Android Marshmallow vs Android Nougat vs Android Oreo

Android Marshmallow was Android 6. It was released in October 2015 and preloaded on Google Nexus 5X and 6P devices. This was soon to be followed in August 2016 by release 7.0 and 7.1 in October of the same year. Oreo, Android 8.0 was released on August 21st, 2017.

What are the major differences between these three releases? We will walk you through the major new features of Google’s Android Oreo and what it offers beyond what is available with Nougat and Marshmallow. This will be of interest to you if you have a Samsung, Google, LG or HTC smartphone or another portable device.

Comparison Between Android Oreo, Nougat and Marshmallow

Android Marshmallow to Nougat

What were the major changes between Android 6 and Android 7? There were quite a number — way over 50 changes that may not have been relevant to many but offered some very useful changes. Among these were:

• Battery Life: Battery life is important to any mobile device. Marshmallow’s Doze mode was improved in Nougat to allow one charge to give 30% more power.
• Notifications: Nougat allows you to use the toggle bar to activate Wi-Fi, adjust volume, switch networks and other functions. You can achieve all this by setting toggles over the notification bar to your own needs.
• Multi-Windows: Using Nougat, you can now run any two apps from the same user screen, switching between them by a tap. This split-screen feature was not possible with Marshmallow.
• The Marshmallow settings menu has been changed to a hamburger in Nougat. Each item in the stack is categorized to enable users to move from one setting screen to another directly.
• Notification Direct Reply: You no longer have to open the app to reply to a message. You can instantly reply to messages and chat with your friends all day without any delay.
• Android TV: You can now record your favorite TV shows on Android TV. Nougat allows you to record and playback any content from Android TV on your phone.
• Android Instant Apps: This feature enables you to use an app temporarily without downloading or buying it. Go to Settings > Google > Instant Apps then toggle to opt in or out. You can use the apps available. Why keep a flashlight app taking up space when you can use Nougat to use it only when you need it?

• Emergencies: Android Nougat introduced an emergency feature. This enables you to store important emergency information on your phone, such as any chronic condition you have (asthma, rare blood group, for example) or any special medication you may need. This information can be accessed by anybody without the phone having to be unlocked.

These are just some of the benefits that Android 7 — or Android Nougat — gives you over the previous version, Marshmallow (Android 6). Android seems to get better with every update (as it should) so now let’s have a look at Android 8. Also known as Android O, it has been given the name Oreo.

Android Oreo Vs Android Nougat and Marshmallow

How does Google’s latest mobile OS, Android 8.0, otherwise known as Android Oreo, compare with its predecessors? Many people have commented on its improved audio options. Audio functionality is very important to many people with mobile devices. The Android 8.0 Oreo comes with enhanced Bluetooth audio options, but that’s just the start.

1. Audio Options in Android Oreo

Samsung and other Android phone users can get access to some amazing app audio experiences. This is due to the app developers having access to some creative new features. Various fading options are available using the new VolumeShaper tool. This can all be achieved by developers without the need for a dedicated app.

Automatic ducking of sound from other audio or video apps can be applied so that transitions between foreground and background audio are much smoother than with Nougat. There are other audio tools available with Oreo that had not been present with earlier Android releases.

2. Bluetooth Codec Choices

Another audio benefit with Oreo is that you can select your preferred Bluetooth codec. This only applies if you understand Bluetooth and the codecs available. Android 8.0 integrates the Sony LDAC codes into the Bluetooth stack. LDAC transfers data up to a bit rate of 990 kbps, much faster than with most other smartphones. The highest quality option LDAC supports 24-bit, 96 kHz audio. Oreo allows you to select your own codec if you understand what you are doing.

With Nougat, it was left to your phone and wireless system to choose the default codec. With LDAC, you can choose your preferred Bluetooth codec if you understand what you are doing. Most people may not be able to use this option properly, but if you can then Oreo allows you to employ it.

There are five Bluetooth codecs in the Oreo Bluetooth codec menu: ACC, aptX, aptX HD, LDAC and SBC. You will need compatible playback hardware for these. They are all lossy other than LDAC. Your system will pick up the best codec for you, and best to leave it unless you know what you are doing.

3. Autofill Framework

The Autofill Framework is another new feature with Oreo. This is design to fill in forms requesting information such as credit cards or even just name and address much easier. To enable this service, go to Settings > System > Languages & input > Autofill service. Follow instructions and next time you have such details to enter into an online form, simply click a button.

If you are a developer, you can choose the fields that must be completed. You can also give hints as to the nature of the information required. There are already such facilities available for desktops and laptops, and most online antivirus and security software applications also offer a similar service. This is specifically for mobiles and cell phones.

These are the major advantages that Oreo has over Nougat and certainly over Marshmallow. Here are some of the others which may be even more important to you than those above.

4. Miscellaneous Features

• Gaming: Oreo has twice the speed and twice the performance than Nougat for gaming.
• Smart Predictive Text: Start typing in your phone number, address or other personal details and Oreo will complete the text for you. You can double tap to select a suggestion, and the app will provide a list of apps you may need next to use that information. Like any other apps new to you, try it, play with it and master it and it can save you a lot of time.
• Notification Dots: Notification dots appear on the icon of an app in the launcher. It lets you know that you have received a notification for that app. If you ‘long press’ on the app icon you can read the notification. The long press may also provide you with some shortcuts specific to the app.
• PIP Mode: PIP is Picture-in-Picture mode. Nougat provides this feature with Android TV. Oreo offers it for all Android, not only Android TV. Not only can you watch both YouTube and Netflix at the same time, but you can also multi-display your videos. For example, you can watch a Netflix stream on your TV while watching a YouTube video on your phone.
• Developer’s Features: Android 8.0, otherwise known to many as Android O or Oreo, offers many more new features that relate only to developers. Most developers will be well aware of what Oreo offers them and need no advice here. Google will be adding more Moves (Fingerprint Gestures) and other accessibility features to Oreo.
• Project Treble: One final word on Google Oreo. It was built on Project Treble. Project Treble consists of three parts (apps/platform/vendor) that are interconnected. The Android Apps and Android Oreo framework are connected to the Developer API and the Android Oreo framework and Vendor Implementation are connected by the Vendor OEM interface.

Another feature of Android Oreo is that as you use it, it learns how you share your information with other apps. For example, if you take a selfie it can suggest your favorite social media app you use to publish your selfies. Oreo learns these things the more you use it, and it can save you time opening your favorite apps for specific actions.

Summary: Android Marshmallow Vs Android Nougat Vs Android Oreo

These are some of the major new features that Android 8 offers. There are others relating to security and speed. Here is a summary of Android Marshmallow Vs Android Nougat Vs Android Oreo.

Android Nougat is a natural development of Marshmallow. It raised the Android 6 OS to another level that could meet the needs of the added functionality of Android 7. Most of the favorite features of Android marshmallow were incorporated into Nougat — only they were extended. Android 8, named Android Oreo, took the Android O into another dimension for developers.

It introduced a higher level of functionality and user options. The way it handles notifications is definite step upwards for users. Multi-fill, Wi-Fi Aware, Picture-in-Picture and smart sharing are more than enough for it to blow Marshmallow out of the water. Even Nougat comes nowhere close to the multi-display possible with Oreo.

Add everything together and Android 8, Android O or Oreo, call it what you will, wins hands down against its predecessors. Whether for end users or for developers, there is no doubt which version is best in the Android Marshmallow Vs Android Nougat Vs Android Oreo battle. That is only to be expected because each is intended as a step forward from its predecessor. Google has done it again!

Originally published at www.techlila.com on March 1, 2018.