Android added another feather to their cap after Nougat with its most recent Oreo update. Oreo cookie anyone? The beta version with Android Oreo GO was pushed earlier last week.

Let us have a look at what the new Android update has in store for the enthusiasts.

Key Highlights

Android 8.0 will be the harbinger of number of major features. Initially the new update was codenamed ‘Oatmeal Cookie’. Some of the features seem like it’s time we should have more control over our devices.

Notification Grouping

Android O gives more power to the users and immediate control over unnecessary notifications. Similar to Gmail, Android O will sort the notifications on devices according to specified categories. A user who wants to receive notifications about technology from a news app, will be able to set the app feature accordingly.

Additionally, users will now be able to snooze the notifications. Just like the alarm on your device, you can choose when to see a particular notification.

Picture-in-Picture

Now, this is not entirely an alien concept. Nor it is something groundbreaking. PIP mode has been around for a long time. Thanks to Android O, you can now watch a YouTube video while booking an Uber on the same device.

This is multitasking at its best. You can pull down a video down to the smallest viewable size and use another app in simultaneously.

Improved Battery life

Really? If there is one thing every smartphone user craves for, its battery life. Today, there are 10 times the number of apps available than the capacity of the battery in your device. These vampires suck the juice out of your device day in day out.

Android O claims improved battery life by minimizing the background activity for apps that are seldom used.

Apart from these major features, it also features Neighborhood Aware Networking (NAN) support for WiFi. This allows the devices to find each other and communicate, both over WiFI; without an access point.

There is also Android Instant Apps; teleport directly into new apps straight from your browser, no installation needed.

Improved, better emojis, more icons, more fun.

The new OS claim to scan over 50 billion apps per day- including the ones that are not installed on your device. This is a security measure to keep customer’s data and device safe from inappropriate apps.

The early receivers of the new Android 8.0 include Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus Player, Pixel C, and both Pixel smartphones. Google will soon push the OTA update across all eligible devices.

List of devices that are expected to receive this update*:

• HTC U11, HTC U, Ultra HTC 10.
• Xperia X, Xperia XZ, Xperia X Compact, Xperia XA1, Xperia Touch.
• LG G6, LG V30, LG V20, LG Q6 / Q6+,
• Galaxy S8 and S8+, Galaxy Note 8, Galaxy S7. Edge, and Active, All Galaxy A, C and J models.
• Nokia 3, 5, 6, 8.
• One Plus 3/3T and 5T.
• Huawei P10, Mate 9, Honor 8 Pro, Honor 6X

*The data mentioned here is tentative and the respective companies reserve the right to retain or push the update as and when needed.