14 DAY TRIAL // Google has just announced Android Oreo Go edition, a new version of its mobile operating system that’s specifically aimed at low-end devices with several tweaks to optimize performance and run better than the original sibling.
Basically, with Android Go Google wants to offer an uncompromised Android experience to low-spec smartphones, such as those that feature just 512MB or 1GB RAM.
In order to achieve this, Google implemented a series of optimizations to the operating system, as well as tweaks to its own apps that should help boost performance regardless of the specs.
The Mountain View-based search giant says the average app is now 15 percent faster on an Android Go device, while the storage that preinstalled Google apps need is 50 percent smaller on this new OS version. This, of course, applies only to Google apps, but the company will work with devs to optimize their apps for Android Go as well to take advantage of the new system.
Uncompromised security
Google’s apps that have been flagged as Go-ready include Google Go, Google Assistant Go, YouTube Go, Google Maps Go, Gmail Go, Gboard, Google Play, Chrome, and the new Files Go app by Google.
“The net result is that we’ve doubled the amount of available storage on entry-level devices,” Google said today.
Google’s data saver features are turned on by default on Android Go, and the search company says the same high level of security as on Android Oreo is offered to low-end devices as well.
“Android Oreo is the most secure version of Android yet, so when you buy an Android Oreo (Go edition) device, you’ll be getting all the same security features,” the firm says, explaining that Google Play Protect will be available out of the box on these low-spec phones.
On the downside, Android Oreo Go edition comes with a series of drawbacks, including longer loading times for apps, mostly caused by the limited storage space. But when compared to the actual performance of apps on Android Oreo device with low specs, there’s a major gain, and Google hopes this will help make a big difference in terms of adoption.
Android Go is available for manufacturers, and the first devices will launch in India, according to the company. There’s no ETA just yet, but it shouldn’t take too long before this happens.