Yesterday, Google rolled out the first developer preview of Android P (Android 9.0). The new version of Android OS does not support Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P and Pixel C that were launched in 2015. The Android P has also dropped support for the obsolete Nexus Player.

The Nexus Player was introduced as a competitor for Apple TV in 2014. It was launched with Android 5.0 Lollipop and was treated with Android 8.0 Oreo update in September last year. However, it was confirmed in the very next month that device will not be receiving the Android 8.1 Oreo upgrade. Also, it won’t be getting the upcoming Android 9.0 OS.

The Nexus 5X and 6P that had arrived in the market in 2015 with Android 6.0 Marshmallow have received the latest Android 8.1 Oreo update. However, these phones won’t be upgraded to Android P. The well-received Pixel C tablet was provided with Android 8.1 Oreo in December 2017 as the last major OS update.

The support page of Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P state that these devices have “no guaranteed Android version updates after” September 2017. The reason why these devices will not be getting the Android P upgrade is that Google has a policy of providing major OS update to Android devices for a period of two years. The Nexus 5X and 6P users will continue to receive monthly security updates until November this year. The Android P will be arriving first to Google Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL.

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The forthcoming Android P will bring along various new features and improvements. Devices running on Android P will prevent background apps from accessing camera or microphone without the consent of the user. Android 9.0 will also prevent secret call recordings and it will be also coming with powerful call-blocking feature to prevent spam calls. It will carry native support for iris scanning and HID Bluetooth. It will provide the power to mobile operators to modify the signal strength indicator. A new addition on Android P is the support for iPhone X-like notch. Google will be showcasing all the new features of the Android P at the Google I/O 2018 event in May. It is speculated that the final version of Android 9.0 will be released sometime in mid-August.

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Android 8.0 Oreo is now official and its system images have been made available by Google for devices such as Google Pixel, Pixel XL, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus Player and Google Pixel C. The flashing instructions are available here. Users are required to perform the backup of their devices before installing Android 8.0 Oreo through system images. The search engine giant has also released Android 8.0 Oreo OTA updates for the devices that have enrolled in Android Beta Program.

Installing Android 8.0 Oreo manually through system images may not be convenient for all even though Google is offering a hassle-free installation process now. The easiest way to get the Android 8.0 Oreo before it is officially released by the carrier or the smartphone vendor is by joining the Android Beta program.

Users of Google Pixel XL have claimed that updating to Android O from Developer Preview 4 has been unsuccessful. However, Google seems to have resolved the issue. The OTA update is available without any problem for Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X smartphones enrolled in Android Beta Program.

Fixed now. We had a signing issue for beta users.

— Dave Burke (@davey_burke) August 22, 2017

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Users can now get Android O by visiting this page and signing in with a Google account. Users can then click on “Enroll Device” button present next to the image of the device. It will then check for an available update. At any time, users can unenroll by visiting the same page to unenroll the device if they wish to go to back a stable build.

As far as Android 8.0 Oreo OTA updates without Android Beta Program is concerned, Google has confirmed that carriers have started testing the software update for Google Pixel, Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P phones. Once the carriers are done with testing process, the update will be soon made available to these devices. The OTA update process will begin in phases and it will be gradually coming to supported devices from various brands. The Android O update for Google Pixel C and Nexus Player will be also made available soon.

Google will be also releasing AOSP build for Android 8.0 Oreo that will allow developers to prepare custom ROM. The search engine giant has also confirmed that devices from various OEMs like Essential, General Mobile, HMD Global Home of Nokia Phones, Huawei, HTC, Kyocera, LG, Motorola, Samsung, Sharp and Sony will be getting the Android 8.0 Oreo update before the end of 2017.

(source)

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