ANDROID SPECIAL .....10 new features coming to your smartphones

10 new features coming to your smartphones





The new Android 8.0. operating system, named after your favourite cookie, is going to make your life easier, brighter and more fun

It 's official , the next Android operating sys tem will be called Oreo.

The searh giant revealed the name in New York during an `eclipse viewing party'. The Android 8.0 Oreo will be hitting Google Pixel, Pixel XL, Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X and Pixel C devices in the next few weeks. Wonder what's new in Android Oreo? Here are the new features that your smartphones will get with Android 8.0 Oreo update.

1 Picture-in-picture mode

The new picture-in-picture mode will let users perform two tasks simultaneously on a smartphone or a tablet. They can video call or watch a video and work on a different app in the background at the same time using this mode.

2 Notification dots

Similar to notifications in iPhones, Android O-powered smartphones too will now show the notification alert in the form of a dot in the top corner of the app icon. Users can access the notification quickly by long pressing on the app instead of pulling down the notification tray from the top and tapping on the notification to open it.

3 Smart Text selection

Using Google's advanced machine learning techniques, Android O will bring the ability to select texts, recognise it as an address, email ID or a contact number, and will show related options. Users can long tap on a text inside the address and the OS will automatically select the complete address.

4 Improved battery life

The new Android O will bring new limits on background location and WiFi scans, sav ing more data than ever before.This is expected to increase battery life and free up more RAM in a device.

5 Pin app shortcuts

You can pin app shortcuts and widgets to the launcher from within the app. There's also a new option to add a specialised activity to help users create shortcuts. The activity is complete with custom options and confirmation.

6 Autofill framework

Autofill feature in Android O aims to make it easy to set up a new device and synchronise passwords. However, not all apps will be supported with this feature initially.

7 New homescreen Android TV

Google showcased its Android TV home screen experience for Android O at the IO 2017 conference. The revamped Android TV homescreen will be arriving later this year along with the Android O. The new homescreen will make it easy to find, preview, and watch content provided by apps.

8 Redesigned emojis

In May, Google executives confirmed that the company will be rolling out newly-designed stock emojis with Android O.The new emoji set has been in the works for a year-and-a-half and is said to be more user-friendly.The company bid adieu to its blogstyled emojis a few months ago.

9 Adaptive icons

Developers will now be able

10 System optimisations

Android O is said to make apps run faster and smoother.The search giant has made changes in its runtime including new optimisations such as concurrent compacting garbage collection, code locality and much more. to create adaptive icons that the system will show in different shapes like square, circle or others based on the OEM's custom user interface. The system also animates interactions with the icons, and uses them in the launchers, shortcuts, settings.

TOI Tech

31AUG17