We were able to test out the best Android P immediately after the Google IO 2018 keynote and, compared to last years Android Oreo, this is a huge jump forward.Sure, its fair to expect a few visual tweaks year-over-year.
But there seems to be way more to unpack inside of this update, which has just released in a public beta for the Google Pixel 2 and, thanks to Project Treble, a load of other phones as well.Interestingly, it seems like Google is saving some of the more interesting additions we saw onstage for the final release thats slated for release later in 2018.
IO 2018 highlights like Shush, Wind down and Dashboard, ones that aim to improve your digital well-being, are omitted from this current beta release.We were also surprised to notice that the brand new home button that reminds just about everyone of the iPhone X isnt available just yet, though we did have a chance to try it out at Google IO.We talked with Google developers about the new release, asked what their favorite features are, and now, weve had a while to play around with Android P on a few devices of our own.
Here are the game-changing features that may change the way you use Android moving forward.1.
ActionsActions are a buzz word at Google IO 2018 and for good reason, it seems.
They are the new lifeblood that connects all of its hardware, whether it be smart displays, phones, or Android TV soundbars.
Basically, an Action is a specific task within an app that you commonly perform.
A few quick ones that come to mind are posting a photo to Instagram, and playing music from your recent favorites on Google Play Music.
Theyre essentially shortcuts that let you do more with fewer taps.Were seeing the debut of Actions on Android P, and after a few hours of use on our Google Pixel 2 XL review unit, we noticed some Actions placed near the suggested apps in the app drawer.
These will be specific to you and reflect how you use your phone.
If you like them a whole lot and dont want to swipe up to access them, you can even save them to your home screen.If you dont want to wait for your phone to make Action suggestions, you can make some of your own, too.
Just tap and hold on an app icon until the quick menu pops up, as is illustrated below, then tap and hold on one of the Actions that youd like to turn into a shortcut.2.
Logical volume controlsGoogle is overhauling volume controls in Android P, and its about time.
First off, adjusting the volume will always default to modifying the media volume, not the call or alarm volume as previous Android versions sometimes annoyingly default to.The user interface surrounding volume has shifted over to near where the hardware buttons are located, so you can easily switch to dragging the software bar instead.
Also, toggling between vibrate, silent mode and regular volume is done just by tapping a small button above the volume bar.Heres something you might not read about elsewhere.
Google showed us a new button combo that can automatically switch your phone to vibrate mode without unlocking the phone.
Just briefly click and hold both the power and volume up buttons to toggle it to vibrate instead of ring out loud.
Youll feel a subtle jolt of vibration to confirm your selection.We still prefer a mute switch or hardware slider, like OnePlus has done, but this is a big improvement for stock Android.Lastly, though we heard no word of it at Google IO 2018, Android P looks to be incorporating a new feature that can remember your preferred volume levels for Bluetooth devices.
This way, your media is neither too loud, nor is it too quiet.3.
The new home buttonAh, yes.
The new home button.
Its been a really long time since Android went under the knife in such a major way, and this one is sure to stir up fans, especially the ones who dont want their phone to be compared to the iPhone X.Regardless of the similarities, the new home button and nav feel surprisingly cozy after a minute of using it.
Once on the home menu, swiping up reveals a new sort of launcher, one that shows off the apps that you have open, as well as a few suggested apps.
Swipe up again and youll be seeing the good ol app drawer, which is seeing a few updates, as we noted in the Actions section.If youre on the home screen, moving the home button over to the right scrubs through each app that you have open, so you can effortlessly switch apps without multiple button presses.
Google will likely find more ways to boost efficiency while using your phone, but were not seeing too much just yet in this beta release.Weve downloaded the second developer preview on both the Google Pixel XL and Google Pixel 2 XL and were surprised to not see the new home button on either, but it should be coming sooner rather than later.4.
Smarter multitasking featuresBeing able to split your screen into two for multitasking was revolutionary when it was announced.
It has since grown a bit long in the tooth, as some apps require more screen real estate to operate correctly.
I personally dont use it much for this reason, and thats why Im so excited for whats coming in Android P.Split screen is still here, but accessing it is a bit differentFrom the app switch screen, you can actually copy text from suspended apps running in the background and paste them wherever youd like.
We all have our reasons for multitasking, but my primary use case is copy/pasting information from one app into another.
Being able to copy info without actually full switching over to a new app is a huge time-saver and likely, a battery-saver as well.5.
You'll use your phone lessThis one sound weird, but part of the design philosophy behind Android P is all about creating some space between you and your phone.
Google debuted Dashboard, a new feature coming to a later version of Android P.Dashboard splits apart your time spent using each app, allowing you to set timers that alert you when youve passed the allotment.
Its not meant to annoy you, and Google is also trying to help users balance their digital lives by developing whats being called notification digests in some of its apps.
It will pull together the most notable updates throughout the day in one page, so you can quickly glance at what you missed while you were off living life.This is a bold change, not just for Android, but for the tech world as a whole.
Google, a tech company, is devising ways to keep you from getting lost in technology.
Despite its interests in keeping you deeply rooted in its services, I appreciate that its putting resources toward helping people who simply spend too much time on their phones.WzxMhedHBc5fvQYVgFVyqY.jpg#