14 DAY TRIAL // Yesterday, Google released the first Developer Preview of its newest Android OS version, giving developers the first glimpse at features that can be found in Android O. And the Developer Preview also reveals Google’s strategy for the new version.
Google worked with a number of partners on the new Android O version, one of which is Sony. Apparently, the company partnered with Google in order to bring “more than 30 feature enhancements and 250 bug fixes,” according to a Google spokesperson.
Sony is aiming at making Android a better platform for wireless high-resolution audio, which would reach a plenitude of users, after the stable version is released and starts reaching various users of Android-running smartphones.
Sony integrated its LDAC audio coding tech in Android O
Sony has brought its LDAC wireless audio coding technology to Android O, which can transfer more data over Bluetooth, an option found on many smartphones. Sony’s LDAC tech has the capacity to transfer up to 990kps and is already built into Sony products like wireless headphones, speakers and Xperia phones.
In order to use Sony’s LDAC tech in various products, other companies would have to pay a licensing fee, but Sony has made the technology available to many Android users, as it’s free to include in mobile devices.
Sony’s LDAC tech operates without any down-conversion of the high-resolution audio content and can transfer three times more data, thanks to its optimized packetization.
Aside from enhanced audio capabilities, Android O also brings improvements in device battery life and performance with background limits, as well as new notification options to group or adjust the behavior of various types of notifications.
Moreover, Android O introduces adaptive icons and new autofill APIs for apps to store and secure user data. The release is intended for developers and it’s quite buggy and unstable.