We’ve known for a while now that Samsung is getting ready to roll out Android Oreo beta update to the Galaxy S8 and S8+ units.
In fact, the official EULA and FAQ pages went live in the official Samsung Members app just yesterday, prompting suggestions that the update is to be rolled out very soon. Even though the OS is not yet rolling out, we now have more details of what to expect.
A Redditor has reportedly received the first Oreo beta on a Samsung Galaxy S8. The update comes with software version G950USQU1ZQJB which not only installs the latest Android Oreo beta on the S8 but also a new Samsung Experience 9.0 skin. According to the Redditor, there are not so many changes to the new user interface when compared to the previous version 8, which came with Android Nougat.
There are a bunch of Nougat features that are still present in addition to the new Oreo features. For instance, split screen and Notification Dots, but the latter has only been renamed to App Badge icons. Adaptive Icons is there, Search is much faster, redesigned settings and it’s now possible to invoke the Google Assistant using “OK Google” even when the phone is charging.
The nifty App Pairs feature that made its debut on the Galaxy Note 8 has also made its way to the Galaxy S8 and the Camera app has also received a few redesigns. Note that the OS is not yet rolling out officially, but given that someone already has it, it’s possible that Samsung may have secretly started the rollout.
For more details of how the new Oreo beta looks on the S8, hit the source link below.
Update: The update to Oreo beta is now live for Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ users in the U.S., UK and South Korea. If you are in the latter country, your phone must be from any of the three leading carriers in the country – KT, SKT and LG U+. Those in the U.S. must be on Sprint, T-Mobile or using an unlocked variant. The latter case is also true for those in the UK.
To get into the program, you have to register through the Samsung Members or Samsung+ apps, which can be downloaded via the Play Store. The update weighs a little over 1.4GB and just like any other beta version, it’s still not yet fit for use as a daily driver, but if you like getting ahead of the crowd, feel free to jump right in. Apparently, the slots will be limited at first, but Samsung will remove the restrictions at a later time.