Google I/O is still two weeks away, but Android is getting its own stage first.

The company announced Tuesday that The Android Show: I/O Edition is returning on May 12, a virtual showcase it says will explain why this is "one of the biggest years for Android yet," according to Google. The event arrives one week before Google I/O 2026, giving Android its own runway before Google's broader developer conference turns to AI, Gemini, Chrome and the rest of the company's sprawling software universe.

Google I/O 2026 runs May 19 to 20 at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California, and online. The company has already framed this year's event around AI breakthroughs and updates across its major product lines, including Android and Gemini. 

It hasn't said what will be announced during this year's Android Show. But last year's I/O Edition wasn't just a teaser reel. Google used it to introduce Android 16, Wear OS 6, a major Android design refresh, expanded Gemini features across devices and new safety tools meant to protect users from scams and other threats. 

That makes this year's show worth watching even before the main I/O keynote begins. Android has become one of the clearest places where Google's AI ambitions show up in everyday life: on phones, watches, tablets, cars, TVs and whatever new device category Google pulls into its ecosystem next.

How to watch Google's Android Show

The Android Show: I/O Edition will stream virtually on May 12 through Google's Android event page and YouTube. Google I/O begins one week later, with the keynote scheduled for May 19 at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET, 6 p.m. BST).

CNET will be following the event for any Android, Gemini and device-related announcements.