Google focuses with Android O on battery life and notification management
Google has released the Developer Preview of Android O, the successor to Android 7 Nougat. With the operating system, the developer focuses mainly on improving battery life and performance. In addition, there will be ‘notification channels’, among other things.
Google wants to reduce the consumption of smartphones with Android O by imposing automatic limits on what apps can do in the background. The software will limit apps in the field of ‘implicit broadcasts’, ‘background services’ and ‘location updates’. Because this can have significant impact on existing apps, Google advises developers to review background information about this.
New in Android O are ‘notification channels’. These are categories associated with apps that should give users more control options for notifications. Developers must choose a channel for each notification their app sends, and users can set things like whether a category should sound, be shown on the lock screen, temporarily snooze, and so on.
As previously reported, the next Android version will have picture-in-picture capabilities. For example, smartphone or tablet users can continue to watch video on an open window while chatting in a messaging app.
Visually there are also the necessary changes. For example, developers can add different versions of icons by using masks and the display then differs, depending on, for example, the device or the theme. Animations of icons based on interaction are also possible.
Google provides the Android version with support for the LDAC audio codec, which was developed by Sony and is intended to provide better audio quality when listening via Bluetooth. In addition, there is support for Wi-Fi Aware, which allows apps to connect to nearby devices even when there is no Wi-Fi connection or mobile internet. Finally, Google has added some improvements to keyboard navigation. This should help users of Android apps on Chrome OS navigate.
The Developer Preview of Android O is available immediately, but Google emphasizes that the software is not intended for consumers. A second developer preview with minor tweaks should be released in mid-May, followed by a third release in June with the final APIs and official SDK. After a fourth test version in July, Android O should be widely available in the third quarter.