What’s new in Android P?

At I/O 2018, Google served up a detailed look at some of the features coming to Android P, and rolled out the first public beta. The Android P Beta is now available to download on Google's Pixel devices, as well as select flagship devices from Essential, Nokia, OnePlus, Sony and other vendors. Android P is creating features to help you use it less.

Here's everything you need to know about the latest Android announcements.

Search bar

First of all, the Google search bar is moving from the top of the screen to the bottom, so it's within reach, and you're not stretching your fingers. Google's also slimmed down the home button, and added new navigational gestures.    

App actions

Google is inserting more prediction tools into its app drawer. Android P goes a step further with app actions that predict what you'll do next, and these shortcuts sit in a row right underneath the predicted app icons. It shows shortcuts for calls, or your daily routine workout plan, It's like Android P is reading your mind.

Home button

if you slide up from the home button on the bottom of the screen, you'll see all of your app icons. Sliding your home button to the left opens up multitasking views, and you'll be able to perform quick actions from this view. If you tap on it then go to home screen, long press then launches Google Assistant, half swipe up then go to the overview screen.

Volume function

The volume buttons on Android phones will now default to adjusting the media volume settings, and not changing your notification sounds. this time it's off to the right side near the volume rocker. Pressing the volume keys will now adjust the media volume instead of sometimes controlling the ringer volume. The ringer can be turned on and off through a software toggle button when you adjust the volume.

Screen rotation

You'll also be able to manually control screen orientation. This will be done via a pop-up icon that appears when you rotate the screen. Now you won't have to rotate the screen on the phone often mistakenly.

Dashboard

The Dashboard deals with the "digital wellbeing" aspect of Android P. The feature gives you a detailed overview of the amount of time you've spent on your phone, breaking down per-app usage, number of times you've unlocked your phone, number of notifications received, and such. Dashboard is designed to give you answers to those questions.

Manage notifications button

at the bottom of the notification tray is a new “Manage notifications” button. Tap it, and you’re taken to a screen that shows all your app notification preferences, ordered by how recently they notified you. You can also sort by which apps send the most notifications.

App drawer

There’s one more option to reduce distraction for corporate users. On Android, it’s possible to have your phone configured so you have separate “work apps” from your regular apps. In Android P, those apps are separated out into a different tab on the app drawer. At the bottom of that tab is a toggle switch to disable them. So when you go on vacation, you can also take a holiday from your work apps without having to go through the rigamarole of turning off notifications one by one.

App timer set

You'll also be able to set app usage limits with App Timer, which will deliver reminders when you're getting close to your usage time and gray out the icon once you exceed the limit.

Granular controls for DND

Android P introduces granular controls for Do Not Disturb, and there's a new gesture where your phone will automatically switch over to DND mode whenever you place it face down on a surface. Finally, a Wind Down feature turns the screen grayscale at your chosen bedtime. In addition to silencing alarms, it won't even display visual notifications. Eliminating both audible and visual noise from your life when these modes are enabled.

Slices

Slices is designed to change how you interact with apps you already have installed on your phone. If you're looking to book a taxi, you can simply search for Lyft within Google Search or say, "I want to book a ride" on Assistant and you'll see an interactive link that's already populated with directions to your home or work addresses. With Slices, it's got stuff done quicker, instead of having to open up a ride-sharing service like Lyft and book a cab. Now you'll be able to do that directly from within Search or via the Assistant.

Adaptive battery use and display dimming

With Android P, Google is turning to machine learning to maximize your phone's battery life. The Android team worked closely with Alphabet's DeepMind to roll out Adaptive Battery, which monitors your usage habits to determine apps and services you use the most to effectively manage battery power. The feature will be able to cut down CPU usage by up to 30% when waking up apps.

Android P is also getting a retooled Adaptive Brightness mode that leverages machine learning to learn how you set the brightness slider at a particular location.

Shows battery percentage

The biggest change here is that down at the screen's bottom, it displays the battery percentage so that you don't have to wake it to know whether you need to plug in or not.

Text

Text is sharper, there's generally more color in the menus, transition animations have been touched up, and some stuff has been moved around. It looks and feels fresh.

Clock appearance

It's now on the top left corner of the screen. App notification icons pile next to it.

Notification windows

a rounded-off edge, matching the look of notification windows that you see when you wake up your phone. This is obviously a minor touch, but it plays into the overall look.

A screenshot button

They also added a screenshot button to the menu. Previously, it done via pops up when you hold the power button down in case you hit the volume + power key combo.

No More Out-of-Date Apps

Google is cracking down on apps designed for previous generations of Android in the P developer build. If an app doesn't use a recent SDK targeting Android 4.2 or later, users will see a pop-up alert when they try to install it.