Android O: All new features at a glance

Android O officially replaces the previous Android Nougat operating system. We have an overview of all the new features for you and also tell you whether your smartphone is already supported by Android 8.

Android O: Background Limits - longer battery life thanks to a new feature

• Android O reduces the background activity and network access of individual apps even more. This saves electricity and the cell phone battery lasts longer.
• Location queries and general background processes for apps are particularly affected by this new feature.
• Android 8 also has advantages for developers: Energy-saving apps are now much easier to program.

Android-O-Features: Project Treble - faster updates

Smartphone manufacturers often rely on customized updates. So far it often took longer for an update to be available for your cell phone.

• With Project Treble as part of Android Oreo, that changes. Updates should be delivered faster for all Android phones.
• With an update, some adjustments to the code will no longer have to be made in the future, such as optimization for the respective processor.

New Android feature: system updates can be paused

Updates often take a long time.

• With Android O you now have the option of pausing updates if, for example, you just want to send an important message.
• You can now find the "Stop download" button in the corresponding info window.

Finally here: The picture-in-picture mode with Android O

The innovations in Android O also include the picture-in-picture function.

• You can now minimize a video or the display of a video call and keep it running in a small window.
• By the way, in PIP mode you can also adjust the window size, pause or resume the video.

New in Android O: Autofill API for password managers

• In the future, the Autofill API will allow you to define an app you prefer as the standard for storing and inserting user data such as passwords or addresses.

More security under Android O - with Play Protect

Google Play Protect is an integral part of the operating system.

• You can access Play Protect in the Google Play Store via the sidebar.
• The feature offers automated protection against malicious apps.

Smart Text Selection: intelligent text recognition

Text passages can now be copied and pasted more conveniently.

• With a double tap on an address, web URL or telephone number, Android 8 captures the corresponding lines holistically and copies them.
• Thanks to on-device learning technology, the data does not have to be compared with the cloud.

New Android feature: adaptive and animated app icons

For better optics, 8 adaptive app icons are integrated in Android.

• App symbols such as the clock or calendar icon adapt to the shape of the surface used.
• Developers can now also animate their app icons.

Flexible installation of apps of unknown origin

So far, you could install apps outside of the Google Play Store, but you only had the options to allow it or not.

• Android O gives you more specific options for downloading apps from unknown sources.
• For example, you can specify that apps from unknown sources should only be installed via a Chrome browser.

More overview with grouped system settings

To ensure a better overview, the system settings have been revised.

• The area of ​​the system settings has shrunk by about a third.
• You now have fewer menu items, which however offer numerous submenus.

Improved search function under Android O

If the search function has been improved since Android Lollipop, it gets another practical function in Android Oreo.

• If you search for apps in the settings that you have installed, they will be listed as before.
• With Android 8, you can call up the corresponding app info menu directly from here and deactivate the app, adjust the app permissions or delete the app cache.

Notification Channels: Revised notification system

With Android Oreo you personalize the notification system even more than with Android Nougat.

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• With notification channels or in German notification channels, the clarity for incoming messages is optimized.
• You can now prioritize subject areas for notifications or switch them off entirely.
• You can assign certain background colors to channels and use the snooze function to mute individual messages for a specified period of time.

More emojis in a new guise for Android Oreo

• With the new operating system, 60 new emojis are also available on your smartphone.
• The existing ones have been revised and therefore come in a new look.

Android O already supports these smartphones

If you have one of the following cell phones, you can download Android 8 Oreo from us. If you don't have any of the smartphones mentioned, you will have to be patient.

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• Nexus 5X
• Nexus 6P
• Nexus Player
• Pixel C
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• Pixel XL

If you don't know which version of Android you have, we'll show you how to find out in the next practical tip.