Next to Samsung and Microsoft, Google is probably one of the biggest players at this year’s Mobile World Congress 2012 expo.
Never ones to disappoint, Google has even launched a microsite that counts down the days, hours, minutes and seconds until things officially get underway.
So what will Google be launching?
This is a good question. But it’s one without any real concrete answers, at present. For instance we can’t see Google launching another Android update, having only released Ice Cream Sandwich four months ago.
Then there's the fact that Android 4.0 is only powering about one per cent of Android devices with the rest being on Gingerbread, Honeycomb and Froyo.
So whatever Google launches will come as a surprise. Here's our breakdown of what the search could potentially launch or debut at MWC 2012.
Chrome for Android announcement
Google is currently in the process of folding aspects of its Chrome OS into Android 5.0 AKA Jelly Bean for the purpose of dual booting the operating system on Windows 8-powered notebooks, tablets and netbooks, according to leaked information for Asia.
Could this mean that Google will demo some aspects of Android 5.0’s features ahead of its official launch at its I/O 2012 event in June? It’s possible – not particularly likely, mind you – but still kind of in the realm of possibility. It’d also detract from Canonical’s MWC launch of Ubuntu for Android, which sets out to do something very similar to what Google allegedly has in mind for Jelly Bean.
Google Music
Google announced Google Music at its 2012 Google I/O developer conference. Originally called Google Music Beta, the service offered Android users the ability to store their music collections on Google’s cloud servers and stream then down to any gadget carrying Android.
Google announced deals with Universal Music Group, EMI, and Sony Music Entertainment when it launched the service. But what Google failed to confirm was when the service would be available for users outside the US. It’s been almost seven months now and we’re still none the wiser here in the UK.
Fortunately there is a way around Google’s isolationism, which you can read about here.
So is an EMEA launch of Google’s Music service on the cards for MWC 2012? Maybe – Google does need to push the service out across Europe. And what better way to confirm this than at MWC 2012 in Barcelona?Nexus Tab
Google chairman Eric Schmidt confirmed not so long ago that the company is working on a premium-grade tablet device, dubbed the Nexus Tab, which will apparently hit markets in Q2 of 2012.
Speaking to Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, Schmidt said: ‘In the next six months we plan to market a tablet of the highest quality.’ Schmidt made this comment back in December 2011. Six months on from December is June, which is when Google’s I/O 2012 event is scheduled to take place.
Now, we fully expect Google to launch the Nexus Tab, along with Android Jelly bean, at I/O 2012 in June – that’s pretty much a given. But could we get a preview of the slate at MWC 2012? We’d say there’s something like a 20 per cent chance of that happening, which aren’t exactly great odds. Still though – 20 per cent is better than nothing, right?
Google Home Entertainment device
Not so long ago we reported that Google was working on an Android-powered Home Entertainment system that would act as a general hub for your TV, smartphone, stereo and tablet. We imagine it’ll be a lot like Apple TV just with fewer restrictions and more features. It’d also be nice if Google made it cross-platform as well so you could use it with Windows Phone and iOS-powered devices too.
Here’s our report from February 10:
‘The Wall Street Journal claims that Google Inc. is developing a home-entertainment system that streams music wirelessly throughout the home and would be marketed under the company's own brand.'
'There are a variety of Android applications and computer-based programmes already available that will work in conjunction with Google’s Android platform but this is the first time Google has been officially linked with an Android home-entertainment project.’
The WSJ claims that Google will release the Entertainment Hub ‘later on in the year,’ which could mean Q4, Q3 or next month. This means that a possible demo of the product or, failing that, an official statement regarding the product, could very well be on the cards for MWC 2012.
Google X Glasses
Last but not least on our dubious list of possible MWC 2012 Google launches is the search giant’s much talked about Android-powered X Glasses. Little more than a month ago reports emerged suggesting that Google’s X Labs were working on a set of Android-powered glasses that utilised augmented reality.
Since then the internet has been aflame with Android aficionados discussing and speculating about just what was possible with a pair of Android-powered spectacles. Personally we think the idea is stupid – but at least Google’s trying something different.
A more recent report in The New York Times has now surfaced regarding Google’s X Glasses, which claimed that the glasses will have a low-resolution built-in camera that will be able to monitor the world in real time and overlay information about locations, surrounding buildings and friends who might be nearby, according to the Google employees.
The report said: ‘Internally, the Google X team has been actively discussing the privacy implications of the glasses and the company wants to ensure that people know if they are being recorded by someone wearing a pair of glasses with a built-in camera.'
Allegedly the glasses are currently being developed in Google's secretive, high-tech and improbably named ‘X Lab'.
The report claimed the glasses will ‘tap into a number of Google software producst that are current available and in use today,' but will use a heads-up-display (HUD) to show the information in augmented reality:
‘The glasses will send data to the cloud and then use things like Google Latitude to share location, Google Goggles to search images and figure out what is being looked at, and Google Maps to show other things nearby, the Google employee said.'
One source reportedly stated: ‘You will be able to check in to locations with your friends through the glasses.'
The New York Times said Google doesn't currently have a planned business model for the glasses. Instead this is a very experimental project. Supposedly Google will launch the X glasses ‘as is', gauge the consumer reaction and then plan around that.
We’d love to see these spectacles in action at MWC 2012. Unfortunately the likelihood of this actually happening is pretty damn slim, considering that Google has yet to even officially confirm that it’s even working on such a product.
