Beta Yourself - Android Oreo

Lucky enough to have Oreo on your phone or tablet? Then listen up, we’ve found all the best bits you need to get the most from the latest Android operating system

THE BASICS

Snap it up

Small design changes can make a big difference, and you’ll see that in Oreo’s Camera app. It’s now much faster to switch between camera and video modes, and zooming’s simpler too – you can still pinch the screen, but double-tapping takes you to 50% zoom… and back. Do this repeatedly to feel like you’re in Wayne’s World.

Think links

Text selection has a hint of intelligence lurking under the surface in Oreo. When you select some text, you still get the usual cut, copy and paste options; but if your text is part of an address, Oreo will add a tappable link to Maps. Similarly, phone numbers and URLs respectively get Phone and Chrome links.

Play it cool

When you want to pretend you’re being productive but actually watch cat videos, Oreo’s picture-in-picture mode is just the ticket. In supported apps, set a video playing in full screen, hit Home, and you’ll be in PiP heaven. The ‘supported’ bit is the snag. Bafflingly, YouTube wasn’t on the list at the time of writing, although Facebook was.

Press your point