The 2017 edition of Google I/O is underway, and the Mountain View giant shared its next steps in software. First up is Android O, which can be downloaded as a beta for Nexus and Pixel devices, but then comes Android Go, a special edition aimed at smartphones with more modest hardware resources. Android Go isn't just about optimizing the operating system; it also aims to improve app behavior and the Play Store experience.
Any user with a device running Android Jelly Bean or lower knows that the latest versions of apps and the framework of Google services can leave them out of action in minutes. Things are a bit better on KitKat thanks to a small flag called "Low RAM", designed for devices with 512 MB of RAM. However, the underlying feeling remains: Android is bloated. Add to that the fact that receiving major updates is a fragmentation nightmare (they depend on the OEM, the carrier, and the position of some planets), and Google's short-term plans should tackle both problems. 30 percent of the Android universe is "pre-Lollipop", and if the idea is to update it, a much more robust and efficient base is needed.
That's when Android O and Android Go make their appearance, announced on the first day of Google I/O 2017. Initial details about Android O began circulating in March, with several screenshots revealing multiple interface tweaks, notifications, and settings menu. What Mountain View did today was enable the second developer preview for those in the Android Beta program with a compatible device (Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus Player, Pixel C, Pixel, and Pixel XL). Android O includes Project Treble, an initiative that aims to separate the operating system from changes made by each manufacturer. It's not ideal, but it's a first step toward providing frequent and coherent updates to users.
Android Go is basically Android O designed for smartphones with 1 GB of RAM or less. Low-cost devices have taken over the so-called "emerging markets", but manufacturers use traditional Android images with apps and services that destroy the little performance available. Android Go extends the mission of Project Svelte and establishes a trident of optimizations: the operating system, apps with lower resource usage (remember YouTube Go?), and a special Play Store edition that will offer them first. Of course, this does not benefit devices already on the market, and although Google noted that Android Go will debut in 2018 "as an experience", it's not far-fetched to think about new budget devices with this system preinstalled.
