14 DAY TRIAL // With Android 9.0 Pie out the door, Google is now working hard to bring the great Android Pie experience to more entry-level phones running the Android Go edition of the Linux-based mobile operating system.
The tech giant announced earlier this week that it's now working on the Android 9 Pie Go Edition, which is coming this fall and promises to bring some of the features of Android 9 Pie to more than 200 devices in over 120 countries, including the United States, India, Brazil, South Africa, and Nigeria, with several new features and enhancements to enrich users' experience with Android.
"Whether it comes with an HD or regular VGA screen, 4GB or 8GB or 16GB of storage, or 3G or 4G support, there’s a Go edition device for everyone," said Sagar Kamdar, Director of Product Management, Android. "With more than 100 manufacturers planned to release devices before the end of the year, you can expect even more options when choosing your first Go edition device."
Highlights of Android 9 Pie Go Edition
Featuring faster device boot times, Android 9 Pie Go Edition will give entry-level phones an extra 500MB of storage after installation compared to Android 8 Oreo Go Edition. This enhancement will be available out-of-the-box for many devices that will hit shelves later this fall, which means that they'll offer users up to 5.5 GB of free storage for devices with 8GB of built-in flash storage.
Another major highlight of the Android 9 Pie Go Edition is the fully redesigned set of Google apps, including a new Google Go release that's capable of reading web pages aloud while highlighting each word to make it easier for you to follow along, and a new YouTube Go version that features a gallery mode for downloaded content and consumes less data when playing videos.
A new Maps Go release will be available as well with navigation support so you can use turn-by-turn directions whether you’re traveling on foot, by bus, or by car, as well as a new Files Go version that's capable of transferring data peer-to-peer (P2P) at speeds up to 490Mbips without using mobile data, and a new Android Messages version that's up to 50 percent smaller in size.
Last but not least, the Phone App included in the Android 9 Pie Go Edition now features caller ID and spam detection, and the Assistant Go app has been updated with support for additional languages like Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, and Indonesian, as well as support for device actions, such as the ability to added reminders, use camera and flashlight, and control Bluetooth.
Android 9 Pie Go Edition will be available this fall from more than 100 smartphone manufacturers with state-of-the-art security features like verified boot support, an accessible Dashboard for monitoring and tracking data consumption, and numerous other under-the-hood improvements for better performance and a faster Android mobile experience.
