Interesting how the Android 8.0 has not gotten to all devices capable of running it and the company has decided to release a new version. This announcement was made during the I/O 2018 developer conference keynote on May 8.

With so many security features integrated into this new OS, Android P might just stand for "Privacy".

SECURITY FEATURES.

• HTTPS is the default for apps.

  HTTPS is an encrypted version of HTTP and in Android P, all apps have been set by default to utilize this protocol for communication.

• Restoring your device requires a passcode.

  Android P will now encrypt your backups using the device's PIN, pattern, or password. Therefore, in order to restore your device with this data, users will first be required to input one of these authentication methods to "unlock" the data for usage. This adds another layer of protection for your data.

• Unified fingerprint authentication dialog.

  Many apps use the fingerprint scanner as a way to speed up authentication into your account. With Android P, the operating system will standardize the look, feel, and placement of the fingerprint authentication dialog, providing a more uniform experience no matter what app you are using.

• Lockdown Mode.

  Android P allows you to temporarily disable biometric authentication methods and Smart Lock. Especially in a situation of distress, you can momentarily prevent someone from forcing you to unlock your device using these methods (such as law enforcement requiring you to scan your fingerprint). With these methods disabled, a person is required to use your PIN, pattern, or password to unlock your device.

• Background apps won't have Mic and Camera access

  Android P is preventing idle background apps from using your microphone and camera to ensure that malicious apps don't record your conversation without you knowing.

• Camera and Mic indicator.

  Besides outright blocking access to idle applications, Google is now introducing a new alert which informs you when a background app is using either the microphone or camera.

• Alert tone when your call is being recorded.

  In cases where phones are able to record calls, Android P will include an alert tone which informs all parties that the conversation is being recorded. When Android detects the use of the call recording API, the system will play a tone every fifteen seconds, alerting the other party that they are being taped. The inclusion of this tone makes Android's call recording API more in line with some states' two-party consent laws, which require both parties to be aware of the recording for it to be legal.

• MAC address randomization.

  Android P is also working to protect your device while it communicates online. One example of this is "Wi-Fi MAC Randomization" which randomizes your MAC address each time you connect to a new Wi-Fi network. MAC addresses are unique identifiers used in networks to facilitate communication between devices. By randomizing it, your device receives protection against targeted attacks and tracking.

DESIGN.

• All-in-one home button.

  Android P is doing away with the virtual home and recent apps buttons, replacing them with a single, tiny bar that combines both functions and more. Taking a direct cue from the iPhone X, the new home bar performs multiple tasks, such as a small swipe gesture that reveals the overview screen, showing all your running apps. Of course, you can still use the pill-shaped button to take you back to the home screen simply by tapping on it.

• Improved recent apps view.

  As you can see above, when you swipe up on the pill-shaped button, it shows the overview screen, which lists all of your recent apps. Even if you don't see the pill-shaped icon yet, you can still tap the "Recents" button at the bottom right to access the new view in Android P. To force-close an app, just swipe up on it, just like in iOS's app switcher. You can also swipe sideways on the pill-shaped button to instantly show all your running apps, making multitasking a lot more intuitive.

• Revamped app drawer.

  Android P now features a revamped app drawer that's sure to make sorting through your apps a lot more convenient. When you swipe up on the new pill-shaped icon, you see the multitasking view, but you also see a row of frequently used apps at the bottom based on patterns detected by Android P's enhanced artificial intelligence.

If you swipe up one more time, you'll jump into your app drawer. That row of frequently used apps will jump to the top, and the rest of your app drawer will be underneath it. For those who are on Android P but still see the three buttons at the bottom instead of the swipe up gesture, when you open your app drawer the normal way, you should still see preferred apps at the top of the drawer.

• Dashboard.

  Dashboard is a new menu option which shows you a list of all the apps you used for the day and the amount of time spent within each one. Google's hope is that this information will limit your phone usage. Dashboard will even track the number of times you unlock your device.

• Slices

  "Slices" allows you to see a small snippet of data within an app without actually opening it. When implemented by developers, you can see small amounts of data in the Google Search app (and coming soon to Google Assistant) which you can use to launch directly to the action, skipping steps that you would normally take to do the action.

• Support for Notches.

  Yeah that's right... Android P would include support for the iPhone X-style notches.

BATTERY FEATURES

• Adaptive Battery.

  As with most Android versions, Google is introducing new tools to improve optimization of the battery consumption. Android P adds a new features known as "Adaptive Battery" which targets idle battery management.

During standby, apps are grouped is a mechanism known as "app standby buckets." Grouping is based on usage with frequently used apps and tools being placed in higher tiers. Higher-tier buckets will allow uninterrupted use of background data. Lower tiers will be restricted, cutting down on battery consumption. According to the VP of engineering for Android, Dave Burke, at Google I/O, this results in a 30% reduction in CPU wakeups which will correlate to better standby performance.

• Low battery tells the time your phone will go off.

  The notification for low battery is also changing the new information it presents within the alert. As noted by Android Police, in DP1, "Low Battery Notification" would include the duration of time remaining if you continue your typical usage of the device before your phone hits zero percent. With Android P Beta, this changed to the actual time your phone will die based on your usage. Fundamentally, instead of saying "about 20 minutes left based on your usage," it will now say "Should last until about 2:00 p.m. based on your usage."

OTHER FEATURES

• App Timer.

  While information is excellent, Google knows it will take more than that to pull you away from your device. This is where "App timer" comes to the rescue, which will also be accessed with the "App usage" menu.

App timer allows you to set time limits on your usage of any app. Once you reach the daily allocated time, the app will be grayed out. While this doesn't prevent usage, the idea is the change in color will discourage its use and encourage you to spend more time in the world around you rather than on your phone.

• Text Magnifier.

  As with all updates from either mobile operating system, there are bound to be some features borrowed from the other side of the fence, and Android P is no exception. Android P brings the iOS feature of magnification of texts as you drag the blue handles along a selection.

• Adaptive Brightness.

  Instead of solely relying on the light sensor of the device, Google is using machine learning to learn how you use your phone, specifically what brightness level do you prefer in each ambient light setting.

Often, when we set our phone to auto brightness, we will adjust the brightness afterward to our preference. Google believes the auto brightness should perform better and has created "Adaptive brightness," found in the "Display" settings, which is enabled by default. This feature accounts for your preferences (along with the light sensor data) when adjusting the brightness level, limiting the number of times you need to adjust the brightness manually.

• App Action.

  "App Actions" is another way Google attempts to improve your phone using machine learning. In the quest to provide a more personalized experience, Google is leverage the data it collects to teach your phone about you. Particularly, it will predict what task you will do next and present it to you.

In the app drawer, near the top, will be shortcuts for tasks that you usually conduct such as calling a significant other or listening to a particular podcast. Google will even modify searches to show shortcuts in the results, pulling you directly into certain apps to perform relevant tasks.

• Turn-by-Turn Directions Indoors.

  With Android P, Android devices gain support for the IEEE 802.11mc Wi-Fi protocol. This wireless protocol (also known as Wi-Fi Round-Trip-Time) enables indoor GPS-style tracking.

• Multi-Camera Support.

  Android P allows developers to access streams from two different physical cameras simultaneously using the multi-camera API. This API requires either dual rear cameras (which most smartphones have nowadays) or dual front cameras. Using the multi-camera API, features such as seamless zoom by using each camera stream and improved bokeh effects are now possible in third-party apps.

• Hidden signal strength numbers.

  Android P will now allow carriers to restrict the numerical value of signal strength.

While these numbers aren't typically viewed by average users, they do give more accuracy on your current signal. And this information can help find the cause of poor reception. The only solace in the matter is that this limitation in Android P will be confided to carrier-branded devices so unlocked phones will be unaffected.

• New way to take screenshots.

  With Android P, taking a screenshot is no longer limited to the power + volume down button combination. Recognizing the difficulty of this combo (especially with stuck buttons), Google introduces an additional way to take screenshots — by using the power menu.

• Screenshots Editing.

  With Android P, Google has finally leveled the playing field when it comes to screenshots. With Apple introducing the feature in iOS 11, you knew it was only a matter of time before Google brought the feature to Android. With Android P, you can now edit your screenshots immediately after taking them. While the feature is a little barebones right now, expect both Google and OEMs to build upon the feature in future releases.

Source:
https://android.gadgethacks.com/news/44-cool-new-features-changes-android-p-0183109/

Image credit: Android Police