Google Releases Android P Beta 2 With Final APIs And 157 New Emoji
The final release of Android P is just around the bend at this point. We know this because Google has released the second beta of Android P, noting that it includes the final APIs for the next major release of its mobile operating system, along with the latest system images and updated developer tools. On top of that, Google said very plainly that the consumer release of Android is "coming later in the summer."
Android P beta 2 arrives four weeks after Google pushed out the first beta at its Google I/O event in Mountain View, California. It can be installed on both generations of Pixel devices (Pixel and Pixel XL, and Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2), provided you enroll with Google. Pixel owners who are already running the first beta will automatically receive an update to the second beta.
In addition, the latest Android P beta is available on handful of other devices, including the Essential Phone, Nokia 7 Plus, OnePlus 6, Oppo R15 Pro, Sony Xperia ZX2, Vivo X21UD, Vivo X21, and Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S. You can find links on where to download the beta to each of those devices by visiting the Android P Beta Devices page.
Source: emojipedia.org
Android P introduces a bunch of new and updated emojis, 157 in all. Among them are gender-inclusive family and gender-inclusive couple emojis, red haired emojis, a vegan salad (Google removed the egg that was in the previous version of the salad emoji), a squirt gun in place of a pistol, and more.
Google is also promoting the presence of machine learning at the core of Android P, specifically to improve battery life.
"We partnered with DeepMind on a feature we call Adaptive Battery that uses machine learning to prioritize system resources for the apps the user cares about most. If your app is optimized for Doze, App Standby, and Background Limits, Adaptive Battery should work well for you right out of the box," Google said.
Every new Android release contains several security improvements, and Android P is no exception. It will be the most secure version of Android to date. In addition, Google made an effort to deliver a more consistent biometric experience across different sensor types and apps.
"Android P introduces a system-managed dialog to prompt the user for any supported type of biometric authentication. Apps no longer need to build their own dialog— instead they use the BiometricPrompt API to show the standard system dialog. In addition to Fingerprint (including in-display sensors), the API supports Face and Iris authentication," Google added.
The biggest question mark surrounding Android P, however, is what tasty treat will it be named after. Android Pineapple? Pancake? Peanut Brittle? Pecan Pie? We'd keep going, but it's making us hungry.
Thumbnail Image Source: emojipedia.org
