The system has become friends with cutouts in the screen, learned to locate in buildings, received support for dual cameras, and much more.
Google has once again released the first version Android P for developers without warning. While there is not even a hint of the full name of the system, it seems more likely to me Pie (pie). But we will find out only in the summer, when the final version of the update is released.
Android P will be a landmark update in history – it puts an end to the history of the Nexus line of devices. The Nexus 6P and 5X smartphones and the Pixel C tablet will not receive the update, Google has confirmed. This step is logical for the company, because these devices have not been sold for a long time. On the other hand, you can look at the iPhone 6s, which was released around the same time as the Nexus 6P and 5X and will receive updates for at least another two years. Perhaps, it's time to get used to this.
In the meantime, let's take a look at the main innovations Android P.
Cutout support
After the exit iPhone X, the mod began to put screens with a cutout at the top of the screen. In English it is called 'notch', and in Russian everyone calls it whatever they want – 'monobrow', 'visor', 'neckline' and so on. And the worst thing is that it is being copied not only by Chinese companies of the 3rd-5th echelon, but by big players like ASUS, and Huawei and LG will also join. Whether you like it or not, there will be more in the future, and Google understands that.
Android P introduces native support for screen cutouts, which will make things easier for smartphone makers who decide to follow the trend and app developers. Google does not offer to make a standard for the shape and size of cutouts, but it does make it possible to simulate cutouts on smartphones without it
Notifications
Google understands that the notification shade is one of its strong points Android. So in the next update, she also got a place. All innovations are related to messengers.
Now in the notification shade, a preview of images is displayed, but there is a more interesting feature – 'smart' replies. The system tries to understand the context of the correspondence and offers three options for replies to the last message. The example below shows how the interlocutor asks 'what about sushi?', And the system offers three answers – negative 'I'm sorry, I can't', neutral 'sounds good' and positive 'see you then'. It is not yet completely clear whether this will work only in Google applications or in all messengers.
New design
Once again, Google is changing the look of the system, but there aren't many changes. In the notification shade, posts got rounded corners, and quick settings items were enclosed in a round icon. More changes in the Settings app. Item icons have become colored, and the background is lighter, like the entire interface as a whole.
Android O and Android P. Source: Android Police
Dual cameras
Google has added native support for another popular smartphone option, dual cameras, to Android. This means that the stock camera app has features such as software 'bokeh' background blur, optical zoom when switching between two cameras or, for example, shooting in 3D when capturing images from two sensors.
Building navigation
Perhaps the most interesting, but the most distant innovation from us. Android P supports Wi-Fi RTT (802.11mc protocol), which allows you to accurately determine the position of your smartphone inside buildings where GPS reception is poor. The new standard provides a positioning accuracy of 1–2 meters, which is enough to find the right store in a shopping center.
New image formats
Android P has learned to work with the more modern HEIF image format, which on average provides 2x the memory savings of JPEG. It would be hard to argue with the fact that Google apparently did this after iOS 11. The first discussion of this standard in devices Apple sparked a heated discussion among readers Android. Mobile- Review.
There is also support for HDR VP9, which should make it easier to watch videos with 10-bit color on devices that support it. While there are few of them
Minor updates
Android P has a built-in screenshot editor that allows you to quickly draw or crop something. However, now for some reason the function is only available for Pixel 2 and 2 XL, and does not work on the first 'pixels'.
Google slightly changed the text selection system. We slightly changed the text in the pop-up menu and now, in addition to the 'copy', 'share' and 'select all' buttons, there is one more – 'Web search'. Previously, to open it, you had to go to the additional menu.
Highlighting text in Android O and Android
The alarm can be turned on from the expanded notification curtain in the full list of quick settings.
In Android P, you cannot look at the power consumption of each application in the battery settings menu, as it was before. This feature has been hidden in the developer settings section. Although for the release, everything may change.
The animations have also changed, support for simultaneous connection to several devices by Bluetooth appeared, the 'Screenshot' button appeared on the shutdown menu.
And this is how the branded 'Easter egg' looks like in Android P:
In the final version Android P there may be even more changes, but what is now can be changed. So this can only be seen as a cursory acquaintance with the new system. The presentation Android P will take place at the Google I / O developer conference, which is scheduled for May 8-10. And the release of the final version will take place only in the third quarter of 2018.
What innovations did you find the most useful, and what else would you add?