The latest version of the world’s most popular mobile operating system was named and launched by Google today.
The TL;DR version: Google’s Android Pie 9 will slowly roll out over the next three months. It’s available today if you have a Google Pixel.
I hope you’re the patient type, because other than the Pixel, there are almost no dates for when the OS will be available. If you were in the Pie beta test, Google has said that devices from “Sony Mobile, Xiaomi, HMD Global, Oppo, Vivo, OnePlus, and Essential, as well as all qualifying Android One devices, will receive this update by the end of this fall.”
AI
What’s in the new version? AI is probably the most hyped feature, but it’s not the type of AI you can interact with — at least, not directly. Pie’s AI will run in the background and will learn from you. It will use the information it collects to help predict what you will do next. Example: you plug in headphones and your music app opens. This may not sound like much, but Google is saying this will have a significant impact on your battery life.
While Samsung was not mentioned in Google’s announcement, I’m betting you’ll see Pie served up for the Note 9 launch on Thursday, as Samsung is hinting at major improvements in battery life.
Other new features include software to help combat technology addition, similar to what Apple is rolling out with iOS12. There will also be new ways to navigate your smartphone with gestures and support for the “notch,” those black, sensor-filled boxes that intrude into your screen.
For the full list of new features, you can check out Google’s Android blog.
