The secret is out: Android O is Android Oreo!
After a lot of speculation, we finally know what Google's Android O stands for. The widely-believed theories were correct: Android 8.0 is called Oreo! For the first time, Google unveiled a statue of an update somewhere other than at its Mountain View headquarters: at 14th Street Park in NYC. Many new features are expected in Android O, including a new notification system (Andromeda).
Android O: What has changed in the final beta version?
Google recently unveiled the fourth and final Android O developer preview; the consumer version is expected to roll-out around August-end. Developers have been discovering a number of features of Android 8.0 in the beta versions. While some say there are no major changes/new features in the latest release, others say there are a handful ones. Know what's new in the final beta release!
Changes in the app notifications area
In the latest release, Google has made a few changes to let users have better control over the notifications. Notifications from one app will not interrupt users when they are using another app. They can also remove overlaid notifications on certain apps to stay immersed. This could be done by making adjustments in the 'Apps and Notifications' section of the Settings.
Android O's notification dots feature
In the recent I/O 2017 conference, Google demonstrated the notification dots feature of Android O. Whenever an app has a notification, a tiny dot appears on its icon. In the third developer preview, the notification dots were in a single standard color. However, in the latest release, the color of the dot adopts the color of the app icon, making it more attractive.
Other changes in the latest release
According to developers, Google has made some minor changes in the clock in the fourth beta release. The size of the clock is now a little smaller and also the displayed date is not in all caps; the battery percentage is now shown in a much bolder manner. Google is expected to roll out Android 8.0 with new Pixel smartphones.
