Android Go Edition was first launched with Android 8 (Oreo) in order to provide an operating systems and Google apps optimized for low-end hardware with less than 1GB RAM. Since then more than 200 Android Go smartphones have been introduced in over 120 countries for as low as $30.
Follow the release of the “full” Android 9.0 Pie operating system last week, the company has now announced Android 9 Go Edition with several new features.
Android 9 Go Edition brings the following improvements at the OS level:
- Up to 500MB extra storage – So as shown above you may have 5.5GB free instead of 5.0 GB in Android 8 in a phone with an 8GB flash.
- Faster device boot times
- Better security features like verified boot
- Dashboard for tracking and monitoring data consumption
The company also made several improvements to Google Go apps with for example, Google Go being able to read webpages aloud, Google Maps Go supporting navigation with turn-by-turn directions, or Assistant Go adding support for Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese and Indonesian, as well as Bluetooth, camera and flashlight control.
If you’ve gotten an Android 8 Go edition device, I’m not sure you can expect an OS upgrade like you would with devices part of the Android One for example, but I’d expect you to benefit from Google Go apps.
Android 9 Go Edition smartphones are expected to launch later this fall.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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GMaps Go is basically a browser with low-spec mobile view!
Dunno about the other apps on Android Go.
but looks like these devices while low on initial cost,
will require big or even unlimited data plans…
Hard to understand why boot time would matter. You only boot a phone every few weeks. Seems like premature optimization.