Android Oreo

Android_Oreo_8.1_screenshot

Eighth major version of the Android mobile operating system

Android Oreo (codenamed Android O during development) is the eighth major release and the 15th version of the Android mobile operating system. It was first released as an alpha quality developer preview in March 2017 and was officially released to the public on August 21, 2017.

Features

Android Oreo introduces a number of new features and improvements over its predecessor, Android Nougat. Some of the key features include:

• Picture-in-Picture mode: This feature allows users to continue watching a video in a small window while navigating other apps.
• Notification dots: Small dots appear on app icons to indicate that there are notifications waiting to be viewed.
• Autofill framework: This feature simplifies the process of filling out forms by allowing the system to store and reuse form data.
• Improved battery life: Background execution limits and background location limits help to reduce battery consumption.
• Adaptive icons: Developers can create adaptive icons that the system can display in different shapes based on a mask selected by the device.
• Wi-Fi Aware: Also known as Neighbor Awareness Networking (NAN), this feature allows devices to communicate with each other without an internet access point.
• Bluetooth 5: Support for the latest version of Bluetooth, which offers improved speed and range.
• Project Treble: A major re-architecture of the Android OS framework designed to make it easier, faster, and less costly for manufacturers to update devices to newer versions of Android.

Development and Release

The first developer preview of Android Oreo was released on March 21, 2017. The second, considered beta quality, was released on May 17, 2017. The third developer preview was released on June 8, 2017, and the fourth was released on July 24, 2017. Android Oreo was officially released to the public on August 21, 2017.

Reception

Android Oreo received generally positive reviews, with particular praise for the improvements in battery life, performance, and the new features such as Picture-in-Picture mode and notification dots. However, some critics noted that the adoption rate of new Android versions remains slow due to the fragmentation of the Android ecosystem.

See also

• Android version history
• List of features in Android
• Comparison of mobile operating systems