Here’s All the New Features of Android O Announced by
By Shivam Srivastav
March 23, 2017 5 min read
Last update on: December 22, 2017

The next version of Android O from Google has announced, two days after the tech giant came out with the second beta version of Android 7.1.2 Nougat, aimed at the pixel and nexus devices. However, that happens to be just a name that is given incidentally, but  as of now the OS is termed as Android O.

Google has uploaded Android O build images for its various devices like Nexus 6P, 5X and Nexus player along with Pixel devices. It is not available from the beta versions, so the preview can be manually downloaded and flashed on the compatible devices that can experience the latest flavour of Android.

First of all we will talk about the latest review, but the Android O will be central point of discussions in the Google I/O 2017. Here are some of the salient features that accompanies Android O:

Notifications Channels

These are application specific categories for notification content as the end-users can now fine control the notifications as given by the developers. The advantage lies in the fact that the developer has no need to change the entire set of notifications for a single application, but on the contrary can now change or block individual channel.

Background Limits

Google is again tweaking with background limits enhancing the power efficiency of the handset. Applications can run in the background with these limiters imposed, in three areas like background services, location based updates and implicit broadcasts. The developers must immediately start grasping the concept, as it brings something new to Android OS.

Adaptive Launcher Icons

This enables the various shapes across different devices, may be a square in some and a circle in another. The smartphone OEM simply provides with a mask, used by the OS as template. The icons are rendered based on the model. The same icons can also be used by the shortcuts, setting applications as well as sharing dialogues.

Autofill APIs

Transactions are confirmed with much smoothness and also allow to set up applications The Autofill APIs can be stored, similarly to the keyboard application as it stores and secures user data like passwords, addresses and names, as the browsers store this data on the PCs.

New Picture in Picture (PIP) Mode

This was so far exclusively available in Android TV devices and is brought in as a new feature in Android O. The users can now watch videos in parallel with other activities on the smartphone.

Bluetooth Audio Codes

These are high-quality audio codecs like LDAC codec and is an endeavour towards making the headphone jack, go absolutely obsolete. Wi-Fi Aware is a Wi-Fi feature available that will enable the devices to get connected with the Wi-Fi, without any form of  cellular data connection and active internet access point.

Other miscellaneous features are also made available by Android O, like supportive keyboard navigation, more so for the apps that reside on the Chrome OS. Further innovations can be brought in “tab” and “arrow” navigation, which will prove to be helpful to the developers and the end-users.

But, this is an earlier version of Android O and you need to flash the updates for an early look at the features.

Appinventiv is a android app development company, which has quickly curved out a niche in the area of mobile app development, within the last two years only. It believes in rendering the best of apps with impeccable features for its clients, using the most advanced technologies like iBeacon, Wearables and Internet of Things.

Shivam Srivastav
Shivam Srivastav
Marcom Manager
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