Oreo Android: A Preview
Google has launched their latest version Android 8.0 naming it Oreo after the popular candy biscuit. The latest update has brought in a range of features and advanced functionality. To know more read on.
The Launch and the current Compatible Devices
The official launch of Android 8.0 Oreo from Google has made headlines. It is evident as always, that the latest update would first be availed by a select list of devices which are obviously from Google, like, Google Pixel, Pixel C, Pixel XL, Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P. Google has additionally assured that the latest Android 8.0 Oreo update would be compatible with non-Google smartphones as well within a very short period of time. In a recent blog post, Google announced that "By the end of this year, hardware makers like Essential, Huawei, HTC, Kyocera, LG, Motorola, HMD Global Home of Nokia Phones, Samsung, Sharp, and Sony are scheduled to be launching or upgrading new devices to Android 8.0 Oreo"
But before we get ready to get the update, let's see if we can satisfy our curious mind and clarify all possible doubts if it is worth updating to Android Oreo.The Look
If we compare Android Oreo with its earlier version Android Nougat, we are less likely to find any changes in the external appearance, but the changes can be observed in heightened consistency, improved usability, and through that added future-proofing layer to make it every Android user's pet.
The Settings menu in Oreo has got a lot reduced in its size than the earlier Nougat but is accommodating lot more options under broader categories. Though you need to tap a number of times more to access these, they are made easily accessible through the Quick Settings link.
The lit up look of the UI is present in the Quick Settings and notifications area as well. After Swiping down once for the notifications, you will find at the top an array of six on/off toggles displayed on a light gray background. Things look more visually appealing and soothing because of the white notification cards that are aligned below them. Above these toggles, you'll find the tabs for carrier info, status bar icons, battery info and the time, but the date is now placed below the toggles with a more clear and bigger font.Limiting the Background
Android 8.0 has brought a revolutionary change in treating the background processes, which led to some of the apps work in a different way, ensuring a better battery life.
Moreover, the Android 8.0 is able to accurately identify those apps that are running in the background and have got nothing to do with whatever you are using your phone for. So, for the same functionality for which you needed to take an extra effort, Android Oreo has taken up the responsibility itself. As a consequence, your phone consumes lesser power and wakes up occasionally only to perform the task you give it.
The Autofill Option
Creating a strong, long password and remembering it is always hazardous. But you need them to stay safe in the cyber world. You might have been using Password manager apps to ease out your logins, but then they take away a lot of space and you need to choose one from an endless list of similar apps. In this update, Android 8.0. has eliminated this task from the user's end and has arranged a system of Autofill through which you can seamlessly log in without having to enter any password after the first time.
Once you select your auto fill provider which is lying within the language and input settings, Oreo will automatically request you to fill in the login details from that app. The system would then go for verifying the same either with a fingerprint or through a secure unlock method before it loads any type of account data. The Smart Approach
For your ever-growing smartphones you need a smarter approach to delegate the tasks it can perform, and so Android too had to get smarter with time. Android 8.0, or Oreo as we call it, got smarter with a few advancements made by Google. Here are few of them:
High-Performance BluetoothBeing primarily an audio device, Google realized the importance of sound quality and has enhanced the power of its accessories, like Bluetooth. Sony has donated Google its LDAC codec for its inclusion in Oreo, to provide an extra layer of audio effects to the mobile OS with the help of supported hardware. This High-performance Bluetooth audio has become one of the most wanted Oreo features to woo the mass Android users. This feature is been supported with the upgrade of Bluetooth 5 that has enticed the Android users by doubling the benefits like, double data throughput the short distances or quadrupling the range with lesser throughput.
Mouse Pointer Capture Adding another feather to its advanced thought process, Android 8.0, has opened up Android-powered devices like Chromebooks and other devices allowing to get a mouse input as well as a physical keyboard support for easier navigation. Though it might appear weird to use a mouse and keypad with a smartphone, the change might catch the fancy of a batch of users.
Android Instant Apps This is where the latest update has done a really appreciable job. Through this particular feature, your phone gains the ability to use a range of selected functionality of different apps that you don't generally install on your phone. This concept of AIA will ensure that it will reduce the necessity of keeping these occasionally used apps massively on your device. As a result, Android is freeing up the storage space for you, so that you can do things you want, and use the space for stuff you really need, like photos, videos or music.Winding Thoughts
Android is now all updated with its new Oreo version, and to allure the mass users across the globe, it has focused on some issues that every smartphone user is currently concerned with.
Many new features got introduced for the first time which people might have expected in Android Nougat but now they are placed nicely in their new home Oreo, which has till now sorted out issues to a satisfactory level and seems to have everything right. The launch is fresh and has a long journey to prove its efficiency through time and be successful in instigating its users to get updated.
