A few days ago, a new version of the Android operating system – Android P – was presented at Google’s I / O conference. Although this is a Beta version, most of the novelties have crystallized, so we can talk about them. Today you will find out what is interesting and new about Android P and why many tech sites say that this version of Android will completely change the way we use our phones.
A new way of navigating through Android P – one button and gestures
For the first time in seven years, Google has decided to change the way we navigate the operating system. Instead of the good old three buttons (Home, Back, and Recents), Android P offers one button and new gestures that will guide you to your favorite applications.
The new button is present only on the screen and has the shape of a small pill. You will see it as a slightly thicker bar in the lower center of your display. It will allow you to return to the Home screen, and in some cases, it will be possible to scroll it left and right and thus move through the application.
The gestures that are known for now are:
- Swipe up – this gesture takes you to an overview of all open applications, such as the old “Recent” button. Move left and right to select the application you are interested in.
- Swipe twice up or “long” swipe – in this way you will enter the list of applications, or the so-called application drawer.
We expect some more new gestures to be introduced in the future. It is interesting to mention that there is no way to take a step back, on a systemic level, as has been the case so far. Instead, some applications will offer you to use their “Back” button, and only where absolutely necessary.
What does Android P look like?
When you look at Android P, you won’t be much surprised – it still looks very much like Android Oreo and you will visually know that it belongs to the Android family. But you will also notice that the software itself is much more colorful and lively now.
This effect is achieved with the vibrant colors that Android P abounds in, as well as the new animations you’ll see when apps open and close when you jump from one window to another, or when you send a message.
Other visual refreshments are the completely round icons and rounded edges. This trend fits perfectly with the new general design of the phone, which has significantly increased the dimensions and range of the display. The rounded elements of the operating system now really create the feeling that your display stretches indefinitely.
A very interesting novelty is that from now on you will be able to define the beats you will use on your phone and color your screen the way you want.
Easier access to applications with Actions and Pieces
In the Android N-Nougat version, Android also presented useful shortcuts, ie Actions, which appear when you hold your finger on the application icon for a little longer. Advanced Actions allow you to easily access options hidden deeper in the app. In other words, this way you can quickly write a reply to a message or order food from your favorite restaurant in one go.
A useful addition to Shares is Slices (as they are called in the original). Slices allow you to peek into the app and do what you want there, while you are in a completely different place.
The essence of Action and Pieces is to allow you to move quickly and easily through your phone and do everything you want in a simple way.
Support for two camera lenses
As two camera lenses become standard on most phones, it is time to align the performance of these two lenses at the system level. Until now, phone manufacturers have solved this problem with their modifications of Android, as Nokia did with the “Dual-Sight” option, and from the P version, it will no longer be necessary.
Now Android P itself provides support for access to each camera lens, and even allows you to combine them and create an image in this way. This option makes the job much easier for phone and app manufacturers and allows us as end-users to have better and faster access to the camera in the future.
What else do you need to know about the Android P operating system?
- Android Dashboard – a place where you will see how and how much you use your phone
- Flexible battery – optimizes battery consumption based on your actions during the day
- Default screen editor – You can arrange screen images on the spot as you imagined at the time.
- Better Zoom mode – the ability to zoom in on the text you have selected
- Wind Down mode – if you tell your Google Now when you want to go to sleep, it will remind you when it’s time to go to bed and at the same time block all notifications and paint your screen in black and white tones to allow you to rest well.
- Improved volume control – changing the volume will affect the volume change for all media content
- Modular Do not Disturb mode – now do not disturb the mode can now be set as you wish and it is easier to access
- Improved notifications – in addition to replying to a message from the notification itself, you will now be able to use “Smart Responses”, and send images and stickers from the notification panel.
What will Android P be called?
And finally, what we are all interested in – what will Android P really be called? According to unofficial information we have in the game, there are three options:
- Pistachio Ice Cream, or
Pineapple Upsidedown Cace – Inverted pineapple cake - Popsicle – ice cream on a stick
Our vote goes for Popsicle! Because we just love ice cream on a stick, summer and the enjoyment that goes with it.