However, it's easy to imagine that Google thought this through and came to the conclusion that OEMs were going to build cheap underpowered devices either way, slap their full Android skins on them, and make a terrible name out of Android. That's not to say that OEMs can't make resource-friendly skins, but leaving the optimization up to them might result in a far from ideal experience. The same low-end hardware that necessitates a lighter version of Android would also benefit from as fewer software modifications as possible. Google might have fallen to partner pressure here. You can pinpoint this as the reason Samsung would even consider making a Go edition phone.
Manufacturers are free to customize their devices with their own skin and apps so it's up to them whether to use a pure Android experience or one that is consistent with their brand and the rest of their devices.
With Go edition, Google didn't enforce the same restrictions as it did for Android One.
There's no other visible change in Chrome, but the app's install size has been reduced by half, from over 170MB to around 80MB. This helps with Chrome's RAM usage and makes the process of switching tabs faster and less painful on low-end hardware. There are no large scrolling thumbnails for tabs, only a black and white list with favicons, a close button, and a quick shortcut to reopen a recently closed tab.
The two most visible modifications affect multiple tabs in Chrome and multitasking/app switching.įor the first, the Chrome #enable-accessibility-tab-switcher flag is disabled, but acts as if it were enabled by default. Those are small changes you may not even notice. There's no System UI Tuner to customize the status bar and Do not disturb shortcuts, but Demo Mode is accessible in Developer options. Fewer apps are preloaded and you're given the choice to install some more when you set up the device the first time. Minus minor changesĪs it stands, the differences between Go edition and regular Android are very few on an OS level. We can't help but wonder whether removing some of these features would lighten up the OS further without hampering the experience in any significant way for most users. But some of these capabilities are rather lost on such low-end hardware, and might remain unused/untouched by those who would buy Go devices. Sure, it means Go edition is, on paper, as capable and as modern as regular Android. We're not sure what to think of this abundance of arguably inessential features. Assistant, Files, Gboard, Gmail, and the Google app have a lot of optimizations that keep their main functionality intact and shed everything superfluous. Several of Google's Go apps are smartly built for the markets and users who would buy these devices. Instead of using low budget devices as an excuse to pack outdated Android versions, manufacturers can more easily provide the latest features and security updates on these smartphones. Go is built using the most recent public release of Android.
Go edition is possibly the lightest version of Android on RAM and storage usage in the past several years. Under the hood, the Go edition has most of the features of Android Oreo 8.1, even ones you might not expect from a light OS. Go hits many correct notes, but is still a far cry from the lean smooth experience Google would have you believe. If you were to believe Ryne's experience, the answer would be a resounding no. Which changes or compromises have been made to the Android platform? Which features are missing or have been added? And are they all worth it? Is the Go edition's promise fulfilled? But we still haven't fully explored what Go edition is, exactly. Over the past month, we've shared with you our review of the Alcaltel 1X, the first US Go phone, and the Nokia 1, the first Go device to hit other markets. After being announced last December, it took a bit of time for the first Android Oreo (Go edition) devices to start hitting the market.