Tech conferences are back, baby. Sort of.
That’s according to Google, which on Wednesday announced that its annual developer conference, Google I/O, is scheduled to take place on May 11 and 12, 2022.
“We’ll be back live from Shoreline Amphitheater for this year’s #GoogleIO,” wrote Google CEO Sundar Pichau. “Join us online May 11-12”
Notably, this year’s Google I/O website suggests but doesn’t clearly confirm that 2022’s conference may have some in-person element along with an online stream.
“Join I/O live from Shoreline and online May 11-12, 2022,” notes the site.
We reached out to Google to determine whether or not attendees will be showing up in the flesh at Shoreline this year, and a company spokesperson clarified that developers and press should not plan on physically attending the event. Actual, real in-person attendance will primarily be restricted to Google employees and partners.
Google I/O was straight up canceled in 2020, as the coronavirus pandemic ravaged the world, “out of concern for the health and safety of our developers, employees, and local communities—and in line with ‘shelter in place’ requirements by the local Bay Area government.”
This year, apparently, will be different. Probably. Assuming, of course, no surprises get in the way.
UPDATE: Mar. 16, 2022, 3:43 p.m. PDT This story was updated to include confirmation from Google that in-person attendance at I/O will be restricted to Google employees and a limited set of partners.