Samsung had kicked off the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ Android Oreo Beta Program in early November 2017 and after the release of several beta software versions, the company will soon close the testing as early as next week.
Samsung has notified registered software developers that the company will end the Android Oreo beta test on January 15. If fans are still interested to join the programme, they will have to apply now, as the company plans to close with registration window on January 5 (11:59 pm local time).
What's coming in Android Oreo?
Android Oreo comes with several improvements over Android Nougat, such as faster booting, extended battery life achieved by cutting down on unnecessary activities of apps in the background, more fluid experiences to phones and tablets as well as improvements in security via Google Play Protect, which checks suspicious activities and malware in apps.
Read more: Google Android Oreo vs Android Nougat: What's changed?
It also brings new features such as picture-in-picture, which allows users to do two tasks simultaneously, like checking the calendar while planning a party on a Duo video call. There is also Smart Text Selection, which improves copy and paste. With the help of machine learning to recognise entities on the screen—like a complete address—users will be able to easily select text they want with a double tap, and even bring up an app like Maps to help during navigation.
One notable aspect of the Android Oreo is the Rescue Party feature, which helps the device recover from constant bootloops.
In addition to the Google Android Oreo features, Samsung is expected to add its own custom features to enhance the user-experience of the Galaxy S8 series owners, which include new clock styles for both lockscreen and Always on Display, and Smart View lets the mobile phone's display turn dark when mirroring the content on large TV screen, thus saving battery draining.
Also read-- Samsung Galaxy Note8 long-term review: Most versatile phone of 2017. PERIOD
There will be a lot more value-added features coming to the Galaxy S8 series, which will be fully disclosed on the day of the official release.
When will Android Oreo public version come to Galaxy S8 series?
If previous release pattern is taken as any indication, Samsung is most likely to roll-out the Android Oreo public version before the end of January or early February.
The Galaxy S8 series running Android Oreo has also passed the Wi-Fi Alliance interoperability testing.
For those unaware, Wi-Fi Alliance certifies Wi-Fi products to ensure that they meet standards of interoperability. It is usually the final stage before software is pushed out to eligible handsets.
Stay tuned. Follow us @IBTimesIN_Tech on Twitter for latest updates on Google Android Oreo release schedule and Samsung products.
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