Android Go

In this article, we will explore the fascinating world of Android Go and its impact on different areas of society. From its influence on art and culture to its relevance in science and technology, Android Go has left its mark on history and remains a topic of great interest today. We will analyze its evolution over time, from its origins to its current state, and examine how it has shaped the way we think and act. Through this comprehensive analysis, we hope to offer an enriching and insightful view on Android Go and its relevance in the modern world.

Android Go
Android Go 10 home screen with Pixel Launcher
DeveloperVarious (mostly Google)
OS familyUnix-like (modified Linux kernel)
Working stateCurrent
Initial release8.1 (Go Edition) / December 5, 2017 (2017-12-05)
Latest release14 (Go edition) / December 15, 2023 (2023-12-15)[1]
Marketing targetLow-end/ultra-budget smartphones (with 2 GB RAM or less)
Platformsarm64-v8a (64-bit)
armeabi-v7a (32-bit)
Official websitewww.android.com/versions/go-edition/

Android Go, officially Android (Go edition),[2] is a stripped-down version of the Android operating system, designed for low-end and ultra-budget smartphones (but is also used by some tablets[3][4][5]). It is intended for smartphones with 2 GB of RAM[6] or less and was first made available with the release of Android Oreo.

The first phone pre-installed with Android Go is the Alcatel 1X, which was released in February 2018.

Features

Android Go has platform optimizations designed to reduce mobile data usage (including enabling Data Saver mode in Google Chrome by default), and a special suite of Google Mobile Services designed to be less resource and bandwidth-intensive. The Google Play Services package was also modularized to reduce its memory footprint.[7] The Google Play Store will highlight lighter apps suited for these devices.[8][9]

The operating system's interface differs from that of stock Android, with the quick-settings panel giving greater prominence to information regarding the battery, mobile-data limit, and available storage; the recent apps menu using a modified layout and being limited to four apps (in order to reduce RAM consumption), and an API for allowing mobile carriers to implement data-tracking and top-ups within the Android settings menu.[7] Some system services, such as notification access, split screen and picture-in-picture mode, are disabled to improve performance.[10]

Most devices running Android Go use Google's "stock" Android GUI, although there are several manufacturers that still use customized GUI.

Versions

Android Go was made available to OEMs for Android 8.1 and later, for Android Pie.

Version Android version
numbers 		Minimum RAM
required 		Android Go
release date 		Android release
date 		Days after
release 		End of
support 		Ref.
8.1 Oreo (Go edition) Old version, no longer maintained: 8.1 512 MB December 5, 2017 December 5, 2017 0 October 4, 2021 [11]
9 Pie (Go edition) Old version, no longer maintained: 9 August 15, 2018 August 6, 2018 9 March 7, 2022 [12]
10 (Go edition) Old version, no longer maintained: 10 September 25, 2019 September 3, 2019 22 March 6, 2023 [13]
11 (Go edition) Old version, no longer maintained: 11 1 GB September 10, 2020 September 8, 2020 2 March 27, 2024 [14]
12 (Go edition) Old version, yet still maintained: 12 December 14, 2021 October 4, 2021 71 Current [15]
13 (Go edition) Old version, yet still maintained: 13 2 GB October 19, 2022 August 15, 2022 65 [16]
14 (Go edition) Current stable version: 14 December 15, 2023 October 4, 2023 72 [1]
Legend:
Old version, not maintained
Old version, still maintained
Latest version
Latest preview version
Future release

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "itel Launches itel P55T Smartphone with Android 14 (Go edition) and Long-lasting Battery". December 16, 2023. Archived from the original on March 9, 2024. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  2. ^ "Android (Go edition)". Android. Archived from the original on 2020-07-06. Retrieved 2021-07-02.
  3. ^ "Lenovo Tab E7 | Easy-to-use entertainment tablet | Lenovo AU". www.lenovo.com.
  4. ^ "Lenovo Tab E10 | 10.1" family entertainment tablet | Lenovo US". www.lenovo.com. Archived from the original on 2022-11-07. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
  5. ^ "Lenovo Tab M7 (3rd Gen) Specifications" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-11-07. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
  6. ^ "Android (Go edition)". Android. Archived from the original on 2021-06-04. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
  7. ^ a b "Android 8.0 Oreo, thoroughly reviewed". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on May 11, 2020. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  8. ^ ""Android Go" will strip Android down for ultra-low-budget phones". Ars Technica. Conde Nast. Archived from the original on August 18, 2019. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
  9. ^ "Android Go could help make Android O a runaway success". Engadget. Archived from the original on May 19, 2017. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
  10. ^ "Android (Go edition)". Android Developers. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
  11. ^ "Introducing Android Oreo (Go edition) with the release of Android 8.1". Blog. Google. 5 December 2017. Archived from the original on 25 September 2019. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  12. ^ "Android 9 Pie (Go edition): New features and more options this fall". Blog. Google. 15 August 2018. Archived from the original on 25 September 2019. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  13. ^ "More improvements for Android on entry-level phones". Blog. Google. 25 September 2019. Archived from the original on 25 September 2019. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  14. ^ "Android 11 (Go edition): New features coming to more devices". Blog. Google. 10 September 2020. Archived from the original on 11 September 2020. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  15. ^ A closer look at Android 12 (Go edition) Archived 2022-04-08 at the Wayback Machine.
  16. ^ "Android 13 (Go edition): Easier to update and tailored just for you". Google. 19 October 2022. Archived from the original on 20 December 2022. Retrieved 19 October 2022.