Android 9.0 Update: Only Some Phones Will Get The New OS This Year

Some phones from HTC, OnePlus and Xiaomi among others will get updated to the new Android version.

Google’s Android Pie system started rolling out for Google Pixel phones on 6 August, 2018.

(Photo Courtesy: Google)

Android 9.0 is officially called Pie (not Peppermint) and the latest version will enhance the smartphone experience with a focus on gesture support.

The latest Android version also named after a dessert, caters to basic functionalities like adaptive brightness settings via Google’s machine-learning expertise and even ensures that your phone’s battery doesn’t drain in a jiffy.

But the most important question is, which phones will get updated to Android Pie this year? This has been Android’s biggest problem when compared to Apple’s iOS, which has a quick turnaround time.

Android pays the price for being an open-sourced platform, which helps brands like Xiaomi, Samsung and others to customise their Android skin over the default version. With Android One, Google is looking to change that pattern, and ensure more phones get updated to the latest Android flavours in the same year.

Android Pie Update via Android One

These phones were launched as part of the Android One program, and likely to get the Android Pie update earlier than others:

1. Essential Phone
2. OnePlus 6
3. Sony Xperia XZ2
4. HMD Global Nokia 7 Plus
5. Xiaomi Mi A1 and Mi A2

The intuitive navigation not only makes the experience seamless, it also makes navigation keys look obsolete.(Photo Courtesy: Google)

Other than these, HTC also confirmed its roll-out plans for Android Pie for high-end phones like the HTC U11, U11+, which will get updated soon.

Google Pixel phones; Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL have already got their Android 9.0 updates over the air.

The likes of Oppo 15 Pro, Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S and Vivo X21 are also confirmed to get Android 9.0 by end of this year.

It’s intriguing that no major Indian mobile brand has confirmed its plans for the roll out of the Android Pie update. After all, many of these brands are yet to have product launches that make the headlines.

We also don’t know when Reliance Jio’s Lyf range of smartphones will get the Android 9.0 update. The same is the case with Asus and Huawei (with Honor), who are yet to specify a timeline for the roll-out of Android Pie for its devices.