Google Officially Unveils Next-Generation 'Android Oreo'

[Nigel Tufnel]

Google today announced the next-generation version of its Android operating system, which is named Oreo.

Android Oreo includes dozens of new features, ranging from notification improvements to picture-in-picture support to new emoji.

The update introduces an iOS-like feature called Notification Dots (aka app badges), designed to make it easier to see which apps have new content to display. A long tap on an app icon now displays information like the last notification received and app widgets, much like a 3D Touch does on iOS.

Picture-in-picture support allows users to watch video content while using other apps, while a new autofill feature remembers login information to allow for quicker username and password entry.

Support for new Unicode 10 emoji is included, introducing emoji like exploding head, vampire, zombie, hedgehog, giraffe, fortune cookie, and more. Existing Android emojis have also been redesigned to do away with the iconic Android emoji blobs.

Instant Apps, designed to allow developers to create apps that can run instantly, are now enabled by default, and Google has made improvements to the overall speed of the operating system for faster launch times along as well as introduced security improvements.

A full rundown on the new Android Oreo features is available on Google's site for those interested. The update is available today through Google's Android Open Source Project, with Google planning to roll it out to Pixel and Nexus devices in the near future as soon as carrier testing is complete.

Though Pixel and Nexus owners can expect to get access to Android Oreo in the near future, owners of other Android-based smartphones will need to wait much longer, if they get the update at all. The previous version of Android, Android Nougat, is still only installed on 13.5 percent of devices despite the fact that it was released a year ago.

The majority of Android devices continue to run Android 5.0 Lollipop and Android 6.0 Marshmallow, released in 2014 and 2015, respectively.

Article Link: Google Officially Unveils Next-Generation 'Android Oreo'

[doublepost=1503353058][/doublepost]So incredibly lame that they co-branded the new OS with an actual cookie brand. Product marketing/placement at its worst. The corporate takeover is complete. Please Apple never stoop to this.

 

[MagMan1979]

I'm not particularly loyal to either OS and have had both over the years. Whilst it's true that Apple products get longer support in terms of iOS updates I have found that updating a 4 year old iPhone with the latest iOS is far from problem free. From my own personal experience I have found it to dramatically slow the phone down and cause lag. Now the cynical side of me thinks this is Apple causing users frustration in order to purchase newer devices but Apple wouldn't do that...would they!!

Up until recently this was true, most iOS updates did cause reduced performance on the older hardware, but that is to be logically expected, as the new versions come with more features, larger amounts of code to process, and thus put greater demands on older SoC's. This is something that occurs not just mobile devices, but on Mac's and PC's as well.

Though as of iOS 10.3, with the introduction of AFPS, and going forward with iOS 11 with the expansion of Metal GPU API's to core components of the OS, performance has actually seen an INCREASE on older hardware, which is a welcome change, and hopefully one Apple will continue with going forward.

I've NEVER been able to say the same for Android, and only slightly so with Windows on the PC side...

 

[Nigel Tufnel]

Do they have to pay nabisco to use ‘oreo’?

Oreo is most likely paying Google a ton for this. It's basically product placement marketing, and the ultimate (though really, really lame) ad space that Google could sell. Can't believe Google sold out like this, really diminishes their brand. Oreos taste like turds.

 

[lkrupp]

Not if you have a Nexus or Pixel.

Very few people have a Nexus or Pixel. They are almost non existent in the market.

 

[joderme]

Android is the junk food of operating systems.
Consume it once, thrown away (don't expect your device to be updated to the next shiny thing.)

See post above. Also this simply isn't a true statement if you go with a stock android device. This can be true with 3rd party Android phones. If Apple allowed 3 party OEMs you would see the same thing.

 

[MagMan1979]

See post above. Also this simply isn't a true statement if you go with a stock android device. This can be true with 3rd party Android phones. If Apple allowed 3 party OEMs you would see the same thing.

Sorry, but with the state of the Google Play store, continuing deplorable app quality, issues with compiling stable code due to the massive ecosystem fragmentation, constant viruses and malware and adware targeting the platform, it is the junk food of OS'es, even with stock Android.

It is not only because Apple doesn't allow third-party modifications to iOS or associated devices, it's also because Apple isn't an ad/marketing company first. If Google took the same approach to Android as Apple does to iOS, they'd have to shutdown their marketing arm.

 

[lowendlinux]

Very few people have a Nexus or Pixel. They are almost non existent in the market.

That's good though, I don't want the same phone as every other person around me

 

[5105973]

There is NOTHING good in consumers getting a flaky, security-hole-riddled OS with third-world class update architecture, carriers that manipulate everything, and an App Store / OS that routinely allow virus and malicious apps thru to MILLIONS of users...

This is not a benefit to the consumer, Android is a detriment.

I love my Android phones. They've got some cool features and I will be on Android concurrently with iOS for at least another year. But...yeah you bring up some valid concerns.

Still, most people I know don't run into any serious problems most of the time. I know, I know...that's a weak defense. I'm not really trying to defend it. I have no regrets trying Android myself. It's been very educational and helped me better define and moderate my own needs, wants, and expectations as a consumer.

 

[Amazing Iceman]

I love the video, as I love cartoons and Oreo cookies.
But that's as far as I will go...

 

[tann]

Looks like a solid update, can't wait to hopefully get a Pixel 2.

 

[Amazing Iceman]

That's good though, I don't want the same phone as every other person around me

In that case, get a Windows Phone.

 

[lowendlinux]

In that case, get a Windows Phone.

I'll get all over that

 

[MagMan1979]

I love my Android phones. They've got some cool features and I will be on Android concurrently with iOS for at least another year. But...yeah you bring up some valid concerns.

Still, most people I know don't run into any serious problems most of the time. I know, I know...that's a weak defense. I'm not really trying to defend it. I have no regrets trying Android myself. It's been very educational and helped me better define and moderate my own needs, wants, and expectations as a consumer.

Fair enough, it's good to see a measured response from someone who owns devices from both platforms. I myself came from an Android background before going to Apple several years ago. I remember how there were things you could do on Android and not iOS (and still can't), and was deep into rooting and manipulating code on those devices.

It's also that experience and insight that let me know more about Android than most consumers. Your defence is actually a valid one, because to most consumers, they don't even know their device is having issues. Because of the level of quality delivered by Android, when the device crashes, freezes, slows down, or shows glitchy behaviour, it's something they accept from cheaper hardware, and don't even realize something is going wrong under the hood. I've had several people come to me with their Android devices complaining of all of the above, and then some, and upon deeper inspection, I discover things are much worse, often finding compromised devices.

A LOT of people buy Android not because of personal preference, or even because they are the cheaper alternative... Many buy them because they are uneducated consumers who get conned into it by unscrupulous sales reps who get OEM spiffs (commissions) from the likes of Samsung, LG, HTC, and their carriers, to push Android as hard as they can to make more $. I've heard sales reps make such insanely asinine claims to people, that I've actually intervened in those situations to tell the customer the truth and call out the sales person's lies.

This is one major reason Android gets pushed so hard, and not because it's a better platform, because other than "openness", there is nothing better about it.

 

[PJM83]

Native LDAC support is nice, will be interesting to see if my MDR-1000X will sound better.

 

[Cycling Asia]

Do they have to pay nabisco to use ‘oreo’?

It could be that Nabisco is paying for the product placement - much like the companies do in movies.

Soon it will become:

"Android Viagra - for when life is meant to be hard."

 

[DesterWallaboo]

Now with New and Improved Deep Datamining™

 

[joderme]

Sorry, but with the state of the Google Play store, continuing deplorable app quality, issues with compiling stable code due to the massive ecosystem fragmentation, constant viruses and malware and adware targeting the platform, it is the junk food of OS'es, even with stock Android.

It is not only because Apple doesn't allow third-party modifications to iOS or associated devices, it's also because Apple isn't an ad/marketing company first. If Google took the same approach to Android as Apple does to iOS, they'd have to shutdown their marketing arm.

I think a bit of your first paragraph is a bit of a hyperbole. The fragmentation is certainly still there and always will be unless google decides to only allow Pixel phones to run Android. That will certainly play into security issues. I certainly agree with you regarding Google being an ad/marketing company, however, don't let that lull you into a sense of complete privacy when iOS devices. I'm sure they are better than Google but how much privacy do you truly have with Apple?

I guess you think that iOS is impervious to malware/adware?

https://www.cvedetails.com/vulnerability-list/vendor_id-1224/product_id-19997/Google-Android.html
https://www.cvedetails.com/vulnerability-list/vendor_id-49/product_id-15556/Apple-Iphone-Os.html

https://www.skycure.com/blog/2017q1-threat-report-10-years-hacking-ios/

They both have their own issues that change from day to day. I use both devices daily. Do you?

 

[edwardlanti]

A lot of bias people on here lol. I've been a Mac user for almost 15 years, but I use Android for my phone. You can't really compare OS upgrades between iOS and Android because they treat their apps differently. Apple updates their main apps thru OS updates and Google does it thru their app store and they do it very frequently.

 

[imnotarobot]

Meanwhile at work our iOS teams are testing against iOS 11 betas as we are about to make releases. Android teams just ignored today. iOS 11 will be at 80%+ by December. Oreo will be insignificant.

 

[NicolasLGA]

Oreo is most likely paying Google a ton for this. It's basically product placement marketing, and the ultimate (though really, really lame) ad space that Google could sell. Can't believe Google sold out like this, really diminishes their brand. Oreos taste like turds.

Doesn’t anyone remember Android KitKat? It’s not the first time it’s been done.

They even had KitKat bars with the green android thingie on the packaging.

 

[kuwxman]

So many ridiculous haters in this thread, haha. Haven’t touched an Android device in years and think they know everything.

 

[glxinfo]

"Oreo"?

Ah, yes, a dark & tasteless circle rammed with **completely unnecessary additives (**sound familiar?

) with lots of white and pasty inside. Sounds precisely like the company that choose to make a fuss-a-doodle and TOTALLY meaningless hype over A NAME FOR A SOFTWARE RELEASE. When you have NOTHING to show, you pull some sleight of hand and get everyone pumped up about A NAME...

"Orifice" would have been far more accurate, the place from which ALL Google ideas originate...

 

[MagMan1979]

I think a bit of your first paragraph is a bit of a hyperbole. The fragmentation is certainly still there and always will be unless google decides to only allow Pixel phones to run Android. That will certainly play into security issues. I certainly agree with you regarding Google being an ad/marketing company, however, don't let that lull you into a sense of complete privacy when iOS devices. I'm sure they are better than Google but how much privacy do you truly have with Apple?

I guess you think that iOS is impervious to malware/adware?

https://www.cvedetails.com/vulnerability-list/vendor_id-1224/product_id-19997/Google-Android.html
https://www.cvedetails.com/vulnerability-list/vendor_id-49/product_id-15556/Apple-Iphone-Os.html

https://www.skycure.com/blog/2017q1-threat-report-10-years-hacking-ios/

They both have their own issues that change from day to day. I use both devices daily. Do you?

I do not own any Android devices any longer, and very happily so, but am forced to work with them and support them at work, so still have the misfortune of using and interacting with them.

While you are correct that iOS is not immune from this sort of thing either, Apple has the capacity to close security issues and malicious app releases (on the rare occasion they occur) in a fraction of the time it takes on Android, which in many cases, never occur. There are still hundreds of millions of Android devices out there with massive security holes that can be taken advantage of by a single malformed text message, with no hope of ever receiving an update to correct it. Those situations DO NOT occur on iOS.
[doublepost=1503356499][/doublepost]

So many ridiculous haters in this thread, haha. Haven’t touched an Android device in years and think they know everything.

And here you are, on an Apple site, making disparaging comments about it's users, how quaint...

 

[torana355]

I see people regurgitating stuff from 5 years ago. Android has come a long way since some of you so called "android users" actually used Android. Grab almost any Android phone from 2016/17 and the experience is quite polished. My S8 is getting monthly security updates and runs like a dream.

 

[glxinfo]

Forum people talk waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much about software platforms, bickering over them like toddlers in a tantrum. I'll simplify it because it's really VERY simple - Android is complete and utter bollocks.