The Top New Features Coming with Android P

Android P, the newest OS for Android devices, was shown in greater detail at the I/O 2018 conference. If you missed it, or just want a recap, here’s a quick rundown of the coolest new features coming with Android P!

Gesture Navigation

Since 2011, Android devices have utilized three navigation buttons: home, back and multitask. Android P sports only a home button, relegating other tasks to gesture control, much like the iPhone X. This might be a drawback to users accustomed to the older style, but it will surely open up screen space for more attractive app designs.

Additionally, as iPhone users have known for years, gesture controls feel much more natural for a device meant to get out of your way. Navigation buttons feel very analog, which is at odds with a smart phone’s purpose of making things easy and quick.

App Suggestions

Another iOS-like feature, Android P will now intelligently use your habits and location to suggest apps to you. When you plug in headphones in the morning for your job, you may be prompted to open Spotify. When you get home and crash on the couch, Facebook could be suggested. These and other minor quality-of-life app integrations simply make your phone feel more like a natural extension of you.

Additionally, app “slices” are going to be integrated into the core functionality of the phone, another idea inspired by Apple. For instance, when using the map to look up various places, you may see a price from Uber or Lyft, encouraging you to open that app.

Adaptive Battery Life and Brightness

More ways to save your battery and save you headaches, Android P is said to intelligently learn which apps you use which days and preemptively turns off apps to save battery life. Google says this technology works with Deep Mind technology, using deep learning algorithms to better suit users’ needs.

Similarly, Android P introduces adaptive brightness, a system powered by similar learning algorithms. Between the time of day, amount of light hitting the sensor, user behavior and other factors, adaptive brightness seeks to help users manually adjust the brightness less and just enjoy their phones more.

Best New Android Feature: App Timers and Shush

Interestingly, Android P also comes with functionality to help you use it less. Firstly, the app dashboard will show you which apps you use the most, and which the device feels as though you are spending too much time using. Through this functionality you can set self-imposed time limits on apps, and the OS will shut them down after you have used up your self-allotted time.

In that same vein, Android P introduces Shush functionality. Shush is similar to a Do Not Disturb mode and can be enabled by setting the phone down with its front face on a surface. In Shush mode, the phone won’t alert you of any notifications, audio or otherwise. These features are very responsible and help users more tightly control their smart phone usage.