Android P: The new features at a glance
7.8.2018
Translation: machine translated
Google has unveiled the new version of Android, Android P. The new Android puts an end to the three buttons at the bottom, brings digital wellness and intelligent notifications.
Android P is less than 24 hours old and not yet available, but I already want an update for my phone. Because the new version of Android promises a lot, especially artificial intelligence.
Google calls the new version Android Pie, like cake. Or American. Or "And this one time, at holiday camp...".
The artificial intelligence in the system will one day continuously optimise itself and save battery when you don't need the phone. The self-adjusting screen brightness should adapt to your needs and preferences, not just take into account the ambient brightness.
The apps that think for themselves
Google is not satisfied with just that. Some of the innovations are further developments of features that have already been rolled out for some users. These are things like intelligent navigation. In other words, if you take the bus to work every morning at around 8 a.m. and have saved both "Home" and "Work" in Google Maps, you will receive a traffic report and a bus timetable on your phone at around 7.45 a.m.
This mechanism is already being rolled out for some users today.
This mechanism is to be expanded. In the official blog post, Sameer Samat, VP of Product Management, Android & Google Play, gives the example of your phone not only displaying the traffic, but also being able to do even more.
- If you always travel to work by public transport, Google Play Books will suggest that you continue listening to your audio book in the morning
- If you plug in your headphones at 5pm in the evening, your phone will suggest you play your favourite Spotify playlist
- If it's a headset, it will suggest you call your mum when you report to her after work every day. Apparently people do that
The piece of the pie
In English, slices of a pie are called "slices of a pie". Because they are funny birds, Google has taken this as inspiration and introduced slices in Android. This means that if you search for "Lyft" - a taxi service that doesn't exist in this country, similar to Uber - in your Google search in the jumble of apps on your phone, the phone will show you parts of the app. Depending on the time of day, this slice even suggests a route. You're probably on your way home at 5 pm, so Lyft shows you how much the journey home would cost.
The three buttons at the bottom are history
Google realises that one-handed navigation on phones is becoming increasingly difficult. That's why the three buttons - all apps, home and back - are history. In their place is a gesture. If you swipe up at the bottom of the screen, all apps appear in full screen mode. How exactly this will work with the icons on the home screen and the other seemingly lost functions of the three buttons is still unclear. But the system is said to be similar to the one currently found on Google Pixels if you add the beta versions of Android to it.
In addition, the text selection, also in the All Apps screen, should become smarter. If you select a word when you want to copy it or something, the context menu will not only suggest copying the word, but also actions that could help you. If you highlight the name of a restaurant, the menu will suggest that you read reviews for the establishment on Yelp.
The digital wellbeing
According to Google, all these innovations should mean that you spend less time on your phone. I certainly doubt that in my case. But if I can do things faster, then I can do more stuff. I think that's good. But for those whose "digital wellbeing", as Google calls it, is "less is more", this will certainly be helpful.
- A timer shows you how much time you spend on an app. You can set your own time limits
- The "Do not Disturb" mode also stops visual disturbances on the screen. So you have absolute peace and quiet
- When it's getting close to your bedtime, your mobile phone screen turns black and white
Pixel has Pie now, everyone else later
Android Pie will be rolled out to all Google Pixels immediately. This will happen in waves so that Google's servers don't go down. So if you have a Pixel, you can look forward to Android Pie soon. Android One users will be upgraded by the end of autumn.
The following brands are also part of the first wave of upgrades:
- Oppo
- Vivo
- Sony
- Essential
- OnePlus
These brands will also receive the upgrade by the end of autumn.
Journalist. Author. Hacker. A storyteller searching for boundaries, secrets and taboos – putting the world to paper. Not because I can but because I can’t not.
