14 DAY TRIAL // During the keynote in Mountain View, Google revealed some stats regarding Android OS, sharing the fact that Android currently runs on 2 billion devices worldwide and 82 billion apps were downloaded in the past year from the Play Store.
Android O beta program is now available for some Pixel and Nexus devices, including Google Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel C tablet, Nexus Player, Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X smartphones. Devices that register for Android O beta will receive updates over the air and get to test out the latest features.
Devices that were part of the Android N beta program will still have to register in order to get beta updates for Android O. In addition, Google revealed some details about the next version of Android O.
Picture-in-picture and new app notifications
Google has announced that Android O will bring picture-in-picture mode, which will allow users to shrink videos or pages into a movable window and adjust the size and location of the window on the screen. The feature will be made available in Google’s Duo app and Netflix, and it is expected to arrive to Maps and other apps as well.
The company will also bring a new dot next to the app icon in the pull-down notification share and on the app shortcut. When users press and hold the app icon, the message is expanded and they can read the text. Notifications are synced between the dot and notifications shade, so they will clear easily.
Moreover, Google announced a new auto-fill feature that will support third-party providers, so users will simply need to tap and automatically fill fields with info like username, password, address, credit card number, and more.
Android O will come with a new copy and paste mode
A new copy and paste mode will be made available on Android O, one that will allow users to simply double tap on text to select all. Users can also long press on phone numbers and get suggestions for opening the dialer.
Aside from this, Google states that Android O is two times faster than Android Nougat, as boot times dropped, while Google Sheets runs faster. To achieve this, Google created TensorFlow Lite, which will be able to conduct complex processes.
Android O also adds restrictions on background apps, which will allow users to save battery life on their phones and prevent certain applications from slowing down the device. Android O’s Play Protect will keep users informed regarding the security of information saved inside apps.
#AndroidO will bring more fluid experiences to mobile screens, along with improved "vitals" like battery life and security. #io17 pic.twitter.com/GdhPChWpAr — Google (@Google) May 17, 2017