Google late last month released the fourth and final Android O developer preview, nudging the mobile operating system one step closer to its commercial release. We still don’ t know exactly when that’ ll happen but we should find out soon.
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Google late last month released the fourth and final Android O developer preview, nudging the mobile operating system one step closer to its commercial release. We still don’ t know exactly when that’ ll happen but we should find out soon.
Google has launched an eclipse-themed countdown on its Android website. According to the site, Android O will be “touching down” at 2: 40 p.m. Eastern on Monday – live from New York City. Why Google thinks people would prefer to watch an OS reveal instead of a rare solar eclipse is beyond me but eh, there you have it.
It’s worth noting that Google isn’ t explicitly saying Android O will launch on Monday. “Touching down” could mean a launch or it could just mean a reveal. We will have to wait and see.
Google says livestream viewers will “meet the next release of Android and all of its super (sweet) new powers” on Monday. While it hasn’ t been confirmed, I suspect we will also learn the nickname of Android O on this date and probably get a launch date as well.
Then again, it’s entirely possible that Google could push Android O to general availability on the same day. Looking back to last summer, we see that Google dropped Android Nougat on August 22.
As for that nickname, evidence continues to mount suggesting it’ ll indeed be called Android Oreo (Google set precedent for such commercial branding in 2013 with the launch of Android KitKat) . The tie-in with the eclipse could also be intentional as some would argue that an Oreo could resemble the sun being blocked out by the moon (or maybe that’s just wishful thinking) .