Android Go might actually make ultra-cheap phones bearable
Google wants their Android operating system on as many phones as possible, even ones that may not currently be able to support it.
To that end, Google announced at its annual I/O developer conference a lighter version of Android called Android Go. It's a scaled-down version of the popular OS specifically designed for users with less than 1GB of internal memory on their devices.
"We’re excited about seeing more users come online for the first time as the price of entry-level smart phones drop," Google explained on its blog, "and we want to help manufacturers continue to offer lower-cost devices that provide a great experience for these users."
What's different about Go? A whole lot, it turns out.
In addition to optimizing the OS for entry-level phones, apps like YouTube Go and Chrome are getting custom designs so that they use less data and storage space. What's more, for devices running Android Go, Google Play will promote apps designed to run on entry-level devices.
Basically, Google is making sure it has a suite of products tailored for everyone — even those without the cash or desire to buy the latest Pixel.
"Part of Android’s mission is to bring computing to everyone," the company noted on its blog. They clearly intend to do that with Go.
Android Go is expected to be released sometime in 2018. Going forward, every version of Android will have an Android Go variant.
