Find out everything you need to know about the Android Pie update schedule, which devices are compatible with Android Pie, how to install Android P beta, and more.
The next major version of Android, Android 9.0 Pie, has already made its way to the Google Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2, and Pixel 2 XL. Google announced this official Android 9.0 update on August 6,2018, and began rolling it out to Pixel phones the same day.
But what about other devices? What will happen to the other non-Pixel Android phones that were a part of the Android Beta program? Read on to find out everything you need to know about the Android 9.0 Pie update schedule, which devices are compatible with Android Pie, how to install Android Pie updates, and more.
How to install Android 9.0 Pie on your phone right now
Digital Wellbeing hands-on: Prepare to be scared of your phone forever
We have a complete overview of all the new features in our Android 9 Pie review. We’d suggest checking out that article to see what’s new in Android Pie, what new features it brings, all the design tweaks, and more.
While Android Pie is already available on Pixels, not all the features that Google teased are coming right away. Digital Wellbeing, a major Google initiative for this year, will arrive this fall, likely with the Pixel 3. Pixel owners can sign up for a beta program for Digital Wellbeing, but it won’t roll out to everyone until later this year. Meanwhile, App Slices, which provide quick access to specific features inside apps, will also arrive this fall.
A week after the official launch of Android 9.0 Pie, Google announced the Pie version of Android Go. The company claims it’s even smaller, faster, and more secure than the Oreo version. The OS will free up even more space on smartphones, as shown in the image below:
The Pie version of Android Go also offers faster boot times, security features like verified boot, and a dashboard for tracking data consumption.
Google began rolling out the Android 9.0 Pie update to its Pixel smartphones on Monday, August 6,2018. All four Pixel phones, whether they were enrolled in the Android Beta program or not, received the update on the same day. Android Pie factory images and OTA files are available on Google’s website. We also have a handy how to install Android Pie article if you need help sideloading the update manually.
Below, you’ll find a list of Pixel factory images and OTA files:
This year, the Android Pie rollout was a bit different from other major OS releases. Thanks to Google’s efforts with Project Treble, seven other phone makers — Nokia, OnePlus, Oppo, Sony, Vivo, Xiaomi, and Essential — were able to enroll their smartphones in the Android Beta program alongside Pixels. Google says all non-Pixels enrolled in the Android Beta program will receive the official Android Pie updates by the end of fall 2018 (which could be as late as November 31). Additionally, “qualifying Android One devices” will also be updated by the end of the fall, though Google never specified what “qualifying” means.
We’ve reached out to each one of the manufacturers listed above to see when their smartphones will receive the Android 9.0 Pie update.
August 6,2018 — Essential has always been extremely fast at issuing Android updates, and this release is no different. Minutes after Google announced Pie, Essential already started rolling out the update to the Essential Phone. Some of us actually received the update on our Essential Phones quicker than our Pixels. Not bad!
August 13,2018 — Essential has announced via Twitter that the Android Pie update has been released for Sprint customers.
August 27,2018 — The company took to Twitter to announce that the Android Pie update started rolling out to Telus variants of the Essential Phone.
August 6,2018 — The company said in a statement that it looks forward to bringing Android Pie to the OnePlus 6, OnePlus 5T, OnePlus 5, OnePlus 3T, and OnePlus 3, but stopped short of offering any details:
August 16,2018 — According to XDA-Developers, unofficial AOSP ports of the latest Android version are already available for some OnePlus devices. These include the OnePlus 3 and 3T, as well as the older OnePlus X and OnePlus 2.
September 3,2018 — The company has released the Open Beta 1 for the OnePlus 6, which brings Android 9.0 Pie to the device. To try it out, click here to read instructions and get links to download the software. But before you do, keep in mind that as this is a beta update, some things — including Google Pay — won’t work properly. And if you don’t like the software and want to go back to the stable Oreo version of Android, you’ll have to wipe your OnePlus 6 and then reinstall the OS — which means you’ll lose all the data that’s not backed up.
September 7,2018 — The manufacturer has released the Open Beta 2 for the OnePlus 6. The update brings Wi-Fi stability improvements, optimized background power consumption control, optimized multitasking UI, and more — see the entire changelog here.
September 15,2018 — OnePlus has released the Open Beta 3 for the OnePlus 6. The update adds the ability to launch Google Assistant or any other third-party assistant by pressing and holding the power button for 0.5 seconds. It also adds new functionality to Parallel Apps: the feature now supports Telegram, Discord, IMO, Uber, and OLA. Additionally, the beta update brings with it stability fixes for the fingerprint sensor, face unlock, and ambient display.
September 21,2018 — OnePlus has released the stable version of the Android 9.0 Pie update for the OnePlus 6. It’s a staged rollout, which means the update will be available for a limited number of users at first and will make its way to all OnePlus 6 device over the next few weeks. The rollout isn’t based on regions — the update is instead randomly shipped out to a limited number of handsets.
October 16,2018 — The stable version of Android 9.0 Pie is now rolling out to OnePlus 6 devices in the U. K. The update weighs about 1.5GB.
October 14,2018 — Pete Lau, one of the founders of OnePlus, revealed on Chinese micro-blogging site Weibo that the upcoming OnePlus 6T will launch with Android 9.0 Pie out-of-the-box. However, the OnePlus 6T’s software will be different from the current version of Pie on the OnePlus 6. It will have some new gestures as well as “a whole new UI, ”according to the OxygenOS development team.
Pete Lau also mentioned that while the OnePlus 3,3T, 5, and 5T will still receive Android 9.0 Pie, the update is taking longer than expected. Unfortunately, he didn’t share specific details on when it will be available.
August 6,2018 — Oppo reached out to Android Authority to say that it does not yet have a target release date for Android Pie.
August 8,2018 — Vivo told Android Authority that it plans to release Android Pie in Q4 2018:
August 16,2018 — Sony published a blog post detailing the nine devices in its roster that will get Android 9.0 Pie. They are:
The update process will kick off in November for the XZ devices and then start in early 2019 for the XA2 line.
October 12,2018 — Sony is rolling out the stable version of Android 9.0 Pie to the Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact. The update comes in just over 1GB in size and includes the latest October 2018 security patch.
October 18,2018 — Sony has revealed detailed info regarding its Android Pie update schedule. The company said the XZ Premium, XZ1, and XZ1 Compact will get the update sooner than expected — the rollout will begin on October 26 as opposed to in November. The other handsets will get the update as per original schedule. Sony will begin to roll out the update for the XZ2 Premium from November 7, while the Xperia XA2, XA2 Ultra, and XA2 Plus will get the update from March 4 next year.
August 10,2018 — HTC took to Twitter to announce that it’s bringing Android Pie to four of its smartphones: U12 Plus, U11 Plus, U11, and the Android One variant of the U11 Life. Unfortunately, there’s no word on when the updates will be available. HTC said this will be announced in “due course.”
August 9,2018 — Huawei revealed on Weibo that it’s conducting internal testing of the Android 9.0 Pie update for the Mate 10 Pro, Huawei P20, Honor 10, and Honor V10.
August 21,2018 — A Huawei South Africa spokesperson told MyBroadband that the manufacturer will release its EMUI 9.0 skin based on Android Pie at the IFA trade show in Berlin, which kicks off August 31. The spokesperson also said the company will roll out Android Pie to the Huawei P20 series in September, followed by the Mate series shortly after. We expect loads of other Huawei devices to get the update as well, although the company didn’t mention which ones and when.
September 1,2018 — Huawei announced EMUI 9.0 at IFA, which is based on Android Pie.
