Android ‘Oreo Go’ Debuts for Low-End Phones, Will Support All Apps

India-first products for mobile users were announced at the annual Google India event.

Android Oreo Go version has been made first for users in India. 

(Photo: The Quint)

Google’s much anticipated skinned down version of Android has just been announced as Android Oreo Go. Yes, the latest Android flavour is the first benefactor of the newly designed Android Go version, which will be rolled out via partner devices in the coming month.

The project is part of Google’s Next Billion Users initiative, headed by Caesar Sengupta who claims that all apps from Google Play can be downloaded and used on these phones.

The Go project was first showcased with YouTube last year, and now the Go nomenclature heads to other Google products; Google Assistant (voice search is big), File Go and even Google Go.

Android Oreo Go version rolling out with devices very soon. (Photo: The Quint)

Oreo Go has been designed to work on entry-level devices, and most of us would agree that storage is a strong suit on those phones, but Google claims their team has optimised the OS code for Oreo Go to make apps compact. This processing ensures that apps on Oreo Go are 50% smaller in size than regular Android version.

Oreo Go has been designed for 4G connectivity, but Google expects its partners to make a series of devices, across different price points, which are likely to support 2G and 3G also. 

We have designed apps for Oreo Go in such a way that you’ll not feel the difference in quality. Users with devices running on this version of Android can download and use any app from the Play Store, just like you do right now. 

Sameer Samat, Vice President, Google

Benefits of Android Oreo Go:

• Improved performance on low-end hardware phones
• Open apps 15 percent faster
• Reduces Google app sizes by 50 percent
• New apps optimised for the version
• Google Assistant Go, Search Go made available

Google Go search will be the default engine for Oreo Go devices. (Photo: The Quint)

Samat pointed out that Go version of Android will be part of a series, that will make its way to Android P and later flavours also. 

Data saving is going to be a crucial for budget-conscious users, and Oreo Go is making all those points evident, as they seem to have derived from market and consumer study in the country.

Oreo Go will get Go Search as its default search engine, that again, will work without running down the data plan.

Google Assistant Go is the simpler version made for Oreo Go devices. (Photo: The Quint)

But, Google is still making sure they aren’t missing out on the big features such as Google Assistant. The voice assistant will ensure Google adds to its existing user base of voice search fanatics.

We’re yet to hear about the partners that’ll be making phones with Android Oreo Go, but we’ll keep you posted on that.

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