Google has dropped the first developer preview of its next-gen Android P operating system, and it brings a lot of changes. The search engine giant will roll out Android P to consumers with the launch of Google Pixel 3 later this year. The changes in the OS will directly impact upcoming Android smartphones, especially the Google Pixel 3. Let’s check out what Android P tells us about the Pixel 3 flagship.
Google Pixel 3 will have a notch
This was expected because Google has this weird habit of mocking Apple, and then doing the same things for which it mocked Apple. Last month, ValueWalk reported that the Google Pixel 3 would have an iPhone X-like notch. If you have downloaded the Android P developer preview, you must have noticed that the clock has been relocated from the top right to top left corner. Android has long kept the clock on the right side of the status bar. But it has been positioned on the left now to distribute the status bar elements more evenly and make room for the iPhone X-like display notch.
Google has added native support for “display cutouts” in Android P. The new API will allow developers to optimize their apps for the notch and use it to their advantage. Since the iPhone X launch, dozens of Android vendors have copied the notch including Asus and Huawei. There is a good chance that we will also see the top cutout on this year’s Google Pixel 3.
Android P adds native support for dual camera
Unlike the iPhone X and Samsung’s Galaxy S9 Plus, the Google Pixel 2 features a single camera lens on the back. Despite lacking the secondary camera, the Pixel 2 still has one of the world’s best smartphone cameras, thanks to Google’s expertise in artificial intelligence and machine learning. However, the secondary camera could improve a lot of things. And Android P will bring native support for the dual camera system.
Android P has a new Multi-camera API to let developers access “streams simultaneously from two or more physical cameras” on smartphones running the new operating system. The third-party apps will be able to take advantage of the dual camera. The Multi-camera API allows developers to switch between the two lenses automatically.
Better notification control
You can expect the notifications on Google Pixel 3 to be much better than on the current version of Android. The Android P will improve “visibility and function” in notifications. It means when you get a notification, you’ll no longer be taken into the respective app and then switch back to whatever you were doing before the notification popped in.
In Android P, the notification will show you the sender as well as the conversation. You’ll also be able to attach stickers and images in your reply without having to leave the app you are using at the moment. There’s also smart replies. With the new notification system, the Google Pixel 3 could make our experience much more pleasant. Long-pressing on a notification will show you two options “stop notifications” and “keep showing.” You can choose without going into Settings whether you want to keep receiving notifications from a given app.
Google Pixel 3 will be smarter than before
Google’s flagship smartphones are way ahead of iPhones when it comes to AI and machine learning. The company will take the AI smarts to a whole new level with Pixel 3. Android P offers native support for the TensorFlow-powered neural network. It will make the Pixel 3’s machine learning engine even more powerful, says PCWorld. Also, Google tends to keep some exclusive AI features for the Pixel 3. The original Pixel had the Google Assistant, and last year’s Pixel 2 had Google Lens.
Other rumored features
The Pixel 3 is rumored to have an advanced iris scanner to take on Apple’s Face ID. Google is said to be working with a company called Fingerprints to include the iris scanner in the Google Pixel 3. The rumor mill claims that the Pixel 3’s iris scanner will be secure enough for financial transactions.
Google will reportedly launch three smartphones this year – two of them would be premium phones while the third one would be a high-end model. If it turns out to be true, Google’s 2018 smartphone lineup would look similar to Apple’s 2017 line of iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and iPhone X. We expect the Pixel 3 phones to have an IP68 rating for water-resistance, wireless charging, and a bezel-less OLED display. The upcoming flagship will likely be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 SoC.
Google confirmed to Ars Technica that Android P would support only the Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2, and Pixel 2 XL phones. It will not be available on Google’s Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, and the Pixel C tablet. Of course, the new OS will be rolled out to new phones from other Android vendors as well. Google had promised to support devices like Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P for two years, and they have been around for more than two years. However, the Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, and Pixel C will continue to receive security updates through at least November 2018, even though they will remain on Android Oreo.
