting to comply with for those who’re not of a developer mindset or a complete tech nerd who loves following these items, and nearly like a retread of issues we heard about final yr.
And even with some options rolling out like AI Mode on Search, loads of what Google talked about felt considerably intangible and out of attain for the typical shopper. AI that may construct an app? Cool. Video calls in 3D that require costly tools? Neat, I suppose.
For those who have a look at the listing of 100 issues Google introduced at I/O, the corporate shoved all of the consumer-facing stuff that you just or I would care about into the primary 20 issues, whereas 4/5 of it’s simply developer blah, previews, and tokens.
Certain, we bought to demo Samsung’s Undertaking Moohan and people XR glasses, however we nonetheless don’t know after they’ll be obtainable, and Jerry is satisfied that nobody will care when they’re.
In truth, every little thing that we did care about, i.e., Android, Put on OS, and the software program that we have interaction with day-after-day, was all shoved apart right into a separate pre-recorded video per week previous to I/O. It genuinely felt like an afterthought for Google, which is why it was in all probability a great factor that there was a separate devoted “occasion.”
I/O was targeted on the issues that may make Google cash: AI and Search. Every little thing else is just about secondary, and that’s okay. It simply provides me extra to sit up for later this yr when Google releases Android 16 and launches the Pixel 10 collection, which is what shoppers like me will actually care about.
However what I received’t be doing is shelling out $250 a month for a subscription… from anybody.
