So Android Pie was released on the 6th of August
2018 to Google’s Pixels phones, which as a Google Pixel user obviously pleased
me. It was a nice benefit that would encourage me to purchase the next Google
Pixel. Android 9 was marketed as a product that is tailored to you and learns
your preferences as you continually use the system. This is exciting as they
have implemented a lot of machine learning features such as adaptive battery,
brightness and app actions. As machine learning develops at a rapid rate you
can’t help but wonder what new features will be made available to consumers? I
will explain my experience thus far of using the new operating system.
Digital Wellbeing
I’ll start with one of my favourite features the Digital Wellbeing
feature which is currently in beta but is easy to access through signing up via
email. This feature has been the most beneficial for myself. The option to
monitor your phone usage by viewing the stats and feedback Digital Wellbeing
offers has helped me reduce my usage.
Moreover than this the new function wind down mode allows
you to select when your phone effectively shuts down for the night. The
grayscale and do not disturb mode can be enabled and has discouraged me to use
my phone at night to enable me to get a better sleep. As Google puts it “Great technology should help not distract”.
A powerful message which aligns with Facebooks’ and Instagrams’ introduction of
time limit tools to control usage. As I said the Digital Wellbeing feature is
currently in beta so I am excited to see if there will be any more new features
added.
On top of this you can now set time limits on usage of apps.
Once your allocated time limit has been reached the app turns grey and does not
allow the user access to the app. Obviously you can change this at any time.
However the effort to do so discourages users and provides a healthier outlook
to social media use. With growing concerns over heavy social media usage
becoming a constant feature of the news, I can only see this as beneficial. As
well as this notification management is a new feature provided by Wellbeing
however I have yet to use this as managing notifications for 15 different apps can
become a daunting task. This feature could be improved by finding a more user
friendly alternative.
Adaptive
Brightness & Battery
Other features such as adaptive battery and brightness are useful additions. My original thoughts were why have Adaptive Brightness when there is already the auto-brightness feature? However after doing some research, the operating system encourages you to use the brightness slider to control your brightness at different points during the day. This way the feature learns what brightness you prefer throughout the day. This was not immediately obvious to me and originally became frustrated with the feature and turned it off. However I now see the benefits of it, again you need to give the feature time to learn and adapt to your preferences.
Other features such as adaptive battery and brightness are useful additions. My original thoughts were why have Adaptive Brightness when there is already the auto-brightness feature? However after doing some research, the operating system encourages you to use the brightness slider to control your brightness at different points during the day. This way the feature learns what brightness you prefer throughout the day. This was not immediately obvious to me and originally became frustrated with the feature and turned it off. However I now see the benefits of it, again you need to give the feature time to learn and adapt to your preferences.
Adaptive Battery operates in
a similar way, except it deals with the amount of energy consumed by apps, not your
display. The feature examines the apps you like to use and when you use it. It
then controls background processes to the appropriate apps when you need them. I
have noticed an improvement on my battery consumption with both features which
is a bonus and smart thinking on behalf of the developers.
App Actions
Another feature which I see as a useful addition but have yet to have much use out of is app actions. As Google states “App Actions predicts what you’re about to do, so you get to your next task more quickly. If you do something like connect your headphones, the playlist you were listening to earlier is front and center.” App actions can appear in your app drawer and suggest possible actions you are about to do next. The feature has yet to predict accurately for myself. It has suggested Spotify playlists I could listen to but does not pinpoint the playlist I want. Maybe I am being a bit harsh or I do not consistently repeat actions for the feature to predict accurately. However it is a nice feature to have.
Another feature which I see as a useful addition but have yet to have much use out of is app actions. As Google states “App Actions predicts what you’re about to do, so you get to your next task more quickly. If you do something like connect your headphones, the playlist you were listening to earlier is front and center.” App actions can appear in your app drawer and suggest possible actions you are about to do next. The feature has yet to predict accurately for myself. It has suggested Spotify playlists I could listen to but does not pinpoint the playlist I want. Maybe I am being a bit harsh or I do not consistently repeat actions for the feature to predict accurately. However it is a nice feature to have.
Gesture Navigation
Finally Android Pie have introduced intuitive navigation which I actually quite like. After turning on gestures through settings you can simply swipe up to gain access to your recents screen. Another smart feature is swiping right on the home button to move to your last app used. As well as being able to drag the home button left and right to see all your previously used screens. All these little gestures and improvements to the navigation make the phone feel a lot smoother and intuitive to navigate. Gone are the days where Android provided an abundant of options which often clouded and confused the user.
Finally Android Pie have introduced intuitive navigation which I actually quite like. After turning on gestures through settings you can simply swipe up to gain access to your recents screen. Another smart feature is swiping right on the home button to move to your last app used. As well as being able to drag the home button left and right to see all your previously used screens. All these little gestures and improvements to the navigation make the phone feel a lot smoother and intuitive to navigate. Gone are the days where Android provided an abundant of options which often clouded and confused the user.
Conclusion
In conclusion I believe this is a brilliant upgrade and provides great
competition to IOS. I know from personal experience, friends would choose
iPhones for their simple and intuitive IOS. Android was seen as over
complicated. I couldn’t put it any better than “Android 9 Pie signals a tonal
shift by Google. This feels like the first version of Android explicitly
designed to demand less of your time, not more — from its focus on combating
digital addiction to a redesigned navigation scheme that relies on just one
button to carry out an assortment of tasks.”
You can check out Adams’ brilliant blog on Android 9 here. https://www.tomsguide.com/us/android-9-pie,review-5653.html.
For others looking to receive Android Pie, Google says that
manufacturers who had devices eligible for the Android P beta will receive the
full version “by the end of this fall”.
Follow @EdwardMuldrew
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