Google I/O Conference: AI as the protagonist, aiming at VR standards

Google's 2016 I/O Developer Conference was held in San Francisco today. The scale of the ninth I/O Developer Conference was the largest in history. Google released many products, including Google Assistant, Google Home, communication software Allo, Daydream VR platform, Android N, and Android Wear 2.0. Google CEO Sundar Pichai emphasized artificial intelligence and deep learning in his speech, but the VR helmet that everyone expected did not appear. In other words, this I/O Developer Conference was mostly about new products in the software field and lacked eye-catching hardware products.

Google has not launched a VR headset, but it is focusing on VR standards

Everyone was looking forward to Google launching a virtual reality helmet. As one of the most powerful companies in the industry, Google previously only released the Carboard VR glasses, which were cheap enough but looked much worse than the virtual helmet products of Facebook, HTC and Sony. Especially after McDonald's also launched the lunch box of the McChicken meal that can be used as VR glasses, the market believes that Google must upgrade the toy-like Carboard. Today, Google did not bring out the VR helmet, but only gave the design drawings, which disappointed the expectant crowd a little. Google's VR helmet is designed in white and has a simple controller. Google did not give specific parameters, only saying that it will be launched this fall. Now countless companies are launching various VR helmets in full swing, hoping to grab market share in the hardware field first. Does Google really not want to get involved in hardware manufacturing?

[[166516]]

The market expects 2016 to be the year of VR explosion. The entire industry chain, from VR research and development to hardware manufacturing, game content, and even pornographic websites, is gearing up for it. It seems that the past few years have not been in vain. This year, the number of VR helmets and games has increased suddenly. However, it is undeniable that this market is still in its early stages. Although there are game activists and people who are interested in trying new things, the VR market still needs to be nurtured.

Google said that Carboard VR glasses have more than 50 million application downloads, which implies that Carboard has contributed to the promotion of VR, allowing more people to get in touch with and love virtual reality products through cheap cardboard glasses. Google seems to be more cautious after Google Glass three years ago, and no longer does anything that goes beyond the trend in the field of hardware products. This strategy is accepted by analysts because the market needs to be cultivated, and entering the market at the right time can also gain enough market share. Take Apple, which is widely regarded as a hardware manufacturing company, as an example. Jobs’ launch of the iPhone in 2007 is considered to have ushered in the era of smartphones, but it also took a few years, after the product was upgraded for two generations and the market had low-priced products from Android to follow up, before it became a hit.

The Daydream VR platform launched by Google today reflects Google's ambition to establish VR product standards. Daydream can be used as a platform to connect Android N smartphones, Android applications and compatible VR products. Users can use Android applications to play games, watch movies and watch live events on Daydream standard devices. Daydream optimizes the algorithms of VR software to reduce latency and dizziness, which is the most common complaint about VR helmet products. Daydream VR can improve the user experience in this regard, which is of great benefit to dispelling user doubts and further promoting VR products.

Google believes that VR should be a product built on smartphones, not expensive PCs, so the launch of Daydream is to pave the way for the future. Google said that only smartphones with processors, displays and sensors that meet the standard requirements will be certified to access the Daydream VR platform. The Android N system brings software optimization, and third-party companies can publish applications in the Play Store. It seems to be a complete industry chain, with the core being the standards given by Google. Google has obviously also attracted many important manufacturers in the Android camp, because it is built on the Android N system, including Samsung, HTC, Asus, Huawei, Xiaomi, etc., which will support the Daydream standard and launch smartphones this fall.

Although Google is moving slowly, it is not that it will not launch its own VR helmets. It is just waiting for the market to mature and the hardware equipment to be lowered to a level that can be accepted by more users. The alliances on the Daydream VR platform and the alliances that attract the most allies through standards reflect Google's ambitions. In other words, Google does not care about the first dish of VR helmets, but wants to eat the big meal of future VR mobile phone devices.

VR is a field that every technology giant is involved in. Google has chosen a different path from Facebooke, HTC, and Sony. Instead of taking the route of VR helmets, it believes that relying on smartphones is the future of VR. Therefore, Google is still laying the groundwork to ensure that in the future mature VR market, Google will enjoy the platform dividends like the Android system.

Artificial intelligence is the theme throughout the conference

CEO Sundar Pichai mentioned artificial intelligence, natural language processing, and machine learning the most in his speech. In short, they all revolve around artificial intelligence. The first product released at this year's Google conference is Google Assistant, a virtual smart assistant that can connect smart phones, smart TVs, watches and other smart wearable and smart home devices. It sounds like similar products from Apple, Microsoft, Facebook and other companies, but Pichai said that Google Assistant is smarter and easier to use.

Pichai demonstrated the powerful functions of Google Assistant in his demonstration. When users asked what new movies were available recently (a very common usage scenario), Google Assistant gave the movie's release date and schedule, as well as the location of nearby cinemas. Going deeper, it can also recommend movies that children can watch based on movie ratings and provide ways to buy tickets.

Google Assistant reflects Google's technical strength in speech recognition, artificial intelligence, and natural speech processing. Based on this, Google released a hardware product, Google Home.

[[166517]]

Google Home is a smart speaker. Although it is a smart hardware product, it is similar to Amazon's Echo speaker, with more functions, but nothing surprising. Google Home can control Nest's smart home products, which are also owned by Google, and can use Google search and schedule management. It may be better than Echo mainly in search function, but this is not the smart hardware breakthrough that everyone pays close attention to. Google said that Google Home will be the entrance to Google's smart home products in the future, and did not mention Nest's smart home platform at all, which indirectly confirmed the rumors of disagreements between Google and Nest.

Judging from Google Assistant, Google Home, and communication software Allo, Google's developer conference this year may not have much innovation, and basically all of them are similar products that other companies have had, but Google's firm belief in the field of artificial intelligence is undoubtedly revealed. Google can use its advantages in artificial intelligence to improve the product experience and attract more users. After all, the search data owned by Google provides a good data foundation for its artificial intelligence. Perhaps in the future, when artificial intelligence penetrates more into people's daily lives, Google will reap the rewards.