Android 9.0 P: What to expect

By GizBot Bureau

| Published: Wednesday, February 7, 2018, 17:05 [IST]

Now the Android Oreo is rolled out widely, Google and its development are working keenly on the next iteration of Android that has the letter "P". The dessert name of P is not known yet, but what we know is the little details about the features of Oreo's successor.

Android P launch

As far as we know, the first developer preview expected on Pi Day, whereas the developer preview 1 could release in March 2018. Generally, Google will launch the official version of the Android around August 2018, with the beta expected somewhere around May 2018. Last year, Google Oreo beta was released on March 21which was a way ahead of the Google I/O 2017 event.

If Android P DP1 follows the footsteps of its predecessor and rolls out ahead of the Google I/O 2018, the OS will be made official to the public as an open beta. Falling in line, the tech giant also confirmed the annual tech show that will be held from 8-10 May 2018.

Android P rumored name

As Google always chooses a dessert for its Android version, this time, Google may choose anything from Pancake, Pie, Peppermint, Pineapple or others. It is better to wait until the summer before Google reveals the official name of Android P.

What phones will Android P update?

This depends on the manufacturer of your device as well as the type of phone you have. The flagship smartphones that was released last year will get Android P update, where the upcoming devices like Samsung Galaxy S9, LG G7, Huawei P20, Sony Xperia XZ Pro, Moto Z3, are guaranteed to receive the Android 9.0 through OTA. Moreover, the Android One based smartphones including Xiaomi Mi A1 will also get an update too. The Google Pixel 2018 devices will get the update initially, while the Non-Pixel device will get somewhere around Q4 2018 and beyond.

Expected Features

One of the notable features that might make into Android P is to prevent developers from accessing hidden or unofficial APIs. If you are not aware, Android has a lot of API's hidden and officially not part of the SDK. Till Android Oreo, developers can access those hidden API's to enable advanced features/shortcuts. Other features that might get on-board are the Wi-Fi Direct Printing and Bluetooth hearing aids. In line with the growing love for the Internet of Things, the new Android P is also expected to bring better integration with Android Things.