Android Oreo facts for kids
| Version of the Android operating system | |
 |
|
Android 8.1 home screen with Pixel Launcher
|
|
| Developer | |
|---|---|
| General availability |
August 21, 2017 |
| Final release | 8.1.0_r93 (OSN1.210329.015) / October 4, 2021 |
| Final preview | 8.1.0 (OPP6.171019.012) / November 27, 2017 |
| Repository |
|
| Kernel type | Monolithic (Linux) |
| Preceded by | Android 7.1.2 "Nougat" |
| Succeeded by | Android 9 "Pie" |
| Support status | |
| Unsupported as of October 4, 2021 | |
Android Oreo was a big update for the Android phone system. It was the eighth main version and the 15th overall. During its development, it was called Android O.
Google first showed it to app makers in March 2017. Then, it became available to everyone on August 21, 2017.
This version brought many cool new things. It had better ways to manage your notifications. You could also watch videos in a small window while doing other things. It made phones faster and helped batteries last longer. Android Oreo also added support for things like autofill (which fills in forms for you) and Bluetooth 5. It also helped apps work better with phone calls over the internet.
As of August 2023, Android Oreo was still running on a small number of Android devices. It stopped getting security updates in October 2021.
Contents
The Story of Android Oreo
Inside Google, Android Oreo was secretly called "Oatmeal Cookie." On March 21, 2017, Google let app developers try out the first test version. It worked on popular phones like the Nexus 5X and Pixel.
Later, in May 2017, a second test version came out. This one was much closer to the final product. A third test version was released in June 2017. It had the final tools for app developers. This version also changed how the camera looked. It put Wi-Fi and cell signal icons back on the left side of the status bar. It also added new battery animations and a fresh look for the Clock app.
On July 24, 2017, the fourth and final test version was released. It fixed bugs and made everything run smoothly. Android "O" was officially named "Oreo" on August 21, 2017. This name came from the famous Oreo cookie.
Google even showed off a special Android statue in New York City. It was placed near a building where Oreo cookies were first made. Right away, new software was ready for Pixel and Nexus phones. The Sony Xperia XZ1 was one of the first phones to come with Oreo already installed.
A smaller update, Android 8.1, came out in December 2017. It fixed some small issues and made tiny changes to how things looked.
What's New in Android Oreo?
Better Ways to Use Your Phone
Android Oreo made notifications smarter. You could "snooze" them to see them later. You could also group them into "channels" based on their topic. This helped keep your alerts organized. Important alerts would stay at the top.
The system also added picture-in-picture mode. This lets you watch a video in a small window while you use other apps. The "Settings" app got a new, simpler look. It was smaller and had a white background. It also made it easier to find different settings. You could now add your own sounds for ringtones and alarms.
The Android 8.1 update added even more small improvements. It showed the battery level for your connected Bluetooth devices. The notification area became a bit see-through. It also dimmed the on-screen buttons to help prevent screen burn-in.
Under the Hood Changes
Android Oreo brought many technical improvements. It added support for Wi-Fi based on Wi-Fi Aware and Bluetooth 5. Apps could now show more vibrant colors. There was also a new tool for autofill features. This made it easier for apps to fill in your information automatically.
The system also improved how apps work in the background. This helped save battery life. Apps could now have "adaptive icons." This means their icons could change shape to fit different themes, like circles or squares.
Android Oreo also added support for better sound quality with Bluetooth headphones. It included new emoji from the Unicode 10 standard. The old "blob" emoji faces were changed to a more traditional round shape.
A big change was called "Project Treble." This made it easier for phone makers to update Android. It separated the parts of the system that control a phone's hardware from the main Android system. This means updates could come out faster.
Android Oreo also added a "Rescue Party" system. If your phone's main parts kept crashing, it would try to fix itself. If it couldn't, it would offer to reset your phone to factory settings.
The Android 8.1 update also added a special tool for apps to use machine learning. This helps apps learn and make smart decisions faster. It can use special chips in phones, like the Pixel Visual Core.
Android Go for Simpler Phones
Android Oreo also introduced "Android Go." This was a special version made for phones with less memory (1 GB of RAM or less). It was designed to use less mobile data and fewer resources.
Android Go had special versions of Google Mobile Services apps. These apps were smaller and used less internet data. The Google Play Store would also suggest lightweight apps for these phones. The phone's interface was also changed to be simpler. For example, the quick settings showed more info about battery and data usage.
Android Go became available to phone makers with Android 8.1.
Keeping Your Phone Safe
Android Oreo grouped many security features under the name "Google Play Protect." This included automatically checking apps from the Google Play Store and other sources. It also included "Find My Device," which helps you locate a lost phone.
Instead of one setting for installing apps from outside the Google Play Store, you now gave permission to individual apps. This made it safer. Android Oreo also added "Rollback Protection." This stops someone from installing an older, less secure version of Android on your phone. This helps keep your phone safe from thieves.
See Also
In Spanish: Android Oreo para niños
- Android version history
- iOS 11
- macOS High Sierra
- Windows 10
- Windows 10 Mobile
