Android Oreo

Android Oreo. It is the eighth major release and the 15th version of the Android mobile operating system, first released publicly on August 21, 2017. The release, known internally under the codename "Oatmeal Cookie," succeeded Android Nougat and introduced significant improvements in performance, security, and user experience. It was succeeded by Android Pie in August 2018, marking the end of its official support cycle.

Overview

Developed by Google and the Open Handset Alliance, this iteration focused on foundational enhancements to create a faster, more efficient platform for the ecosystem of OEM partners like Samsung, LG, and Huawei. A key visual change was the introduction of adaptive icons, allowing manufacturers to shape icons uniformly, while system-level integration with services like Google Play Services improved overall cohesion. The underlying Linux kernel received updates for better memory management and power efficiency, crucial for the expanding market of mid-range devices from companies such as Xiaomi and Nokia.

Features

Notable user-facing features included Picture-in-picture mode, enabling video playback in a floating window, and notification dots, which provided quick access to alerts from apps like Gmail or YouTube. Project Treble modularized the Android software stack, separating vendor implementations from the core AOSP framework to expedite future updates. Autofill APIs streamlined logging into applications, while Google Play Protect offered enhanced scanning for threats from the Google Play Store. Background execution limits, inspired by changes in iOS 11, conserved battery life by restricting activities of idle applications.

Development and release

The first developer preview was announced at Google I/O 2017, with subsequent beta builds distributed to supported devices like the Google Pixel and Nexus 5X. The final version, named after the popular Oreo sandwich cookie through a partnership with Nabisco, was formally launched in a livestreamed event featuring the Android statue at the company's headquarters in Mountain View, California. The Android Emulator in Android Studio was updated to support testing new APIs, and the final build was pushed to the Android Beta Program before the official over-the-air rollout began.

Reception

Technology reviewers from publications like The Verge and Ars Technica praised the performance gains and the potential of Project Treble to address the longstanding issue of slow OS fragmentation. Critics noted that while features like notification channels offered finer control, the update's adoption rate was initially hampered by the slow rollout from many device manufacturers. The security improvements, including stricter Google Play policies and monthly security patches, were widely commended by organizations like the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Version history

The initial stable release, version 8.0.0, was followed by a maintenance update, 8.1.0, in December 2017, which added visual effects like a colored navigation bar and neural network APIs for accelerated machine learning operations via Android Neural Networks API. This point release also introduced the Android Go edition, a optimized variant for low-memory devices, first deployed on handsets from manufacturers like Micromax in markets such as India. Support for the platform concluded with the final security patch released in 2021 for select devices, including the Pixel 2.

Category:Android (operating system) versions Category:2017 software