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Google kills off Android’s spam-ridden Nearby Notifications
After launching just three years ago, Google is putting an end to Nearby Notifications on Android. The feature, which was intended to serve up location-specific information, had recently become inundated with marketers and spammers. Android users will stop receiving Nearby Notifications entirely on December 6.
Android P is for Pie
Sorry, peppermint, pancake and Pop-Tarts fans -- the "P" in Android 9.0's name stands for Pie, and it has officially arrived. You'll get an over-the-air update for the new platform very, very soon if you have a Pixel, since it's rolling out to Google's devices starting today. If you have a non-Pixel phone, though, you'll likely have to wait a few more months to get the software upgrade, even if you're already using its beta version. Google says that devices that were part of the Android P beta program (that includes devices from Sony, Xiaomi, HMD Global, Oppo, Vivo, OnePlus, and Essential) and "qualifying" Android One devices should have the update by the end of the fall. The tech giant says it's working with partner manufacturers to give more people access to the platform, and most of them plan to roll out Android 9 Pie to their devices before the year ends.
Android P's final test release is here
Android P just edged one step closer to completion -- Google has released the final preview version of its upcoming mobile OS. The beta includes the system behavior you can expect in the completed version on top of the usual bug fixes. There are bound to be small tweaks after this, but it's otherwise full steam ahead for the finished software's launch sometime later in the summer.
Android P beta 3 is ready for testing
A little less than a month since Google released the second beta for its Android mobile operating system, the company has launched a third iteration. Android P beta 3 is available now for developers.
Essential rolls out Android P Beta, despite sale rumors
Bloomberg recently reported that Andy Rubin's Essential is in a big enough trouble that the Android founder is considering giving it up for sale. The company didn't confirm if there's truth to that, but it doesn't look like it's letting any issue it's dealing with affect its software updates: Essential has announced on Twitter that it has released Android P Beta 1 for its bezel-less ceramic phone. While the phonemaker referred to the software update as "Beta 1," it confirmed to Android Police that it's identical to the second Android P Beta Google just released.
Google releases second Android P beta with a ton of new emoji
Announced at Google's I/O event last month, Android P is set to change the way we use our phones in some significant ways. The first beta launched soon after the announcement, showing up for 11 different phones, including Pixel, Xperia X72 and the Essential Phone. Now, Google has just released the second Android P beta, which includes 157 new emoji along with updated tools to help developers get ready for a late summer consumer release.
Three days in, life with the Android P beta has been mostly painless
The first public preview of Android P is finally here, and as you might have guessed from the jam-packed keynote, there's a lot going on in this new build. As Google tells it, Android P is centered around intelligence, simplicity and what the company refers to as "digital well-being." All together, those themes represent the most compelling case we've heard for Android in years. This is beta software, though, so you probably shouldn't install this build with the intent of using it as your daily driver. Not everything works the way it's supposed to, and reverting to good ol' Android Oreo requires you to flash a factory image onto your phone. That said, since there's a pretty good chance you're probably going to take the plunge anyway, I'm pleased to report that life with Android P has been more pleasant than painful.
Android P makes Volvo’s in-car infotainment system even better
Android Auto has been around for years. I know Android Auto when I see it. What's running inside a sleek Volvo at Google I/O isn't Android Auto. This is an automobile running full-blown Android P. We've seen no shortage of pure Android-powered cars at I/O in years past, but this crimson XC40 is different: it's one of the first cars in the world to fully integrate Google services, like Google Maps and the Play Store, right onto automotive hardware. That's right: you can finally download apps straight onto your car.
Watch the Google I/O 2018 keynote in under 20 minutes
Google's annual developer conference usually gives us a pretty good idea of what to expect from the company for the next several months. This year's I/O opening keynote was no different as yesterday's 2-hour event was jam-packed with AI, Android, accessibility and more. We saw the new Android swipe navigation UI in action -- gone are the trio of buttons you've come to know and loathe. And we heard all about the under the hood changes that will make your phone's battery last longer and put little "slices" of apps at your fingertips throughout the OS. But, being a Google event, the big focus was on AI. Machine learning is power everything from news curation to image recognition and eve enabling you to copy and paste text from the real world to your phone. You probably don't have a couple hours to burn rewatching the whole thing, so we've distilled the important bits down to a 20-minute clip. While take a snack break this morning, you can catch up on what you might've missed in a fraction of the time. Though, after you have your mind blown by the Google Assistant making a phone call and booking a hair appointment you may to go lay down for a while. Click here to catch up on the latest news from Google I/O 2018!
Here’s what you won’t find in the Android P beta
Developers and enthusiasts have had access to a very early version of Android P for a while now, but Google has made it more easily accessible to the brave with the launch of its public Android P Beta. At this point, you can get it up and running on 11 devices, but a considerable chunk of the features Google talked up during its keynote aren't actually there yet. Bummer. The broad strokes are well understood at this point, but (thankfully) we got to play with a slightly more feature-complete version of Android P inside Google's sandbox demo space. We'll continue to play with the publicly available Android P Beta, so expect a deeper dive soon, but one thing is clear after playing with a more-complete version: Android P is only going to get more capable in time.
Android P brings wireless Android Auto to more phones
Today, Kenwood announced that wireless Android Auto is active, but only compatible with select smartphones for right now. First- and second-generation Pixel and Pixel XL owners, as well as legacy Nexus 5X and 6P owners, can use the tech. These phones must be on Android 8.0 or higher. While Android 9.0 (or Android P) phones will be compatible with wireless Android Auto, Google is working with companies to to make 8.0 devices work as well.
Five ways Android P changes how you will (or won't) use your phone
Google has pulled a surprising switcheroo, designing Android P to help you reduce your smartphone usage while also making it less irritating and more approachable. To pull that off, it added a big dose of artificial intelligence smarts, iPhone X–like swiping gestures, and a new "digital wellbeing" dashboard. It may even help with that perennial smartphone issue: battery life. Should you decide to try Android P -- and you can, today, on a variety of devices via the public beta -- here's a guide to the major features that could make you more efficient and less attached to your smartphone, in a good way.
Google's 4K Android TV dongle is real -- but it's for developers
A Google-branded TV dongle spotted floating through the FCC is real, but the bad news is you probably won't be able to get one right now. The company just announced during its I/O developer event that this device is the ADT-2, intended to help developers working on apps for Android TV (a sign-up sheet is here, expect priority if you have an Android dev account, and to get one free if you're at the event). The platform is now supported by over 100 partners, including TV manufacturers, home theater devices and, increasingly, pay-TV set-top-boxes.
Android P 'actions' and 'slices' predict what you want to do next
The next version of Android (still simply known as "P") will introduce a new predictive app system called Actions and Slices. They go beyond predictive apps -- which merely suggest the software you would like to use next -- with specific features and information you want to access. Onstage at Google I/O, the company showed what Actions might look like in your app drawer: Underneath the first row, the presenter had a call button for Fiona and a "start workout" shortcut for Strava. Google says Actions will be based on your history and usage patterns -- what time you typically go for a run, for instance, or when you usually start reading the news on the train. Actions will also be aware of the accessories you have attached. Plug in a pair of headphones, for example, and Google will switch its suggestions to a few of your favorite Spotify playlists. Google says Actions will appear in the Google Assistant, Google Search, the Play Store and smart text selections too. That means app shortcuts will appear all across the operating system in, hopefully, smart and genuinely helpful ways. If you search for Black Panther or Avengers: Infinity War, you might see a shortcut to the YouTube trailer and, if you have the app installed, the Fandango app. Actions can also live in a slightly larger UI element, called a Slice. These "interactive snippets" will, at first, be available only through Google Search, however. Type "Lyft," for instance, and you will see not only the Lyft icon but shortcuts for hailing a ride to your home and office. In this scenario, the Slice includes the distance, price and estimated time of arrival for each destination -- select your choice and the entire action is completed automatically. App developers will need to implement a new Slices API to offer this deep-link functionality. The templates are apparently quite versatile, so a Slice could help you order a coffee or reserve a hotel room.
Android P taps AI to help save your battery life
Today at the Google I/O keynote, the search giant took the opportunity to showcase all the new ways artificial intelligence will revolutionize its phone OS with the upcoming Android P. One of the least sexy AI applications might benefit the most users. Adaptive Battery, as it's called, takes note of user behavior to cunningly switch off apps when it predicts you'll need them least -- and will result in a 30 percent reduction in CPU app wake-ups, which should save you some juice.
Android P's public beta is available today
Want to try the abundance of new Android P features announced at I/O? If you have the right phone, you can give them a spin today. Google is releasing a public Android P beta for 11 phones, including its own Pixel phones, the Essential Phone, Sony's Xperia XZ2, Xiaomi's Mi Mix 2S and the upcoming OnePlus 6. (Sorry, Samsung fans.) You won't want to install this beta if you need a completely reliable phone, but Android P's features may be worth trying if you're willing to experiment.
Android P introduces iPhone X-like navigation swipes and gestures
First it was the notch, but now Google is taking a more functional cue from Apple's iPhone X: a swipe-based navigation system. (Which, naturally, has its roots elsewhere, long before last year.) As rumored, the Android home 'dot' has morphed into something a little longer and a little more useful. Google says the change is a response to phones growing taller and the issues that creates for one-handed smartphone steering.
Android P might include iPhone X-style navigation gestures
It's well-established that Android P will support notched displays when it arrives later in the year. However, that might not be the only iPhone X-like feature in the finished release. The 9to5Google team has noticed that a Google developer blog post briefly included an Android P screenshot (below) with a very different set of navigation buttons. Instead of the usual three buttons (back, home and multitasking) that have been present for years, the OS includes just a back button and an iPhone X-style strip.
First Android P beta adds full support for notched displays
It's March, and that means it's time for Google to release its first look at the next version of Android. As of today, developers can download the first version of Android P to last year's Pixel and Pixel XL as well as the newer Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. Since it's a developer preview, we're not getting a ton of information about consumer-facing features, there is a lot of detail on what new features and technologies developers will be able to take advantage of in their apps when the next version of Android arrives later this year.
Google may launch Android P's developer preview in mid-March
You might see a glimpse of Google's next mobile platform very, very soon. Evan Blass, a well-known source of tech leaks, has tweeted that Mountain View is targeting a mid-month release for Android P's first developer preview. We don't know what "P" stands for yet, but since March 14th is Pi Day, some people are speculating that Android's upcoming flavor is "Pie." According to previous reports, Android P will have the power to prevent idle apps from being able to access your camera and mic. That added security measure can protect you against against malware that can record background noise or take images without your consent.
