Android O Release Date Announced And The Wait Is Over

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It looks like the long wait for the Android O release date could finally be coming to an end. All weekend long we have been seeing images from trusted leaker, Evan Blass, on Twitter. He’s shown off Oreos, and then some more Oreos. Not only were we getting excited about the Android O release date; we were also getting a little hungry. Now, Google has a countdown webpage that promises Android O will be coming at the same time as the solar eclipse.

The website says:

On August 21st, a solar eclipse will sweep across the entire United States for the first time since 1918. Android is helping you experience this historic natural phenomenon so you can learn more about the eclipse and count down to the big day—when you’ll meet the next release of Android and all of its super (sweet) new powers, revealed via livestream from New York City at 2:40PM ET.

Android O release date

This isn’t some rumor about the Android O release date. Google has confirmed that the new operating system will be revealed to the world as the eclipse captures our imagination as well. There was no official confirmation of the name by Google but we trust Evan Blass enough to assume that Oreo will be the sweet, sweet name of the new version once the Anroid O release date arrives.

I know what you’re thinking… Why should you take your eyes off the solar eclipse to watch the Android O event? After all, a total solar eclipse only happens every hundred years or so and there’s a new version of Android every year. Well, Google has made it easy to enjoy both. They have livestreams of the eclipse and the Android O announcement side by side on the Android website. If you’re like me and you didn’t think of getting solar eclipse glasses until last night as you crawled into bed then a livestream of the eclipse is probably the best you can do. Why not stream it with some additional entertainment?

Google has also made it easy for you to set up an alarm for the eclipse through assistant. They show off the simple command on their website so you can make sure you won’t miss it.

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Of course, we already know many of the features of Android O thanks to the beta program. There likely won’t be many surprises except for when Google plans to push the update out to eligible devices. If you haven’t had a taste of Oreo (or whatever name it officially gets) then here are some of the top new Android O features:

Notification Dots

If you came from iPhone then you might miss the notification dots on app icons telling you when you have something to check on. Of course, there was always the possibility to add this feature through third party solutions – I use Nova Launcher, for example. Still, it’s nice to see the feature baked right into Android for people to easily enjoy right away.

Picture in Picture

Watch videos while you do other work on your device! This is actually going to come in handy for people like myself who watch a lot of YouTube videos but still want to be able to send a text or an email. Hopefully this helps make you more productive, although if the video you’re watching is really good then you might not get much work done.

New Settings Menu

The settings menu has received a makeover. The aim was to make the menu more simple and easy to navigate. You’ll notice that the sidebar menu introduced in Android Nougat is gone. Evidently the side menu did not fit Google’s vision of simplicity and ease-of-use so it’s gone as fast as it entered our lives.

Background Restrictions

This new feature should go a long way in saving your battery life throughout the day. Although, we have heard that before so we will wait to test it before we get too hyped. Android O will limit how much apps can do in the background when they aren’t open. This means that apps won’t be able to update location every 5 minutes if you haven’t opened the app within a specified period of time. Of course, this setting will be tweakable to fit your own unique needs.

Other Stuff

That’s just a quick look at some of the most notable features in Android O. There’s a lot to check out and Google will surely have a great event for you to watch later today. Of course, if you don’t have a Pixel or Nexus device then it may be a bit before you can enjoy Android O on your own device. Who is getting excited for some eclipse/Android O release date streaming?!

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