Roger Fingas
Google on Wednesday revealed a slew of details about the next version of Android, codenamed Android P, including a pair of features following in Apple's footsteps.
Most significantly, devices running Android P will support the same HEIC version of the High Efficiency Image Format (HEIF). HEIC files are roughly half the size of JPEGs, an important achievement given the growing size of both apps and camera resolutions.
HEIC files can include several photos, or even short videos, though Apple doesn't use the format for iOS's Live Photos.
Android P will also natively support devices with edge-to-edge displays interrupted by an iPhone X-style notch, which Google refers to as a display cutout. A number of Android devices — such as the Essential Phone — already make use of notches, but until now vendors have had to customize Android accordingly.
In development, app creators can simulate "narrow," "tall," or "wide" cutouts, letting them know where to avoid displaying content.
Android P is now available in preview form, but the final version won't reach the public for several months and even then, only to a very limited amount of devices. The most recent publicly released version of Android, "Oreo," has approximately 1.2 percent adoption, according to Google itself.
AppleInsider Staff
Malcolm Owen
Oliver Haslam
Andrew O'Hara
Wesley Hilliard
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
40 Comments
Before everyone laughs at this artificial notch, it's specifically for developers in creating software. Not for everyday use. :D
Jpeg is dead, Jim.
Ugh... the notch. Of all the iPhone features that the Android universe could copy, why that one?
Still slavishly copying, It’s like a remote tribe seeing a car for the first time, making one out of mud and straw, and focusing on adding killer airbags.