Tech Drivers

Three big takeaways from Google's I/O conference

3 big things coming from Google
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3 big things coming from Google

Pay your way with Android—that's what Google wants consumers to do. At its annual I/O conference in San Francisco this week, the tech giant introduced Android Pay, among a slew of other big-ticket announcements.

Much like Apple Pay, Google wants consumers to make purchases just by tapping a smartphone.

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Google is collaborating with payments processors including Braintree, CyberSource, First Data, Stripe and Vantiv and is working toward being accepted at more than 700,000 locations.

Google Photos director Anil Sabharwal announces Google Photos during the 2015 Google I/O conference on May 28, 2015, in San Francisco.
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The tech giant also announced Google Photos, which allows users a private place to keep pictures for life without charge. Images are automatically backed up and synced and available across all devices. It's now on Android, iOS and the Web.

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What's more, Google made tech enthusiasts certain of its big bet on virtual and augmented reality. The company announced updated designs for its cheap VR-viewer, called Google Cardboard after its low-cost construction material.

The device turns smartphones into basic virtual reality viewers. Google announced that Cardboard now supports larger phones with screens up to six inches—which fits the iPhone 6—and it only costs $4.