As the Spring of 2017 enters its final week before shifting into Summer, we’d like to take a moment to reflect on the future of technology, as presented by Google and Apple at their annual developer conferences, Google I/O and WWDC.

Since we have some ground to cover, let’s dive straight in!

Google I/O 2017 Key Takeaways

Several minutes into Google’s I/O 2017 keynote, it was clear that the innovations paraded throughout the event would be firmly rooted in artificial intelligence, known affectionately as AI. New services – such as Google Lens, Google Photos auto sharing features and the expansion of Google Assistant throughout Google’s many software and hardware platforms – rely heavily on the machine learning techniques Google has been implementing on its backend of software development for the last several years.

Of course, there were also updates that had nothing to do with AI. For instance, many of the changes revealed in Android O largely affected under-the-hood performance and battery life (two advantages any Android user will welcome with open arms). Android’s VR platform, Daydream, will also break its reliance on smartphones in the near future. Finally, Google unveiled a lighter version of Android, simply titled Android Go, that will help cheaper devices with less RAM than their flagship cousins function on a more parallel level.

We’ll know more about Android O, Android Go and Google’s continued efforts in AI later this Fall.

To watch Google I/O 2017 in its entirety, click here.

WWDC 2017 Keynote Takeaways

This year’s iteration of WWDC was a bit unorthodox compared to previous years. While WWDC has long served as annual event that brings Apple’s engineers and third party developers together under one roof – both literally and metaphorically – Apple took it upon themselves to unveil more than just software.

During the 2.5 hour event, Apple gave the public a tour of the new iMac Pro, 10.5” iPad Pro and a brand new smart speaker, the Apple HomePod.

Also taking part in the event, Apple showcased the latest advancements in its suite of operating systems, including tvOS, watchOS, macOS and iOS. As for innovations worth noting, iOS 11 brings a plethora of additional functionality to the iPad, ushering Apple’s touchscreen tablet further into the post-PC era Jobs spoke of when unveiling the original iPad back in 2010.

Apple also took its first official plunge into AR/VR with the introduction of ARKit, a platform aimed at helping developers code AR/VR engines into their applications – think Pokemon GO for the real-world use cases.

The latest versions of Apple’s family of software will be available later this Fall, along with new rumored versions of the iPhone and Apple Watch.

To watch WWDC 2017 in its entirety, click here.