The 26th iteration of the most widely used operating system in the world is called Android 8.0 Oreo. Just counting phones and tablets, Google’s mobile-and-everything-else OS reached two billion monthly active users this year. What will the new version bring to all of those users? The vice president of engineering for Android, Dave Burke, stated that the 8.0 release would focus on “base and fundamentals” in an interview with Ars earlier this year. One single question served as the team’s compass: “What are we doing to Android to ensure that Android is in a fantastic position in the next 5 to 10 years?”
You can clearly notice Oreo’s emphasis on the fundamentals if you look at it closely. Google is redesigning the notification system, adding additional features, a new colour palette, and a new layout. It is assuming liability for Android security by using a security product with the Google logo. The reduction of app background processing should result in longer battery life and more reliable performance. Even Android’s constant update issue has been addressed, with Project Treble making update creation simpler and streaming updates making user installation simpler. The modularization of Android continues to increase with each new release, with upgrades to the GPU driver and emojis now being accessible without an OS update.
With Android 8.0, Google is going all out with its alphabetic snack-themed codenames, much like it did with its collaboration with Nestlé for Android 4.4 “KitKat.” This time, Google and Nabisco are collaborating on the “Oreo” brand. (We haven’t learned of any form of financial arrangement for this kind of stuff.) Oreo cookies made specifically for Google’s Eclipse-themed launch party had an Android robot design and green filling.
Even though there are two billion users, Google demonstrates with Android 8.0 that it is still not content. “Android Go” is a new programme that focuses on the developing world, where inexpensive devices and constrained data and power access necessitate a different approach to how some aspects of Android operate.
Additionally, three new Android form factors will use Oreo as their foundation. Under the name “Android Automotive,” it will be integrated into automobiles thanks to Google’s collaboration with automakers. Additionally, Android 8.0 will serve as the foundational operating system for “Android Things,” a “Internet of things” (IoT) variant of the OS meant to be simple to use on embedded devices. Finally, with Oreo, Google’s “Daydream” virtual reality division will also introduce a new form factor: standalone VR headsets.
