Android Oreo 8.1 Update - 12 new features that come with it!
Android Oreo 8.1 Update - 12 new features that come with it!
Google recently started rolling out their new Android 8.1 update for the enrolled Beta testers as a developer preview. Although there are not too many changes in terms of the user experience for the end user, there are still many notable changes in the new update in terms of internal software enhancement and a few visual changes. Here are twelve things that you should know about this new update.
The new update brings in More Machine Learning
With the Android 8.1 update, Google introduced a dedicated API for integrating neural networks into 3rd party applications, this API named as the Neural Networks API or the NNAPI helps developers easily integrate and build upon the machine learning models in their applications.
Better Functionality on Low RAM devices
With Android 8.1, Google introduced a few new flags that developers can use to target phones with underpowered processors and low RAM, this will mainly allow the developers to modify the apps based on the available memory and power on the device that it is to be installed. Google has also been consciously trying to bring more users to Android in the emerging countries and with this new addition in the operating system, it becomes even the more easier for the developers to improve their apps to function more effectively on the low-end devices.
Constraints on the Notification Alerts
Google has always monitored and improved the notifications over time and with Android 8.1 the enforcements only increases for a better overall user experience. Android 8.1 features a new restriction that prevents the apps from sending alerts not more than once every second. This is mainly useful when we get network access after an extended period without a network, in such cases it is normal to be bombarded with a plethora of notifications that were waiting for network.
Better looking Quick Settings
With Android 8.1, Google slightly tweaked the quick settings and added a transparent Quick Settings panel to the Pixel and Nexus phones, before this update the Transparent Quick settings was exclusively restricted to the Pixel 2.
New Easter EGG
If you remember, the previous version of Android Oreo only showed a big ‘O’ as the Easter egg when we repeatedly tap on the Android version in the settings. With the new Android Oreo 8.1 update the Easter egg has finally been updated to display a giant Oreo biscuit in all its glory, what we would have appreciated is a new animation on clicking the Oreo. However, tapping the Oreo still fires the Octopus gravity animation. Apart from this, even the system icon for Oreo has been updated to resemble an actual Oreo biscuit.
New Power Button Menu
We really liked the Pixel 2 Power menu and hope for other Android Oreo devices to also get the same and luckily Google has done just that. The Android Oreo 8.1 update brings with it a new power menu button, post the update, long pressing the power button reveals a more compact menu adjacent to the physical button on the screen.
Adaptive Themes
The Android Oreo 8.1 update brings in a few visual changes and improved personalization, After the update, the System UI on compatible Nexus and Pixel devices will switch to either the Light or Dark theme based on the applied wallpaper. The Quick Settings notification shade, Pixel Launcher theme, the app shortcuts and few other core elements are the affected elements. This is yet another feature that was only seen on the Pixel 2 before the Android Oreo 8.1 update dropped.
Rearranged Settings App
Even in the past, Google has been experimenting with the Settings app very often and with the Android 8.1 update, a few elements have been moved around to make the app less clumsy and make it aesthetically pleasing.
Dynamic Navigation Bar
A few updates ago, Google made the status bar color dynamic which changes its color based on the a
