Google announces new features, products and services at its I/O 2019 Developer Conference

Google I/O 2019 announcements include a next-gen Google Assistant, new search features, Google Nest, Android Q, Live Captions - and new Pixel smartphones

Google has announced a number of new features across its portfolio of products on the first day of its Google I/O 2019 Developer Conference.

These include a next-gen Google Assistant, Google Nest, Android Q, Google Go, and Live Captions, among many others. The first day was capped by the unveiling of the latest Google Pixel smartphones.

The event kicked off on Tuesday at Google's headquarters in Mountain View, California. Here is a summary of all the important things that Google announced at I/O 2019.

Next-generation Google Assistant

Google's next-gen Assistant is all about speed. Google claims that its next-gen Assistant will enable users to bark commands in quick succession and the device will be able to process all those commands.

The next-gen Assistant will be available later this year. It will also be able to book tickets and cars using online forms on Android phones. It will come with a new feature called "personal references" and users will also be able to integrate it with Google Maps and Waze.

AI & Machine Learning Live is returning to London on 3rd July 2019. Hear from the Met Office's Charles Ewen, AutoTrader lead data scientist Dr David Hoyle and the BBC's Noriko Matsuoka, among many others. Attendance is free to qualifying IT leaders and senior IT pros, but places are limited, so reserve yours now.

Search features

Google has added podcast support to search, which means users can now find podcasts using Google's search service, and can also save episodes to listen to later.

Another cool feature is camera integration and augmented reality (AR) capabilities in mobile searches. The company has also updated its Lens app to enable translation of text in real time.

Live Captions

This feature provides automatic captioning of videos on Android phones with just the tap of a button. The Live Captions feature will run entirely on the device, so no internet connection will be required to run the feature.

Android Q

According to Google, the upcoming 'Android Q' update will include settings enabling users to stop various apps from tracking their location during a trip. The "focus mode" in Android Q will enable users to turn off the apps that tempt users into doing unproductive things.

Google said it is also adding more parental control features to enable parents to put a cap on the time that children spend on smartphones. Android Q will also receive Dark Theme support, according to Google.

Google Nest

Google unveiled the Nest Hub Max - a smart display which works in tandem with the Google Assistant. It comes with a 10-inch screen and a front-facing high-resolution camera, enabling people to use it as a Nest security camera as well as for making video calls.

Google will release the Nest Hub Max this summer with a price tag of $229.