Android O Software Release Date: Devices To Receive Early Update, Features, Changes

Android O Developer Preview 4 was a release candidate unveiled on July 24. This signals the upcoming availability of the new Android version next week.

Official Android O software update is expected to become available next week for users of Google Pixel based from a tweet by David Ruddock from Android Police, which follows the timeframe of Android 7.0 Nougat pushed by Google to Nexus devices on Aug. 22, 2016. However, major bugs and issues on Android O could delay the official software rollout.

There are five devices eligible to receive Android O version, according to its developer's website. Factory images of the Developer Preview is currently available for LG Nexus 5X, Huawei Nexus 6P, ASUS Nexus Player, Google Pixel, Pixel XL and Pixel C. But the new software version is likely to be released on the Google Pixel series first before arriving to other eligible devices.

Android O will deliver Project Treble to let manufacturers update devices easier and faster by having a clear division between hardware and software. For users, it reduces the canceled update problems because certain chipset maker failed to update hardware drivers required by the software.

Now, Android O's SafetyNet security feature will now be a part of the Google Play Services that enable apps to detect if the device has been rooted or not. It gives app developers the freedom to make apps exclusive for rooted devices or not.

In addition, Android O has more to offer such as easier way to disable apps to draw over the top of the other apps, dedicated button on the camera app to switch between photo and video modes, performance fixes and battery improvements, as well, according to Android Authority.

While Android supports basic theme, it cannot override certain user interfaces such as TouchWiz from Samsung, Sense from HTC and MIUI. User may apply theme effect from the default Material design to many areas of the device with Android O, which will be the first version of its kind to use autofill function across multiple applications. Autofill is a computing function typically found in forms to fill in field automatically which reduces the user's need to type characters.