Android 8.0 includes an impressive array of security, productivity, and efficiency updates. Find out what Android Oreo is, why it matters, and how to get it.
Android 8 has officially been dubbed Android Oreo. This new iteration of the Android platform is already enjoying the third developer preview and is available for beta program phones. Android Oreo has very interesting tricks up its sleeve that promise new levels of security, performance, and productivity.
This cheat sheet is a quick way to get up to speed on Android Oreo. We’ll update this resource periodically when news and updates about Android Oreo are released.
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Android 8.0 Oreo (previously dubbed Android O) is set to take the mobile landscape by storm when it is finally released.
Key to this next implementation of the Android platform is what Google has dubbed Fluid Experiences, which allows users to move from one app to another without interrupting their workflow, enabling a more productive and efficient experience. For instance, Picture-in-Picture allows for much better multitasking functionality.
Another Fluid Experiences feature is Notification Dots, which is a very simple addition to the home screen and App Drawer that informs users an action is available for a particular app. For instance, when you receive a new email, you’ll see a small dot over the app icon, indicating an active notification.
Other notable Android Oreo features include the following.
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Android Oreo gives users the most efficient, productive, and secure Android platform. That, in and of itself, makes this one of the more significant releases to come from Google in some time.
With TensorFlow helping to bring machine learning directly to the hardware, Android will enjoy unrivaled mobile performance. And thanks to Fluid Experiences, users will also find that added performance improves productivity. Android Oreo should be one of the most productivity-friendly releases of the Android platform.
SEE: Ebook–Cybersecurity in an IoT and mobile world (TechRepublic)
To make this release even more important, Google Play Protect will ensure malicious software doesn’t make its way onto devices. This new security feature starts at the Google Play Store by scanning apps the second they are submitted and continues on to the device, where apps are scanned in real-time.
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The release of Android Oreo will affect any user with a compatible Android device. The devices that will be ready for Android Oreo upon the initial release are the Pixel, Pixel XL, the LG Nexus 5X, and the Nexus 6P.
Android app developers will need to make sure to download Android Studio 3.0, as well as update to the latest Android Support Library 26.0.0 before building new apps for Android Oreo. Developers will also want to seriously consider integrating new features like notification channels, picture-in-picture, and autofill. To get a complete list of those new features, check out the Android Oreo Developer Preview site.
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Android Oreo has been pushed to the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), which means Oreo should be available for supporting devices in the very near future. The completed version of Android Oreo is slated for Q3 2017, with the Pixel, Pixel XL, and the LG Nexus 5X prepped and ready to receive it via Over The Air (OTA) update upon initial release.
Once the final version of Android Oreo is complete, it will be made available to carriers, who will then test the platform against their devices as well as bake in their own software. It will be up to each carrier to release Android Oreo to customer devices.
Here’s the schedule for when other devices will get Android Oreo.
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The only way to get Android Oreo at the moment is to join the Android Beta Program. The caveat is you must have a supported device: Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus Player, Pixel C, Pixel, or Pixel XL.
Beyond the Beta Program, you will have to wait until your carrier releases the OTA update for your supported device. The Android Oreo release dates above could change as carriers roll in their own software and test it on their network and devices.
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Jack Wallen is an award-winning writer for TechRepublic, The New Stack, and Linux New Media. He's covered a variety of topics for over twenty years and is an avid promoter of open source. For more news about Jack Wallen, visit his website jackwallen.com.
