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Android O Is Officially Launching August 21 (techcrunch.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the coming-soon dept.

Android O is set to arrive on August 21, with a livestreamed unveiling event timed for 2:40 PM ET in NYC -- which is roughly when the maximum solar eclipse is set to occur for New York. TechCrunch reports: Android O will get a full reveal at that time, which seems like kind of a weird time to do it since a lot of people will be watching the NASA eclipse livestream that Google is also promoting, or staring at the sky (with the caveat, hopefully, that they have procured proper glasses for safe viewing). Google says that Android O will have some "super (sweet) new powers," most of which we know all about thanks to pre-release builds and the Android O teaser Google provided at its annual I/O developer event this past May. WE know, for instance, that the notification panel has been changed significantly, and there's new optimization software to improve battery life on all devices. While Android O's name has yet to be confirmed, the official consumer name is speculated to be "Oreo." Prolific leaker Evan Blass posted a picture of an Oreo to Twitter on Friday following the announcement of the reveal date and event.

86 comments

  1. New Android by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Officially launching on less than 1% of all handsets.

    Nougat 7.0 is on less than 7% currently.

    Google still can't figure out how to make this work right after nearly a decade. Fully 93% of handsets aren't running the latest secure version and I don't see this changing with the next upcoming release.

    1. Re:New Android by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It will be available in LineageOS soon after and with a choice to not have Google crap preinstalled.

    2. Re:New Android by sheramil · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I was hoping the "super (sweet) new powers" might include the ability to delete the bloatware, in particular the bloatware that is still forced on us but which is no longer supported or even has a server. Yes, Samsung, i'm looking right at you.

    3. Re:New Android by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What latest secure version?

      How do you know the latest version is secure? Do you have some crystal ball to see into the future that nobody every hacked N?

    4. Re:New Android by AvitarX · · Score: 1

      Or people like me that are in capable of keeping them intact.

      I've even lost a phone once.

      --
      Wow, sent an e-mail as suggested when clicking on "use classic" banner, and got a fast response that addressed my msg
    5. Re:New Android by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They could create a trademarked "Certified Android" badge that can only be used for marketing by device manufacturers that upgrade phones within a set time frame, and then actively promote the value of same?

    6. Re:New Android by Mandrel · · Score: 1

      Even Samsung doesn't provide updates. Since I bought it in October last year, my A9 hasn't received any updates from Marshmallow 6.0.1. I'm not hopeful of any.

    7. Re:New Android by belg4mit · · Score: 1

      Maybe the latest requirements shouldn't be jacked up repeatedly and artificially or just for the sake of eye candy that many could do without. It's based on Linux, and Linux has a long tradition of being able to run on old hardware, it's just all the whizbang window dressing and other bloat that bogs things down.

      I've had to disable the Google Play Store since last fall fall because an update to Google Play Services began eating nearly 100% of my CPU on 3.2. All of the core functionality of the OS is there without it, so why the fuck does it need to run all the time, let alone non-stop? Similarly, although I've tried updates to Mail, YouTube, etc. from the store I've reverted them all to stock because in typical modern fashion, the new ones were more resource intensive with less appealing interfaces and missing features.

      --
      Were that I say, pancakes?
    8. Re:New Android by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wait, where's that 7% coming from? According to https://developer.android.com/about/dashboards/index.html -- it's 13.5% using 7.0 or 7.1. Did I miss something?

      Also, Android O has Project Treble, which may well fix the problem of users not running the latest OS (though, admittedly, it may take a couple of years). Info here: https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2017/05/here-comes-treble-modular-base-for.html

    9. Re:New Android by sexconker · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Google doesn't make the hardware, just the software. It's up to the phone manufacturers and carriers to get the updates out.

      Microsoft doesn't make the hardware, just the software. It's up to the PC manufacturers and the ISPs to get the updates out.

      Do you see how fucking retarded that is?

      Google needs to provide the updates. Carriers need to fucking deal with the fact that customers don't want their bloatware. As far as firmware and drivers for specific hardware go, that shouldn't depend on or impact Android updates.

    10. Re:New Android by The+Cisco+Kid · · Score: 1

      You get that ability by buying the phone from someone OTHER than a cellular carrier. Either directly from Google for their direct branded phones, or from an independent electronics retailer that is not associated with a cellular service.

      For instance: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c...
      lists a variety of LG, Motorola, and Samsung phones. Unlocked, no carrier bloatware.

      (I have no association with B&H)

    11. Re:New Android by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      But the new bundled Google-crapware will be force installed to every single Android device ever produced. It is a wonder, how come the security updates are impossible to backport to even yesterdays release, but the Google fit and other useless pieces of spyware manage to find their way into every phone.

    12. Re:New Android by TFlan91 · · Score: 1

      I don't have this issue.

      Dual boot OnePlus 5. I did have the OPO, but after quite a few years, I decided it was time to upgrade.

    13. Re:New Android by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Google phones come with Google bloatware and spyware. LG phones comes with both Google and LG bloatware.

      As the owner of both a Google phone and multiple LG phones, I know this for a fact. It's why I have custom ROMs installed on all of them.

    14. Re: New Android by zaphirplane · · Score: 1

      Lookup project Treble, it is about adding an abstraction layer so the is can be upgraded without requiring the drivers to also be updated by the vendor.

    15. Re:New Android by Lussarn · · Score: 4, Informative

      Fully 93% of handsets aren't running the latest secure version and I don't see this changing with the next upcoming release.

      Having the latest OS is not a requirement for having a secure OS. Several older OSes including Android releases are still receiving updates.

    16. Re:New Android by NotThisMind · · Score: 1

      You think google doesn't have the money or the power to at least up that 7% quite a few percent more?

    17. Re:New Android by iampiti · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I don't think the part is referring to carrier bloatware but to manufacturer one. For example, Samsung, on unbranded phones includes several apps that can't be deleted and that may or may not want.
      Also, many Google apps are also undeletable and I don't have any use for most of these (Google kiosk, movies ...).
      I understand Google makes Android to promote their products on services on smartphones but I'd be nice if I could remove every non-essential app even if I had to pay some license or something for admin-enabled Android.

    18. Re:New Android by iampiti · · Score: 2

      The minimum requeriments don't increase that much. The lack of updates is because it costs money (development, testing, certification) for the manufacturers and they don't think it's worth it. I'd personally pay more for a phone with guaranteed updates for say, 3 years, but most regular joes don't know or care which Android version they're running.
      Also, SOC manufacturers have to support the new Android version on their hardware, else there's little the manufacturers can do.

    19. Re:New Android by MMC+Monster · · Score: 1

      So, assuming you're not yet another iPhone-fanboy Apple disciple here to troll anything about Google, do tell us: what's your genius solution given the different realities of Android and the inherent restrictions? Since you in all your endless wisdom must have already "figured out how to make this work".

      Nice 'Apply Fanboy' dig to hopefully curb discussion.

      Of course Google doesn't make much hardware (baring the Nexus 6P). But it's their OS and they have influence in how the OS can be updated.

      I would suspect they should be able to figure out how to do updates of the OS and keep the junk that the carriers require on their phones and keep everyone generally happy.

      As for the hardware requirements going up, the OS must have a journal of minimal requirements for the OS. The question is whether the minimal requirements are being kept artificially high. After all, it's not uncommon for a 2-3 year old iPhone to be able to run the latest iOS with (at worst) only slight sluggishness.

      --
      Help! I'm a slashdot refugee.
    20. Re:New Android by Zero__Kelvin · · Score: 1

      Actually, you can't figure out how all this works. Saying what you said is equivalent to saying everyone running Windows 7 and 8 are running the insecure versions of Windows, and all those running 10 are running "the secure version."

      --
      Guns don't kill people; Physics kills people! - John Lithgow as Dick Solomon on Third Rock From The Sun
    21. Re:New Android by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Project Treble is the answer.

      http://www.techradar.com/news/project-treble-is-the-most-important-android-update-youve-never-heard-of

    22. Re:New Android by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Google still can't figure out how to make this work right after nearly a decade."

      Oh, they can, they just won't. Hell, Google doesn't even support their own tablets that have capable hardware to the latest OSs.

      Tell every manufacturer that the terms of the new release means they have to update all drivers to old handsets and tablets.

      It won't happen, much like Chrome and Mozilla and Firefox won't support old versions of hardware either.

      Google is near solely interested in pushing bloat, apps with as many rotating ads as they can, putting news and burdening your browser with unwanted features. They don't have time for real software and security anymore that effects and improves people's lives positively.

    23. Re:New Android by PmanAce · · Score: 1

      Maybe because the vast majority are low end android phones found in India, Africa, etc?

      --
      Tired of my customary (Score:1)
    24. Re:New Android by Luthair · · Score: 1

      Google has figured it out fine, their devices are mostly upgraded. Unfortunately OEMs and carriers refuse to bother.

    25. Re:New Android by Luthair · · Score: 1

      It is, but OEMs were able to block Windows 10 from devices if they didn't offer drivers.

    26. Re: New Android by Luthair · · Score: 1

      Which is a step in the right direction, unfortunately it doesn't help when the vulnerability is in the driver :)

    27. Re:New Android by squiggleslash · · Score: 2

      The fragmentation issue has been dead now for several years if that's what you're complaining about. Yes, few phones have the latest version, but:

      - Google has ensured all 4.x+ versions of Android have a common, full, API all programmers can code for.
      - Google pushes out security updates at every level for them.

      What are you missing by not having O on your cheap 2+ year old phone? The new features and UI of O, and nothing else. You still end up with the same apps, and the same level of security.

      --
      You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
    28. Re: New Android by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This is the main issue here but Google fan boys will make excuses for it.

      Saying "well just buy a Nexus, duh!" Is not a solution. 1% of people know a Nexus will give you access to the most current Android but the rest get screwed even in cases where they buy high end devices.

      And that's the reason I never miss a chance to tell people to stay away from Android.

    29. Re:New Android by r1348 · · Score: 2

      Google releases monthly security updates for its Nexus and Pixel lines.

    30. Re: New Android by cyber-vandal · · Score: 1

      LineageOS Nougat runs very nicely on my Note 2, an expensive flagship phone from 2012. Samsung haven't provided an update for it beyond Jelly Bean 4.4.2. The iPhone 5 released in the same year is still getting updates from Apple. I can understand why el cheapo Android phones might not get the latest updates but to not provide a longer update cycle to flagship phones is just shit.

    31. Re:New Android by drinkypoo · · Score: 2

      What are you missing by not having O on your cheap 2+ year old phone? The new features and UI of O, and nothing else. You still end up with the same apps, and the same level of security.

      No, that's really not true. It rapidly becomes practically impossible to get OS updates for many handsets, and those updates include security improvements. If you're lucky enough to have a device supported by Lineage OS then you have a reasonable alternative to carrier- or manufacturer-provided updates, but many people haven't got one of those.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    32. Re:New Android by Kjella · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Microsoft doesn't make the hardware, just the software. It's up to the PC manufacturers and the ISPs to get the updates out. Do you see how fucking retarded that is?

      Red Hat doesn't make the kernel, just distribute it with a few tweaks. It's up to kernel.org to get the updates out. Do you see how fucking retarded that is? Either you're a vendor and sell a product or you're a manufacturer and make a product. If you make a product, you're inherently responsible for that product in every way no matter how much of it is assembled from components and parts you've bought or licensed from others. If you buy a PC from Dell, it is Dell you should hold primarily responsible. If they choose to "pass-through" the OS support to Microsoft that's up to Dell.

      If Dell is not happy with the way they're treated by Microsoft or Microsoft is not happy with the way they're treated by Dell, that's for them to sort out in the back room. I mean there has to be some reciprocity here, Dell can't just leave updates to Microsoft and next week Microsoft pushes an update that bricks everything. Microsoft can license their OS if they want, but they probably don't want their name on a product they can't update that will get 0wned by every script kiddie out there. Those are the terms between Microsoft and Dell though, the sale is between Dell and you.

      Google has licensed Android as a component, an OS the manufacturers can tweak as they please and they have the responsibility for. It's worked wonders for capturing market share, so I think they're pretty happy with the way things are. It would be nice if they could push their own un-customized version as a required alternative though, say for example re-invent Android Nexus as a software option. No custom applications, branding or OS tweaks (though possibly custom drivers for the hardware) and updates direct from Google. Not sure the OEMs would go for making Google the new Apple though.

      --
      Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
    33. Re:New Android by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > As far as firmware and drivers for specific hardware go, that shouldn't depend on or impact Android updates.
      Welcome to the real world. It does depend on those things.
      Since as far as I know standard Android still doesn't have built in support for dual sim, it has to be extensively modified to properly support it.
      I don't know, maybe nougat has it. It seems like that came out yesterday. We are still looking at it, and they already come out with the next version.
      The problem is that unlike in your idealized fantasy world, real android devices don't run stock linux with a nice java layer on top.
      Vendors heavily modify the kernel in various ways to support whatever crappy hardware they are using. Specific versions of Android rely on specific features of the kernel and other low level libraries.
      Vendors do not port their changes to newer versions of android.
      So it's not as easy as just updating the java layer.

      For example, nougat switched to a new build system. So you have to update everything to that.
      Then you find that some package was completely removed or replaced. Other things that depend on it need to be changed to work.
      The kernel is updated from 3.x to 4.x.
      Your driver is completely outdated and it will take weeks to reverse engineer the changes.
      Upstream will not accept because the POS hardware you have exists only in 2000 devices on earth, or because of a combination of politics, NIH, and valid concerns.
      The boot process is completely changed, and all you startup scripts have to be updated.
      That patch to Android audio handling to make it work in extreme environments no longer applies because they completely rewrote it, so you need to redo 6 months of work.
      Yeah, no.

    34. Re:New Android by jareth-0205 · · Score: 2

      I agree sortof, but the security issue is a real problem. Security fixes are almost never backported to old versions. I'm fairly fine with saying "you bought your phone with this featureset, that's all you get", and given that major OS updates often slow the device down in some cases I'd prefer that, but when a security problem arises then that needs to be patched and there's no way of doing that without the latest newest OS release. Same problem with iOS really, if you have an old device you have to upgrade it or you won't get security patches, even if that also makes it unusable slow.

      Desktop OSs have had multiple major releases getting separate security updates for ever - we need this on phones too.

    35. Re:New Android by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He meant latest INSECURE version. When it comes to Android, there is not such sing as "secure".

    36. Re: New Android by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You misunderstood the situation.

      It's not like Google is somehow too stoopid to figure this out.
      It's out of their control.

      The success of Android is based on generous access for manufacturers.
      The get a free OS they don't have to develop themselves at great cost. But they decide what version to use, what to test and what upgrades get released. And this get's even more complicated when you add in the providers, who add another filtering layer.

      Google itself has an obvious interest in everybody having the latest Android. They moved some core softer to Play so they can update it apart from the rest of the OS.

      But manufacturers have almost the opposite interest. They want to sell you new stuff - not upgrade products they already sold.

      And providers don't want to retest dozens of models every year and make sure everything still works with their own stuff.

      And customers had a choice for years to get a Nexus model or now a Pixel. Either way they get a guarantee of 2 at least 2 years of upgrades.

      Most choose other models because they don't care.

    37. Re: New Android by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      We had that: Nexus

    38. Re: New Android by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What do you mean *even* Samsung.

      Aren't they well known for not updating their phones?

    39. Re: New Android by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And buy what instead?

      A comatose Windows phone or a super-expensive restrictive iPhone?

      A Nexus Android is the best available of 3 suboptimal choices.

      If people don't know or care about Nexus phones then this is a non-issue for them.

    40. Re: New Android by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Samsung upgraded my phone, my house and my family into a large pile of ash. Thanks Samsung!

    41. Re:New Android by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Exactly. People who don't understand how computers and networking work are usually the first to spout the false line about updates equalling security. I have a Windows 8.1 PC that hasn't had updates applied since July 2015 and it's solid, stable and secure. It's more secure than Windows 10 with all of the latest updates.

      Newer does not mean better. In fact, all of these fast patch schedules worry me a lot more than the slow release cycles of the past. A piece of software that is constantly being updated is a red flag that the developers behind it are incompetent and thus the software needs constant duct-tape patches. Remember when v1.0 meant software was good and ready for use?

    42. Re:New Android by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      Fully 93% of handsets aren't running the latest secure version

      Actually you'll find most handsets are running the "latest secure version". Security fixes are backported and rolled out via OTA to many handsets that don't qualify for updates. Just because I have nothing like Android 7.0 doesn't mean I didn't get a security update rolled out OTA last week. Also many of the security problems in Android are patched through the Play Store as system components have become more and more separated from the core OS.

      I don't have access to 7.x but then I also don't run the latest Windows 10, or the most recent Linux Kernel. All that has nothing to do with security.

    43. Re:New Android by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      Carriers need to fucking deal with the fact that customers don't want their bloatware.

      But don't they... I think you'll find that phones that have been bloatware free have generally not sold well. Even Samsung did pure Android releases free of their own version and of carrier crap of it's earlier smartphones which generally bombed.

      For the most part consumers have spoken mostly through their silence on the matter.

    44. Re:New Android by therealbev · · Score: 1

      You get that ability by buying the phone from someone OTHER than a cellular carrier. Either directly from Google for their direct branded phones, or from an independent electronics retailer that is not associated with a cellular service.

      For instance: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c...
      lists a variety of LG, Motorola, and Samsung phones. Unlocked, no carrier bloatware.

      (I have no association with B&H)

      Google provides its own bloatware -- I don't want google music/news/games etc. but they're undeleteable from my unlocked Motorola Moto G2, which is really good about NOT adding crap. I'm willing to leave the playstore, gmail and their browser there just in case I actually NEED them, but the other apps are just useless garbage.

    45. Re: New Android by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm still on jellybean, will probably hang in there another couple of years. Stock android nexus phone but they don't care...

    46. Re:New Android by Zaelath · · Score: 1

      What Google bloatware? What, if anything, rises to the level of manufacturers installing Facebook on your phone with no way to remove it, and it starting up every time you start the phone regardless of not having a Facebook account and sucking 20% of your battery.

      Google+? N-word please.

    47. Re:New Android by Zaelath · · Score: 1

      Yeah, that would be a perfectly reasonable comparison if every brand laptop manufacturer decided to hack the Windows kernel with a custom UI to make their laptop superior to others, and then couldn't be arsed to every do an update because they'd already sold it, so the work to backport the security was operating costs they don't want.

      It's the manufacturers choice to do more than add apps on top of the vanilla OS.

      It's the manufacturers problem.

    48. Re:New Android by sexconker · · Score: 1

      You're a clown. Red Hat provides something in addition to what the free kernel provides. If you want RHL you want RHL.

    49. Re:New Android by sexconker · · Score: 1

      Yeah, that would be a perfectly reasonable comparison if every brand laptop manufacturer decided to hack the Windows kernel with a custom UI to make their laptop superior to others, and then couldn't be arsed to every do an update because they'd already sold it, so the work to backport the security was operating costs they don't want.

      It's the manufacturers choice to do more than add apps on top of the vanilla OS.

      It's the manufacturers problem.

      No, it would be perfectly reasonable if the overall design of Android wasn't such a shitshow. A system library security update shouldn't break a skin, UI tweak, or build.prop tweak an OEM slapped in.

      Android is an abortion of Java on a crippled runt of Linux running with shitty fucking Qualcomm firmware.

    50. Re:New Android by Zaelath · · Score: 1

      Sure, Touchwiz is just a skin and a few UI tweaks.

      I'd say you're talking out of your ass, but it seems redundant.

  2. nO by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Never trust a Google product with your personal or business information.

    Ever.

    1. Re: nO by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Who do you trust then? Microsoft? Apple?

    2. Re: nO by tepples · · Score: 1

      Presumably a device with an unlocked bootloader on which AOSP (Android without GMS) has been installed.

    3. Re: nO by Luthair · · Score: 1

      An image probably built by some 22-year kid that he downloaded from some random site. What could go wrong?

    4. Re: nO by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Android is the least problematic of those 3.
      But still a problem.

      I'm hoping that LuneOS will eventually be good enough to bring back the magic of webos back for me.

    5. Re: nO by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Uhh, you do know that AOSP is THE official Android project that is the basis of Google's Android and for almost all official manufacturer's Android builds, right? You can download and compile it yourself if you for some reason don't trust LineageOS builds.

    6. Re: nO by Luthair · · Score: 1

      I do, but apparently you do not - you aren't going to easily compile ASOP and put it on most devices anymore than you're going to successfully build a linux distro from scratch and put it on an arbitrary device.

  3. What's it like? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    To Android users of non-Google phones (which is 98% percent of you): What's it like having an insecure unpatched OS? Serious question.

    1. Re: What's it like? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's great, my phone gets rooted more times by strangers than your mom

    2. Re: What's it like? by Brockmire · · Score: 1

      I probably shouldn't reply, but my BlackBerry DTEK60 gets monthly updates.

    3. Re:What's it like? by iampiti · · Score: 1

      The security problems are rarely a problem for regular users unless they install apps from untrusted sources. It's not like Windows in the 90's/00's where would get viruses very easily.
      I'd be nice if we'd all get the latest Android version on every smartphone but not having it doesn't usually represent a problem. Most major apps work on pretty old versions (Admitedly, that may be a problem for developers) and I haven't seen anyone that I know having a security problem

    4. Re: What's it like? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      After I noticed that Lenovo did not upgrade my 3gb ram phone, i just gave it to my son as stand-alone toy, and myself went back to principally carrying my trusted Nokia feature phone since last 6 months. I realised that i dont require internet or apps 24 hours a day.

    5. Re:What's it like? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      To Android users of non-Google phones (which is 98% percent of you): What's it like having an insecure unpatched OS? Serious question.

      Give me a sec to grab my iPhone and I'll tell you. Oh wait the NSA is using it at the moment, I'll get back to you.

  4. Ohmygod by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Yes, that's what O stands for.

  5. Social justice! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Score another point for social justice! Silence all detractors! The past shall be forgotten! Free speech is hate speech!

    Go Google! Yay!

  6. My Galaxy A3 2017 only just got Nougat update by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    From Marshmallow...so I am guessing I'll get O, if ever, some time in July 2019.

    Come on Samsung, update faster, damnit!

    1. Re: My Galaxy A3 2017 only just got Nougat update by baker_tony · · Score: 1

      If you've got a Samsung, I'd just be content that it's not burning your house down and leave it at that.

  7. No Linux, No Root, No Sale. by Zombie+Ryushu · · Score: 0

    I have had enough of system partition Bloatware. There better be a Linux Kernel under this OS. Its bad enough there is increasing resistence to rooting devices. I don't mind if NetFlix won't run on my Phone because I have root, or because I have LineageOS. If I can't root it, I don't want it.

  8. Android O... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I know they're going to pick something super lame like Oreo, but given they are launching during the eclipse I'm half hoping for a pattern breaking "Android Occultation" or at least Oatmeal Cookie if they gotta stick with the sweets.

    1. Re:Android O... by dottrap · · Score: 1

      I know they're going to pick something super lame like Oreo, but given they are launching during the eclipse I'm half hoping for a pattern breaking "Android Occultation" or at least Oatmeal Cookie if they gotta stick with the sweets.

      Android Ocular Jelly

    2. Re: Android O... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      But then they won't get marketing dollars from the Oreo people...

  9. Don't be evil by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Sex sells

  10. Orbit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It's Android Orbit.

  11. What's the real story? by Zero__Kelvin · · Score: 1

    It sounds like there is a story to be told here. Could someone tell us the story of O?

    --
    Guns don't kill people; Physics kills people! - John Lithgow as Dick Solomon on Third Rock From The Sun
  12. Naive Question.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If O is so modular and low footprint , can it be ported to old phones? Forget mfg support, people can contribute for popular models. Yes or no?

    1. Re:Naive Question.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If Android 7.x is available on old phones such as from 2012 in the form of Lineage OS I suppose there's good chance of seeing Android 8 and perhaps 9.
      But if you were thinking about "Project Treble" as for the modularity, I suppose this might require a recent kernel and thus the feature won't be available on old hardware.

  13. Fixed budget.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I have a fixed budget â8k. Every 18 months i start looking for a phone of that cost having more hardware features than my current phone. If not I just wait and not give in to buying latest and greatest. They hardly are 2 seconds faster and 10 times costlier, which i can leave with without upgrades.

  14. Re: O'Shit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hope the version turns out better than this..

  15. Google Fi on the Nexus 6P by Captain+Ramage · · Score: 1

    So, I have Google Fi, with the Nexus 6P, my wife has a new Pixel. - Phone is unlocked. - No bloatware. - Fully rootable if you so desire with no manufacturer complaints. - Gets the latest Android at release.

  16. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 1

    Comment removed based on user account deletion