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  • 31 March, 2017
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Google officially announces Android “O”

For the second time, Google will not have waited for its Google I / O conference scheduled for May 17-19 to announce the latest version of its operating system: Android O. Pre -version is available for testers.

After a series of rumors, Google has officially announced the latest evolution of its Android mobile platform.

One of the features that will delight users of video viewing applications is the Picture in Picture (PIP) mode. It will now be possible to continue watching videos while using another application. The video will be reduced to a floating window. This possibility already existed on other smartphones, but Android O will undoubtedly popularize it.

On the visual level, dynamic icons appear. They will be able to change aspect by becoming square or circular, depending on the interactions and themes.

For the battery, the bane of smartphones, the new Android could take strict measures to optimize its autonomy. Android O intends to impose automatic limits on applications that work in the background. This will reduce their impact in terms of battery consumption.

The auto-completion system should facilitate the input of passwords, email addresses, and other items. It will also be possible to manage notifications more easily for each application, with the possibility of blocking them.

At the audio level, Android O should support high-quality audio codecs like LDAC and AptX which will allow listening to audio files wirelessly, via Bluetooth.

Pre-Release is Available

This version is currently for developers only. But it is possible to obtain it to test it via an emulator. To do this, simply go to the Android site, download the system image and follow the installation instructions as well as flash a phone or tablet. The version can be uninstalled at any time; the method is also explained on the site of the mobile operating system of Google.

It should not be forgotten that this version is still in the test phase and therefore subject to improvements and changes. Although Google unveiled this pre-release nearly two months before the Google I / O conference, it will still have to wait until May to know the final version.

As the tradition, Android model names refer to cakes or confectionery. The surfers do their brainstorming to find a match to this “O”. For now, Oreo seems to be leading, but we will have to wait for Google’s confirmation.