The Android Go project was announced as far back as Google I/O in May this year, and today, Google is ready to ship the project. Designed for entry-level Android devices with less than 1GB of RAM, Android Oreo (Go edition) is now available to device manufacturers and developers.
Basically, consumers can expect to see affordable, entry-level devices to ship with the Go edition of Android Oreo in the near future. What sets Android Go apart from the standard version of Android Oreo lies in a number of differences, which are optimised for low-end devices with 512MB to 1GB of RAM.
One of the most noteworthy features of Android Oreo (Go edition) are apps designed specifically for devices with limited hardware. Not only are these apps smaller in size, they’re also designed to run smooth and fast on entry-level devices. The list of optimised apps include the Google app itself, YouTube, Google Maps, and even Chrome.
Aside from that, Android Go also comes with a tuned version of the Google Play Store. While it still allows users to download any app from the Play Store, it will also highlight apps that are designed to work best on entry-level devices.
Unlike the Android One program – which sees Google working together with a specific manufacturer – Android Oreo (Go edition) is part of the Android Open Source Project (AOSP): any manufacturer can use it if they desire. With the launch of Android Go, lower-end phones should be a lot more pleasant to use.
