Google I/O 2026 is in the books and the company has dropped a slew of announcements. Most of them pertain to Google Gemini AI. However, the company also announced Wear OS 7 and new Google and Samsung smart glasses.
Here’s the best of the rest. We’ll have deep dives into the biggest news coming on Wednesday morning.
The Search box has been reimagined
Google Search AI mode will no longer simply be a side quest, it’s becoming the total package. The Search box is getting its biggest upgrade in 25-years Google says. Google says the new intelligent search box will put the most powerful AI tools at the user’s fingertips, powered by the brand new Gemini 3.5 update.
Users will be able to search across modalities, meaning you can ask questions based on images, files, videos or Chrome tabs. Those using AI mode will be able to ask follow up questions too. Check it out in the video below.
Agents are coming to search
Google is adding Search agents, which will work around the clock in the background to ensure you can find all the information you need in the right moment.
“So if you’re apartment hunting, you can brain dump all of the exact requirements you’re looking for, and your agent will continuously scan for you, notifying you when listings meet your needs,” Google says.
The agentic coding capabilities of Gemini 3.5 are coming to Search, while Google is expanding Personal Intelligence in AI mode. That means you can connect apps like Gmail, Photos and Calendar to enhance your search.
Shopping gets a Universal Cart
Google is launching a new shopping hub, which works across merchants and services. Users will be able to add items to a single cart whether they’re browsing the web or watching YouTube.
“The moment you add a product to your cart, it gets to work in the background — finding deals and price drops, giving you insights on price history and alerting you when an item is back in stock. It all runs on our Gemini models, so your cart gets even smarter as the models improve.”
When you’re ready to check out, you can do it there and then, as it’s build on Google Wallet and contains all of your addresses, payment information and loyalty card information.
Gemini Spark is your new personal AI agent
Also inside the Gemini app, Google is introducing Spark, which is described as a massive shift for the nature of the app.
Google says Spark transforms Gemini “from an assistant that can answer your questions into an active partner that does real work on your behalf and under your direction.”
Users can set recurring tasks and triggers, ask it to keep tabs on your inbox for deadlines or even take notes from your chats and turn them into Google Docs.
Android gets a Halo
Google previewed a forthcoming feature called Android Halo, which showcases what your personal AI agent is working on at the present time. It ties in with Gemini Spark and the recently announced Gemini Intelligence.
“Android Halo makes your agent’s status visible by bringing subtle communication to the top of your phone screen as it takes on a task, goes into live mode or sends you a message. This means you can see the agent’s progress right from the top of any screen you’re on, without having to stop what you’re doing,” Google says in the announcement.
Gemini Omni video generation
Google is debuting Gemini Omni, a series of models that allow images, audio, video and text inputs, to be output as editable video.
Google says: “With Gemini Omni, video editing becomes a fluid, natural conversation. You can apply cinematic zooms or swap out backgrounds with a simple prompt. Just upload footage from your camera roll, apply built-in templates with a single tap and create polished content without expensive equipment or specialized technical jargon. You can even drop yourself directly into the action by creating a custom AI avatar that looks and sounds exactly like you.
“Google TV is introducing support for pointer remotes, which may make it easier to navigate the operating system.”
Google TV getting Wiimote-like controls
The update will see a cursor appear on the display with users able to use the compatible remotes like a Nintendo Wiimote to open apps and select content. In a preview showcased at I/O, Google says viewers will be able to hover over items and see them highlighted and enlarged.
“Pointer remotes bring motion-controlled input to the big screen, unlocking faster user navigation across the Google TV Home page and within content-heavy apps,” the company says.
Ask Play is coming to your app store
Gemini is making its way into the Google Play store with a new ‘Ask Play’ chatbot that can help with recommending apps. Google says it’ll offer “deeper search journeys” that’ll help you get to just the app you’re looking for, whether it’s a new game or a tool to help you manage your to-do list.
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