Google acknowledges we're on our devices too much, proposes some time management solutions

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

What was most impressive was the company's acknowledgement that we are spending too much time glued to our devices and that we're missin out on real life by being mired down by notifications and being distracted by social media, mobile games, infinite scroll experiences like Instagram of Facebook.

There were a lot of cool announcements today at Google I/O, the yearly pow-wow for all things Google. This is usually the time when we see the next version of Android as well as enhancements and improvements to the Google ecosystem, large as it is. Android is the world's leading smartphone platform with well over two billion user install base.

Google showed off smart functions of Google Assistant that can enable it to make calls and appointments just like a real assistant can. Improvement to the Photos app that can colour old Black and White photos using Machine Learning algorithms. Improved keyboard functionality and more intuitive Android OS features across the board.

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Android P might bring the ability to remember volume levels for different Bluetooth devices

With phones losing headphone jacks, people are relying more and more on Bluetooth headsets and accessories. And it seems Google wants to make life easier for users who are reliant on the technology. An AOSP commit titled “Implement Bluetooth device volume memory” shows the possibility that the next Android version, which we call Android P, will be able to remember the volume of your Bluetooth devices. Bluetooth volume memory, as the commit describes, will be handled on a “per-device basis.” The volume profiles will be stored in shared preference and will be loaded every time the device is connected. The description adds, “Volume is persisted for devices that both do and don’t support absolute volume.”

There is currently only one master volume for Bluetooth devices but with the possible introduction of volume memory being handled individually, it takes out the hassle of having to adjust volume each time you connect your phone to your Bluetooth accessories.

Source: Android Authority

This is what you can expect from Android P

Fragmentation is still a big issue with Android’s operating system but that isn’t stopping Google from working on the next iteration of its mobile OS. Android P will supposedly work on “improving the look of the software” so it can appeal to iPhone users who might be considering making the switch to Google’s platform. This might also be the best time for the company to redesign Android as Apple focuses on improving performance and reliability for iOS 12 instead of thinking of revamping the look. Another one of the new things we can expect to come to Android P is better integration with camera notches, similar to what we see on the iPhone X and Essential Phone. The upcoming OS update will also supposedly offer better support for different form factors like the ZTE Axon M’s multiple screens or the upcoming rumoured foldable displays.

Google will also supposedly embed Assistant further into Android with the company supposedly considering letting third-party developers directly integrate Assistant into their apps. Assistant might also find its way into the Google search bar on the home screen. If we rely on past instances, we might see a developer preview sometime next month with a more formal outing at Google I/O in May before the final version hits users in the fall. Well, at least the small number of users who can get access to them. At the moment, there are only 1.1 percent of Android users that are on Android Oreo.

Source: The Verge