Android is Getting Official Support for Folding Displays, 5G, More

Google announced that it will formally support foldable displays, 5G communications, RCS messaging, and more in Android. It’s also bringing Android One, Google Assistant, and its Digital Wellbeing tools to more handsets from leading device makers.

“Android’s mission has always been to work closely with a broad and open ecosystem of partners to push the boundaries of hardware and software, bringing new experiences and capabilities to your mobile device,” Google vice president Jamie Rosenberg explains in a new post to the official Android blog. “Together with manufacturers, carriers, chipset makers and developers, we want to build mobile experiences that are both productive and helpful—whether that’s giving you new ways to explore the world, helping you stay on top of a busy day or providing the tools to maintain a healthy relationship with technology.”

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Here are the announcements.

Folding displays. Android will formally support the foldable displays we’re starting to see from handset makers like Huawei and Samsung, including unique features like multiple foreground apps.

5G. Android will be the first major computing platform to formally support 5G networking, and Google has worked with partners like Samsung, Xiaomi, LG, Huawei, Qualcomm, Sony, HTC, OnePlus and Vivo to help get the first-generation 5G-capable handsets to market.

Rich Communication Services (RCS). Google is adding RCS support to its Messaging app and has helped its partners like Samsung, Huawei, America Movil, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefonica, Telenor, and Vodafone launch RCS in 24 countries so far, enabling group chats, read receipts, improved media sharing, and more.

Android One. Activations of Android One handsets grew 250 percent last year thanks to strong uptake from Google partners like Xiaomi, LG, Motorola, and HMD Global. Android One is important for a number of reasons, but Google is highlighting perhaps the best reason: These devices get timely, regular software updates, including new Android versions.

Google Assistant. LG, Nokia, TCL, Vivo, and Xiaomi are among the Android handset makers that are adding dedicated Google Assistant buttons to at least some of their devices this year. Google expects over 100 million devices to ship in 2019 with a dedicated Google Assistant button.

Digital Wellbeing. Initially only available in Google’s Pixel-branded handsets and Android One phones, Google’s Digital Wellbeing tools are expanding to other phones, starting with the Moto G7 family.

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Conversation 4 comments

  • Daekar

    25 February, 2019 - 11:12 am

    <p>Nice to see Android One getting some love, and the RCS stuff might actually solve part of the Android messaging disaster that has been going for a solid decade now. 5G will matter someday a few years from now, and the native folding display support will be nice for a small subset of the market.</p><p><br></p><p>On a whole a decent slate of developments, even if the Digital Wellbeing functionality is only smoke and mirrors that by definition doesn't actually help the people who have problems.</p>

    • wright_is

      Premium Member
      26 February, 2019 - 2:32 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#407101">In reply to Daekar:</a></em></blockquote><p>What messaging disaster? I'm genuinely interested.</p><p>We had SMS for the first couple of years, then the messaging platforms like Signal, Telegram, Threema or WhatsApp took over, at least in Europe.</p><p>With SMS costing 9c to send, if you don't have a flat rate, messaging platforms quickly became very popular, especially as you could send multimedia without the horrendous prices of MMS.</p>

  • Daniel Blois

    25 February, 2019 - 1:01 pm

    <p>When? Android Q?</p>

  • mattemt294

    25 February, 2019 - 5:05 pm

    <p>Rcs has been in messages. But carriers are the problem in the US currently. Sprint users have it already I believe. Samsung messaging app is a mess currently. </p>

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