Google shows off smartwatch, new phones at I/O developer conference
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Google's (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) I/O developer conference keynote Wednesday confirmed longstanding rumors that it's making its own smartwatch - an all-in move that sets up a face-off with the success of the Apple Watch (NASDAQ:AAPL).
The Pixel Watch is the "first watch built inside and out by Google," coming in the fall, the company's Rick Osterloh says. As expected, there's "deep integration" with Fitbit, acquired by Google in January 2021.

Google stock is higher with the keynote wrapping up: (GOOG) +0.5%, (GOOGL) +0.2%; Apple (AAPL) is 4.9% lower.
Osterloh also announced (with a year-long runway) a new Pixel Tablet based on the company's custom Tensor silicon, coming at some point in 2023.
The keynote delivered its usual public-friendly roundup of what to expect in coming months from Google's hardware/software engineers.
It's a bit earlier than when Google usually announces the budget side of its Pixel smartphone lineup - but the company presented the Pixel 6A, priced at $449 (same level as last year's Pixel 5A). The compromise this year looks to be in a downgraded camera sensor, though the 6A keeps the same powerful Tensor processor that last fall's Pixel 6 featured. It's available in three colors for pre-order July 21.
Google also offered an early tease - but just a tease - of Pixel 7 phones for the fall. There will again be two models (a standard and pro version) and they'll feature an aluminum-and-glass body with a next-gen Tensor system-on-chip.
As expected, the company also gave its best look at this year's Android 13 update, with the beta-test version available today, though the talk was light on details. Last year consumers activated 1 billion Android phones, Google says.
The company is resurrecting a "new" Google Wallet in coming weeks. It's promising more than payments: such items as student IDs, boarding passes, remote car starts, and a Disney World park pass all in digital form on the phone. Highly personal info like vaccine card information will be stored on device and not shared with Google, it says.
Notably, the company is working with states and governments to bring digital ID to Wallet later this year - starting with driver's licenses.
A high-end version of Google's earbuds is announced: the Pixel Buds Pro, which does some catch-up on features like active noise cancellation. They'll be available in four colors for $199, with preorders beginning July 21.
Google Translate continues to improve by bounds, powered by improvements in the company's machine learning. Artificial intelligence is also improving YouTube with more automatic video chapters and automatic captions added, and Google Docs is reading more docs to create a "too long; didn't read"-type executive summary for longer documents, CEO Sundar Pichai says.
In Camera improvements, the company is making advancements in its Real Tone project to promote skin-tone equity in photography, and has ramped up "multisearch" - the ability to search using a text query and a photo at once - the sort of thing that could help users find a product at a local business by taking a picture.