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Twitter opts for its own emoji to ease frustration for Android users
Twitter users on Android might be a little less frustrated that they can't see every emoji if they can't (or won't) upgrade to Android Oreo. That's because Twitter has dropped Android's native emoji and is using its own, open-source Twemoji to display the colorful icons in its app, Emojipedia reports.
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.
Motorola aims to keep the cheap phone crown with the G6 and G6 Play
Year after year, Motorola churns out some of the best inexpensive Android phones money can buy and parent company Lenovo is eager to keep that streak alive. That's where the new Moto G6 and G6 Play come in — Motorola has embraced some of the trends that have made this year's premium phones so palatable, and that's great news for smartphone shoppers who don't feel like shelling out flagship-level wads of cash.
LG opens 'Software Upgrade Center' to accelerate Android updates
Despite repeated promises of change by Google and its various hardware partners, slow and spotty rollouts are still the rule rather than the exception when it comes to new versions of the Android operating system. LG's latest plan to turn that around is a new facility at its R&D campus in South Korea called the Software Upgrade Center, which it said is dedicated to "providing customers worldwide with faster, timelier, smartphone operating system and software updates." Its first task is to handle a rollout of Android Oreo for the current flagship G6 phone (current until the G7 launches in May) that will start in Korea later this month. LG Electronics CEO Mr. Jo Seong-jin said in a statement that "Stable and consistent upgrades will demonstrate to our customers that LG smartphones have long and reliable lifespans." Beyond initiatives like Project Treble, if LG can consistently keep its devices supported faster and through more iterations of the operating system, that might help raise its profile compared to the competition. But it has to deliver the goods first -- and hopefully before Android P emerges from beta testing.
Android Go phones will be available soon
Android Oreo had quite the interesting feature lurking in its software: Go Edition, which was designed for smartphones with 1 GB of RAM or less. Today, the company announced that the first set of Android Oreo (Go Edition) phones will be unveiled next week and be available for purchase soon after that.
Samsung resumes Android O update for Galaxy S8
Well, that didn't take long. After pausing the Android Oreo rollout on Galaxy S8s over a reboot glitch, Samsung has restarted the process in Europe. As SamMobile reports, it's an altogether different firmware version. The rollout has resumed in Germany and it shouldn't be long before the update starts appearing domestically -- just in time for Samsung to reveal the Galaxy S9 at Mobile World Congress in Spain this week! Curious if you've already gotten it? Look for firmware versions G950FXXU1CRB7 or G955XXU1CRB7 on your S8 or S8+.
LastPass rolls out Android Oreo autofill to the public
No need to sign up for LastPass beta anymore if Android Oreo has already made it to your device. The password manager has started rolling out autofill to the stable app for Google's latest mobile platform, according to the company's director of engineering, Anatoly Ivasyuk. If you've already been testing for LastPass, though, take note that you won't be able to uninstall the beta version of the app yet.
Samsung halts S8 Android Oreo update due to reboot glitch
If you were hoping Android Oreo would make its way to your Galaxy S8 soon, well, it sounds like you're going to have to wait. Samsung has halted the firmware rollout, as spotted by SamMobile, because the software was causing some handsets to randomly reboot. The rollout began in Europe, where users in the beta program noticed the problem. If you already downloaded and installed, you can keep using the software. But if you downloaded and didn't install, apparently the files will be deleted from your phone. Samsung is working on a fix but hasn't revealed when it will arrive.
Nougat is now the most-used version of Android, 17 months later
Google hasn't quite licked its problems getting users to adopt the latest version of Android. Its latest Play Store user share stats show that Nougat has become the most-used Android release at 28.5 percent... just over 17 months after its summer 2016 debut. Not exactly a speedy transition, then. That still gives it the edge over the older-still Marshmallow release, mind you, and indicates that a large chunk of the user base is running a modern take on Android.
Android Oreo now shows WiFi network speeds before you connect
Ever hop on a WiFi hotspot to save mobile data or boost speed, only to find out that it's so slow that you might as well have stayed on cellular access? If you're using Android 8.1 Oreo, that shouldn't be a problem going forward. After several weeks of teasing, Google is rolling out a feature that gauges the speed of WiFi networks before you connect. It's not giving you exact bandwidth readings -- instead, it's lumping the overall performance into categories that give you an idea of what to expect. You may want to avoid a "slow" (under 1Mbps) or "OK" (1-5Mbps) network unless you have no choice, but "fast" (5-20Mbps) and "very fast" (20Mbps and above) should do the job if you're catching up on YouTube.
Essential is working to fix its sluggish touchscreens
The Essential Phone launched last August, but five months later, there are still some issues with the phone that remain unfixed. One of those is the lagging touch latency. If you have a PH-1, though, know that Essential hasn't forgotten about the problem and it's not just brushing it aside. As 9to5Google reports, during a recent Reddit AMA, Essential engineers said that they have dedicated resources specifically aimed at improving touch latency. "There are trade offs we are testing internally and our goal is to provide something in the 8.1 release we just need to make sure by fixing the jitter issue that we are not creating another problem," they said. "Sorry this is taking so long, we just want to get it right given how vocal our audience is."
Adventurous OnePlus 5T owners can try Android Oreo
Were you disappointed that the OnePlus 5T launched with Android Nougat despite Oreo having launched weeks earlier? You can rectify that today, if you're willing to experiment. OnePlus has posted an open OxygenOS beta that brings Oreo's features to the 5T. You now have Android 8.0 staples like picture-in-picture viewing and autofill text. The launcher also has a few tweaks, including the merger of app shortcuts and icon options as well as the option of uploading brag-worthy photos to Shot on OnePlus.
Android apps must have 64-bit support by August 2019
Android has supported 64-bit apps ever since Lollipop arrived in 2015, but they haven't been necessary. Now, however, Google is laying down the law... or rather, it will. As of August 2019, Android apps will have to support 64-bit code. They won't have to ditch 32-bit compatibility, but they can't cling exclusively to the past, either. There will eventually be Android devices that will only support 64-bit code, Google noted, so it's important that developers make the leap.
Less than 1 percent of Android phones are running Oreo
Android fragmentation! It's a problem as old as time itself. (Just kidding. But my gosh I've been writing about it for a long time.) Yesterday, Google released some fresh platform data explaining how many devices are running each version. Android 8.0, as you might expect, is struggling with a measly 0.5 percent share. Google's latest Pixel phones run the software, but otherwise it's hard to come by. There are some outliers, of course — the quietly impressive HTC U11, for instance — but most are still shipping with a variant of Android Nougat. Which is, well, hardly ideal for Google.
Android 8.1 starts rolling out to Nexus and Pixel devices
As promised, Android 8.1 is ready to reach the masses. Google has started pushing the new mobile operating system to Nexus and Pixel devices, and expects to complete the rollout over the next week. Naturally, it's also posting the source code. The biggest tangible improvement should be for low-cost Android Go phones aimed at developing markets, but there are plenty of important improvements -- particularly if you have a Pixel 2.
HTC's U11 is one of the first non-Google phones to get Android Oreo
Unless you have a Google-branded phone or are willing to jump into a beta test, you probably haven't had an easy upgrade path to Android Oreo. However, it seems like they're starting to trickle out: HTC is releasing an Oreo update for the unlocked U11 on November 26th (that's today, if you're reading this when it's fresh). There's no timetable for carrier-locked models just yet, but the company's Mo Versi has promised that Sprint's U11 will get a taste of Google's cookie-branded OS "soon."
YouTube TV now has a picture-in-picture mode on Android phones
If you're going to watch YouTube TV on your phone, there will probably be a point when you'll want to do something else. But how will you keep watching? If you have Android Oreo, it's now relatively easy. An update is rolling out that adds picture-in-picture support on Oreo devices. All you have to do is tap the home button and your show will float on top of whatever app you're running. You can turn it off if you'd rather not have a broadcast grab your attention.
Samsung wants you to beta test the next Galaxy phone's software
Are you champing at the bit waiting for a taste of what the next Galaxy phone will be like? You don't have to wait until 2018. Samsung is launching a public beta for Experience 9.0, its customized take on Android Oreo that will show up on the next Galaxy flagship. As of November 2nd, "select" Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus owners (more on that later) in South Korea, the UK and the US will get to peek at the next-gen interface in return for feedback on performance and usability.
LG V30 owners in Korea can preview Android Oreo
LG's phones may be bothersome for its bottom line, but they boast a sizeable advantage for users: Quick access to Android updates. And it looks like the trend is set to continue with the company's latest beaut, the V30. LG is currently letting owners of its flagship in South Korea try out Android Oreo, ahead of the official update. Users can apply via the firm's Quick Help app, and will then receive a software update alert within the month. LG claims it will also take onboard customer feedback for its official Oreo rollout in December.
Android 8.1 preview unlocks your Pixel 2 camera's AI potential
Remember how Google said the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL both have a custom imaging chip that's just laying idle? Well, you can finally use it... in a manner of speaking. Google has released its first Developer Preview for Android 8.1, and the highlight is arguably Pixel Visual Core support for third-party apps. Companies will have to write support into their apps before you notice the difference, but this should bring the Pixel 2 line's HDR+ photography to any app, not just Google's own camera software. You might not have to jump between apps just to get the best possible picture quality when you're sharing photos through your favorite social service.
