Android P news: Android Oreo successor features new UI, support for dual cameras

A promotional photo for the Android taste testFacebook/AndroidOfficial

Just months after the release of Android Oreo, Android 9.0, which is called Android P, has just been revealed. Although it is not out on Android devices yet, just like whenever a new version comes out, Android users can already get to see what they can expect when they upgrade their phones.

Most phones nowadays, regardless of the brand, more often than not feature dual cameras. While this definitely helps in taking better photos, the potential has yet to be tapped. Applications have yet to utilize this feature and thanks to Android P, app developers can now access feed from the dual cameras.

On the side of the phone's user interface (UI), several changes were made. Previous versions often changed the look of the notifications and Android P does the same. Whenever getting a new message, the notification will appear including the last messages sent before the new message to provide more context.

Like the iPhone, it also supports being able to reply from the notification itself instead of opening the messaging app. There are also "smart replies" or text templates when needed. On the UI of the phone itself, there are more rounded icons and elements. Of course, there are some icons that have not been fixed yet but Google knows this and will most likely provide a fix.

On other areas, the Android P also provides better security. It will block background apps access to a microphone, camera, and other sensors. When connecting to public Wi-Fi, the Android P will also use a fake MAC address. There is a new Lockup feature which allows the user to temporarily disable the fingerprint scanner so other people would not be able to unlock it while the user is asleep.

There is to more to it than what is just mentioned but these are the noticeable differences. As for when it will be released, this will depend on the phone companies.