Android Oreo is here -- or, at least, it will be soon. Google's new mobile operating system got its official name yesterday, meaning it's just a matter of time before it rolls out to your phone.
How much time? That's the 64,000-cookie question. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Google-branded devices will be among the first in line. In fact, if you own a Google Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus Player, Pixel ($981 at Amazon), Pixel C or Pixel XL, you don't have to wait any longer: You can get the Android 8.0 beta right now by signing up for the Android Beta Program.
Prefer to wait for the final, more stable, version of the OS? For now, the only timetable Google would commit to is "soon" -- whenever carrier testing is complete.
In the meantime, here's a list of the companies that will, by year's end, launch new devices running Oreo or upgrade existing models, CNET has confirmed:
- Essential
- General Mobile
- HMD Global (makers of the new Nokia phones)
- Huawei
- HTC
- Kyocera
- Motorola
- Samsung
- Sharp
- Sony
Unfortunately, there's no way to know exactly when any particularly phone maker will roll out the update, or which model(s) will receive it. (We'll update this post as we obtain more concrete details, so be sure to bookmark it and check back regularly!)
Based on previous Android releases, however, we can confidently guess that any phones already released in 2017 will get Android Oreo. Likewise, any phones released during the remainder of 2017 will likely launch with Android Oreo. It seems as though some manufacturers have started to list the phones that will receive Android Oreo.
Phone manufacturers often stagger updates, however; even if you own a newer phone from a manufacturer listed above, you may live in a country that gets the update later than others.
Android Oreo promises a wide range of improvements, including faster performance, longer device battery life, a better cut-and-paste system and, of particular interest to iOS expats, notification badges.
If you've had the chance to the put the OS through its paces already, hit the comments and let your fellow Android users know what to expect!