Google officially rolled out its developer preview for Android 8.1 Oreo operating system. The search engine giant also announced that the software update will officially be available to the public in December. Android beta program members can access the mobile operating system’s images and Over-The-Air files, but a wireless update will soon be available to compatible devices, which include the Pixel C, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, the original Pixel smartphones and the new Pixel 2 handsets.

The Android 8.1 developer preview system build for all gadgets is OPP5.170921.005.

Google’s blog detailed the new and enhanced features in the software update. The developer preview comes with Wallpaper Colors API as well as Google’s Neural Networks API. The Android 8.1 developer preview also arrives with updates to notifications, autofill framework and fingerprint features. The search engine giant’s blog also highlighted other features, which include a bug report button, Bluetooth battery level indicator, Oreo Easter Egg update and Pixel 2 settings search bar being introduced to other handsets.

Developer preview

Users planning to install the developer preview should consider that it is an unstable software update of the Android Oreo and is subject to bugs. Device users need to back up their handset before installing the software update.

Samsung smartphones updating to Oreo

Meanwhile, according to Güncel Miyiz (via XDA Developers), Samsung mobile devices might be updated to Android 8.0 Oreo in early 2018. Although there aren’t solid details by way of timeframes as well as smartphones, the South Korean tech company is supposedly now working on a preliminary model software for the mobile operating system.

Samsung assured its device users to have the details about the latest Android update before 2017 ends, but until now, users are still speculating about what the tech giant may have in store for the forthcoming update.

It is likely that the Galaxy S8, S8 Plus and the new Galaxy Note 8 will be among the first mobile devices to update to Android 8.0 Oreo.

The features that the software update will bring to the Samsung handsets include new emojis, notification improvements, Picture-in-Picture multitasking and Night Mode.

There is no word on whether the new Project Treble initiative of Google will speed up how Samsung executes the software update. Nonetheless, Samsung is expected to kick off its Android Oreo beta program ahead of the operating system’s official release.
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