Google reveals Oreo, the newest version of the Android OS

Google has revealed Android Oreo, the newest version of its mobile operating system.

It is now officially out of developer beta and part of Android Open Source Project, meaning it will be rolling out over the next few months to handsets. 

The new versions is twice as fast when powering up and will boost battery life, among other features.

 

Oreo is now officially out of developer beta and part of Android Open Source Project, meaning it will be rolling out over the next few months and users with specific devices who want to try the pre-commercial version can get it today

HOW TO GET IT 

Oreo is said to be rolling out ‘soon’ for Google devices including the Pixel phone, Nexus 5X, and Nexus 6P, although users can sign up for the beta version here

Makers including Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Essential, General Mobile, Huawei, HTC, Kyocera, LG, and Motorola will be able to run Oreo by the end of the year.

 

However, users with some Google devices such as the Pixel who want to try the pre-commercial version can get it today.

‘Smarter, faster, more powerful and sweeter than ever – the world’s favorite cookie is your new favorite Android release,’ reads the launch page for Oreo.

Among the new feature updates are notification dots on app icons, which users can tap to quickly see what’s new without opening the app completely. 

It also includes Android Instant App compatibility which allows users to ‘teleport’ directly into new apps right from your browser. 

The new OS will also minimize background activity in the apps used least to save power, and when booting up, it will be twice as quick. 

A new picture-in-picture mode will allow users to see two apps at once.

An autofill tool for securely entering passwords and other personal information is also part of the new update.

WHAT’S NEW IN ANDROID OREO

 Google just officially unveiled it’s new mobile operating system ‘Oreo.’

Here are the new features:

 – Notification dots on app icons, which users can tap to quickly see what’s new without opening the app completely.

The new OS will also minimize background activity in the apps used least to save power, and when booting up, it will be twice as quick

The new OS will also minimize background activity in the apps used least to save power, and when booting up, it will be twice as quick

– Android Instant App compatibility which allows users to ‘teleport directly into new apps right from your browser.

-The new OS will also minimize background activity in the apps used least to save power, and when booting up, it will be twice as quick. 

While most of the updates are functional, there is one big design change - Oreo marks the death of Android's blob emojis in exchange for flat-designed emojis

While most of the updates are functional, there is one big design change – Oreo marks the death of Android’s blob emojis in exchange for flat-designed emojis

– A new picture-in-picture mode will allow users to see two apps at once.

– An autofill tool for securely entering passwords and other personal information is also part of the new update.

Oreo will feature notification dots on app icons, which users can tap to quickly see what's new without opening the app completely

Oreo will feature notification dots on app icons, which users can tap to quickly see what’s new without opening the app completely

– There’s also a new smart new copy-and-paste tool that automatically detects if selected text is an address or a proper noun – If it’s an address, the software will highlight the entire address for you and will even suggest a map for you.

– While most of the updates are functional, there is one big design change – Oreo marks the death of Android’s blob emojis in exchange for flat-designed emojis. 

A new picture-in-picture mode will allow users to see two apps at once

A new picture-in-picture mode will allow users to see two apps at once

An autofill tool for securely entering passwords and other personal information is also part of the new update

An autofill tool for securely entering passwords and other personal information is also part of the new update

There’s also a new smart new copy-and-paste tool that automatically detects if selected text is an address or a proper noun – If it’s an address, the software will highlight the entire address for you and will even suggest a map for you.

While most of the updates are functional, there is one big design change – Oreo marks the death of Android’s blob emojis in exchange for flat-designed emojis. 

Google names each new version of its mobile OS alphabetically and after a candy or sweet, which can be seen in the last few releases dubbed Nougat, Marshmallow and Lolipop.  

Oreo was unveiled in the midst of the solar eclipse, with the company tapping into the event for the marketing.

Oreo was unveiled in the midst of the solar eclipse, with the company tapping into the event for the marketing. The video on the launch depicts Androids looking up at the eclipse, glasses and all

Oreo was unveiled in the midst of the solar eclipse, with the company tapping into the event for the marketing. The video on the launch depicts Androids looking up at the eclipse, glasses and all

At 2:44 PM EST, the peak time for viewing the eclipse in NYC, the Android statue across the street from the Chelsea Market, where the original Nabisco factory was located

At 2:44 PM EST, the peak time for viewing the eclipse in NYC, the Android statue across the street from the Chelsea Market, where the original Nabisco factory was located

The video on the launch depicts Androids looking up at the eclipse, glasses and all.

At 2:44 PM EST, the peak time for viewing the eclipse in NYC, the Android statue appeared across the street from the Chelsea Market, where the original Nabisco factory was located, and where Google’s New York HQ now is.

This is the first time Google has revealed the statue somewhere other than its headquarters in Mountain View, California.

Aside from the naming structure, Google chose ‘Oreo’ for the new mobile OS because the engineers behind it happened to be eating a ton of the famed cookies. 

This is the first time Google revealed the statue somewhere other than its California headquarters

‘At our microkitchens at Google, we have Oreos all around. Our engineers just kept eating Oreos with their glasses of milk,’ Sagar Kamdar, Android’s director of product management said.

Oreo is said to be rolling out ‘soon’ for Google devices including the Pixel phone, Nexus 5X, and Nexus 6P.

Makers including Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Essential, General Mobile, Huawei, HTC, Kyocera, LG, and Motorola will be able to run Oreo by the end of the year.

Oreo is said to be rolling out 'soon' for Google devices including the Pixel phone, Nexus 5X, and Nexus 6P. Makers including Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Essential, General Mobile, Huawei, HTC, Kyocera, LG, and Motorola will be able to run Oreo by the end of the year

Oreo is said to be rolling out ‘soon’ for Google devices including the Pixel phone, Nexus 5X, and Nexus 6P. Makers including Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Essential, General Mobile, Huawei, HTC, Kyocera, LG, and Motorola will be able to run Oreo by the end of the year

Users who want to try it out now, however, are able to with fewer risks than in the past.

With a Nexus 5X, a Nexus 6P, a Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel C, or Nexus Player, users can simply sign in with their Google accounts on the Android Beta Program page, click ‘enroll device,’ agree to the terms and conditions and restart the device to experience Oreo sooner.

Users doing this will experience Oreo prior to its consumer release and can, if desired, switch back.

Android is the most dominant mobile software on the planet and powers nearly nine out of every 10 smartphones globally. What's more, it also powers other devices including smartwatches, TVs, and cars - over two billion devices total

Android is the most dominant mobile software on the planet and powers nearly nine out of every 10 smartphones globally. What’s more, it also powers other devices including smartwatches, TVs, and cars – over two billion devices total

Android is the most dominant mobile software on the planet and powers nearly nine out of every 10 smartphones globally.

What’s more, it also powers other devices including smartwatches, TVs, and cars – over two billion devices total. 

However, Android users are rarely up-to-date with their operating systems. 

Only 13.5 percent of all Android users currently have Nougat (the most recent version prior to Oreo) installed on their devices, with some running versions as old as KitKit from 2013.

Yet 87 percent of Apple users have the most recent software, iOS 10, installed on their devices.

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk