Google has just released Android Oreo 8.1 Go Edition available for developers. The Go Edition is a version of the latest Android operating system (OS) that is designed to run best on phones that have random access memory (RAM) of 1 GB or less.

Android Oreo Go Edition optimizes the OS in several ways. First, choosing this edition of Android tells the phone to install "Go" version of Google Apps that ship with the device. Apps like Gmail, Google Maps, and Google Assistant are replaced by their "Go" versions, which are smaller in size than the regular variants. This helps minimize the storage space taken by these apps.

There is also a data-saving feature built-in Chrome. This feature runs data through a Google server that minimizes the file size of website elements before delivering it to a consumer's phone. In an official blog post, Google claimed that this data-saver feature promises to save users 600 MB of data per year.

Go Edition also comes with a version of Google Play that highlights apps that will run best on the user's device.

Size optimizations in Android Oreo Go Edition may lead people to think that the light OS is worth installing even on higher-end phones. However, it should be noted that optimizing apps to become smaller in size increases their launch loading time.

The extra time consumed for launching apps is a reasonable tradeoff for low-end phones. However, users of higher-end phones like Google Pixel 2, Samsung S8, and iPhone X could worry less about memory constraints. Phones with higher memory can take bulkier versions of apps with the benefit of faster launch time.

In any case, the Go Edition promises to cut Google app size by 50 percent per app. It also boasts an average of 15 percent faster operation for apps that run on the platform.

Android Oreo Go Edition is a part of Google's ongoing project to optimize apps and data usage for low-end phones. Just recently they also launched Datally, an app that can help Android users manage their data consumption more efficiently.