Android P is Google's best update! Here's all the new features - DroidTechKnow

May 11, 2018 6542 Shreya Android P is Google's best update! Here's all the new features

Google uses less phone now & more artificial intelligence!

...This means that Google is now driving its smart innovations towards what it calls "Meaningful engagement". Google's I/O is finally here, so we now know what to expect from Android P! All of these new features are never heard before, or implemented at the least. Take a quick tour of this intelligent interface today.

Google is geared up to make your smartphone your actual personal assistant so that you have time to do other things. The inbuilt machine learning experience is bound to sweep you off your feet. Google has partnered with artificial intelligence giant, Deep Mind, to bring to you this earth-shattering experience.

You need not even call anyone on your own, let Google do it for you. Smart gestures got smarter, put your screen facing downwards and notifications muted automatically. Make smart gestures and make restaurant reservations without talking over calls yourself. What's intriguing is that the Google assistant uses a very human-like voice. It adds occasional ummss, arrghh, ahhhs to sound more human-like- which is technically advanced and creepy at the same time.

Google has focused specifically on three things viz:

  1. A simple interface

  2. An intelligent interface, and

  3. All-over digital well being.

Keep reading to know what this actually means.

Who knows the next time you make a phone call, you won't be able to tell if you are talking to a voice assistant!

Features of Android P:

All the new features brought in by Android P are for both users and developers alike. All of these are implemented with the help of artificial intelligence because Google's prime focus is now making more things happen with the help of AI!

1. Smart Buttons and Smart Group Navigation

The home screen is taken away and replaced by a horizontal scroll-bar that appears when you swipe up. This is a simple and neat singular button. This makes navigation through all open applications super easy, and a child's play.

The home button will be replaced by smart alternatives which are situation dependent. For example, if you plug-in your headphones, the same button would automatically turn into a play/pause button.

2. Shush- do not disturb!

With smart customisable settings, if you place your phone screen facing downwards on a flat surface, the do not disturb mode is automatically activated. All annoying notifications muted- of course, you can always customise exceptions to this. This and more come under the umbrella term of the shush feature introduced.

3. App actions- Intelligent grouping 

The most used applications are refreshed and grouped together at the top. This is known by the term App actions. Now, why is this special? The applications you use for office applications can be turned off after office hours, so you can view other applications on the top as sensed by AI. These new grouped applications could be for leisure, reading etc based on your activity.

Work profile

4. Adaptive battery- an automatic shutdown of applications 

The AI also senses average run-time of applications and dismisses fewer priority applications running in the background, saving precious battery life.  Power is directly only to the most used applications. The OS tasks automatically wake up/sleep and start running after learning about device activity gradually. This buys you more personal time by reducing repetition of the same tasks.

App actions

5. Google Duplex- Let Google Assistant do the talking for you.

You might not need to talk over phone calls ever again! With the new feature, you can setup and make phone calls with the help of Google Assistant-who will do all the talking for you. You can use it for making an appointment to your local hair-dresser, for example. Let Google Assistant make adjustments and bargains for you if a time slot is unavailable. It is also capable of making restaurant reservations as well.

What makes this special is that the Google Assistant's voice is now very human-like. It even adds sounds like umm or hmmm to bargain time for processing incoming data. Who knows the next time you make a phone call, you won't be able to tell if you are talking to a voice assistant!

6. Every boring task is now Automated

Google is taking care of all the mundane tasks we do. It will automatically edit the photos for you as you like- creating the right edit. It will automatically create custom e-mail templates for dedecorating while you simply input the message body.

7. Meaningful engagement- a cure for digital addiction

app timer

In the present time, it's safe to say that our devices are the extensions of our human bodies. Google is doing the unthinkable about the obvious smartphone addiction that comes with it!  An app-timer will show the icon colour of the application you are using fading to grey colour as you approach time-limits set. This is promising to alert you that shouldn't be using the application longer than you decided. This feature emerges as a winner against a dozen of self-discipline and timer-apps available in the marketplace today!

8. Slices

Get real-time information loaded on your page within the window you are at inside tiny boxes. Get information routed from applications directly inside current google search box. For example, if you search for an Uber ride, an automatic popup will show you ride-time and estimate expense within the same window.

Slices

9. Trust artificial intelligence

...to soon be integrated with home automation in an even efficient manner. Smart text replies anywhere and anytime. More developer tools and new libraries added. More technologies are added as you read this article.

The update is currently available for:

Android P Beta is now available for early adopters and developers to try the next version of Android. You can get Android P Beta in any of these ways:

  • Get Android P Beta on a Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, Pixel, or Pixel XL device

  • Get Android P Beta on selected partner devices

  • Set up an Android Emulator to run Android P Beta

Who knew Google would integrate artificial intelligence into your everyday life in a blink of an eye. What's amusing is that these features are just the tip of the iceberg. Who knows what happens with the advent of new trends and innovations in the world on artificial intelligence! Tell us in the comments, which features surprised you the most.