Like most large companies in the mobile market, Google is a creature of habit. Sure, timelines change a bit from one year to the next, but the company tends to follow the same pattern when it comes to major Android updates — and now, when it comes to Pixel smartphone launches, as well. Where the Android platform is concerned, Google releases developer previews early in the year that provide a base, and then a more feature-rich version of its next-generation Android OS is shown off at the annual Google I/O conference.
