Google could launch the next version of Android by the end of the month. First unveiled with the launch of a developer preview in March, Android O brings improvements to power management, notifications, and multitasking, among other things.
Now Android Police blogger David Ruddock and tech news leak specialist Evan Blass are both reporting that Android O will launch either on Monday, August 21st or during the week of the 21st.
Ruddock says that Google will roll out an Android O update for its Pixel and Pixel smartphones on the 21st. There’s no word on whether folks with older Nexus phones will have to wait a bit longer for their official updates, or whether Google will release the source code for the new operating system at the same time as the first updates.
We’ll also allegedly have to wait at least until August 21st to find out what “O” stands for. Google has used the name of a “tasty treat” as the codename for every version of its mobile operating system from Android 1.5 Cupcake to Android 7.x Nougat. Guesses have runt he gamut from Android 8.0 Oreo to Oatmeal Cookie to Oh, does it really matter?
What’s really most important are the new features, including an Autofill Framework that will make it easier for apps to help you automatically enter information like passwords or account numbers that you need to regularly input, picture-in-picture support for viewing videos while performing other activities, and background process limits that should help keep apps from hogging your system resources and unnecessarily draining your battery.
While the Pixel phones will be among the first to get Android O, this is most likely the operating system that will ship on most flagship phones in 2018. And if you’ve got a 2017 flagship and you’re lucky, maybe your phone maker will get around to releasing an Android O update eventually. Some device makers have better track records on that front than others.
It’s kind of pointless when 97.82% of existing Android devices will never receive an update. My 2012 MacBook runs the latest OSX. My 2013 PC runs the latest Windows. Yet none of my Android devices has EVER received an Android update. I still have devices running 2.2.2 and 2.2.3 because the manufacturers refuse to allow updating.
With the possible exception of my 2012 Nexus 7 tablet, all of my Android devices have received an update to the next major Android version, except also the newest which was released with 7.0. But I think the security updates are more important. Fortunately more devices are getting those now.
I’m hopeful this will speed up the Play Store on ChromeOS stuff. That’s been dragging and dragging.
It has to be some variation of an Orangesicle.
If I were a betting man is say that the full dollar eclipse bears a certain resemblance to Oreos and that it will be an oreo…
It seems obvious, almost TOO obvious…
I think they’ll go with Oatmeal Cookie, and use the eclipse to fool people.
There’s always Orange Slice, Cake, Pie, Tart, Sorbet, Sherbet… … …
Ovaltines?
What ever the name, I wonder if this announcement will be more popular than Intel’s announcement of their 8th-gen chips.
I wonder if they will dispense with the “tasty treat” criterion and name it “Obama” after retired President Barack Obama. The next version would be a “P” word and since they are located so close to San Francisco, naming it “Pelosi” after Senator Nancy Pelosi would be the obvious choice. There is also a certain “porn-oriffic” name that would be appropriate since it starts with “O” but I don’t think they will go there.
Android P…. Pancakes!
I guess now might be a good time to join beta. Would likely be a pretty stable build and you’ll get upgraded to the new version after release