Google releases Android 'O' beta version for developers, should soon be available for users

Android O to come with some very interesting features, may soon be available for users

By Vigneshravi

| Updated: Wednesday, March 22, 2017, 20:09 [IST]

It is known to most of us that the next version of Android, known as 'O' is out only for developers. With the first developer build of Android O being made available for the official Android Emulator, it can be taken as a sign that the update may soon be available for users.

Android 'O' out for developers, should soon be available for users

If users wish to get their hands on the 'O' and do some beta testing of their own, they can manually install it. If you are considering trying out the beta version of the 'O' for yourself, it would be advisable to do so if you know how to flash your device. Or try it out on a spare device, the one which you can live without if something goes wrong.

Android O to arrive with picture-in-picture, app icon badges, and more Android O to arrive with picture-in-picture, app icon badges, and more

The beta version of 'O' is currently available for selected devices such as the Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus Player, Pixel C tablet, Pixel and Pixel XL. Since Google may not be ready to reveal everything on Android O, the company did share a few details like a number of new features that will debut on this new OS' and is sure to get Android fans anxiously waiting for the update.

Sony contributed in Android O by improving wireless audio quality Sony contributed in Android O by improving wireless audio quality

Better battery life

One of the biggest issue faced by the smartphone users is its battery life.With the upcoming 'O', the company claims to solve this issue to some extent. Google will do so by clamping down on power consumption to improve battery life. The Android O, operating system will automatically limit background app activity which will, in turn, save some of the battery's juice.

Organised Notifications

The update will make the notifications tidier by sorting and grouping them based on the app. This will not only make it easier to get to certain notifications but will also make it fairly visually pleasing.

Picture-in-Picture

One of the features that will definitely make users excited about the 'O' is the Picture-in-Picture feature. With the Picture-in-Picture (PiP) feature, users can watch a video while looking at another app using a new app overlay window. Along with an ability to launch the activities on a remote display using the multi-display support, it takes multi-tasking to a whole new level.

Adaptive icons

The update will add a new feature which allows for App icons to be adaptive and change shapes based on different themes. The feature will also allow for the icons to animate when they are touched.

Wireless audio

While listening to music through wired headphones on Android devices are fairly decent, the same cannot be said about audio through wireless headphones. The update comes with a new Audio API, with this the wireless sound should get a boost in quality. Along with high-performance codecs like Sony's LDAC, which allows for cleaner sound with less latency will surely improve the wireless headphone music.

Wide-color gamut

Apart from audio, the update will also give a boost to the visual aspect as well, the update will bring with it wide color gamut (WCG) support. This, in turn, will enable, apps to display more colors for more expressive designs. Furthermore, with WCG support, photos and videos will look a lot better on WCG-supported displays.

Keyboard navigation

The update will also be getting better keyboard support, which will play a key role in improved app navigation. Additionally, Google also said for Chromebooks and devices with larger form factors it's "focused on building a more reliable, predictable model for 'arrow' and 'tab' navigation".

As of now, these seven features are all that we know about and while they are definitely going to excite Android fans, they're by no means the only new things in Android O. We will keep you posted on the latest updates as and when we get them.