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5 Things to Know About the Galaxy S8 Android Oreo Update

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The Samsung Galaxy S8 Android Oreo release is getting closer and today we want to take you through the most important things to know, right now, about the Samsung’s plans for Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ users.

Some companies, like Sony, have released detailed Android 8.0 Oreo plans. Others, like HTC, have rolled out official Android Oreo updates. Samsung, the world’s biggest Android manufacturer, has only revealed a few concrete Android Oreo details.

The company remains mum about most of it plans though it recently released a Galaxy S8 Android 8.0 Oreo beta, a beta that’s now spread to additional countries around the world.

The Galaxy S8 Android 8.0 Oreo update is the first update on the company’s list and it’s confirmed for two variants, the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+, in the United States, the United Kingdom, South Korea, and several other regions. It’s not confirmed, but we expect the update to roll out to the rugged Galaxy S8 Active down the road.

As the Android 8.0 beta makes progress, Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ users are desperate for information and this guide will walk you through everything we currently know about the company’s plans for the Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+, and Galaxy S8 Active.

It includes the latest news, a few things we expect from Samsung’s Galaxy S8 Android Oreo release, a quick peek at Google’s new Android 8.1 update, and some key information about the device’s Android 8.0 beta.

If you haven’t been following the Galaxy S8 Oreo update’s progress, this will get you caught up to speed in a few minutes.

Galaxy S8 Android Oreo Beta

Samsung’s released a Galaxy S8 Android 8.0 Oreo beta ahead of the official release for devices worldwide. Unfortunately, the beta is limited to the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ in a few specific regions.

The Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ Android 8.0 Oreo beta is currently limited to select users in the United States, the United Kingdom, South Korea, France, Germany, India, and Poland.

In the United States, it’s available for Galaxy S8 and S8+ users using Sprint or T-Mobile, or an unlocked version of either device. It’s unclear if the company plans to extend the beta to users on AT&T and Verizon.

In the United Kingdom, the program is available for Galaxy S8 and S8+ users who have an open market device (operator unlocked version).

And finally, the Galaxy S8 Android 8.0 beta program is available for Galaxy S8 and S8+ users who have a device locked to SKT, KT or LG U+ in South Korea.

Samsung is currently on its fourth Galaxy S8 Android 8.0 beta. It’s unclear how many betas the company will release or how long the beta will last.

Last year, the company’s Android 7.0 Nougat beta stretched from early November into late December. The official version of Android Nougat hit Galaxy S7 devices in early January.

How to Get the Galaxy S8 Oreo Update Right Now

If you own a Galaxy S8 in one of these regions you might give the Galaxy S8 Android Oreo update a go ahead of its official release date.

If you’re interested in signing up for the beta head over to our walkthrough. It will walk you through the process which should only take a few minutes to complete provided you have a Samsung account and the proper setup.

We’ve also put together a few guides that will help prospective and current Galaxy S8 Oreo beta users.

The Galaxy S8 Android Oreo update is extremely tempting, but most people should stick around on official software. The Galaxy S8 Android Oreo beta is buggy and dropping back down to an official version of Android can be time consuming.

If you’re on the fence, take a look at our reasons to and not to install the Android 8.0 Oreo beta on your Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8+ right now. It’ll walk you through the pros and cons.

If you do decide to install the update on your device, take a look at our pre-installation guide. It will help you minimize headaches before, during, and after the installation process.

You also should bookmark our list of fixes for common Galaxy S8 Android 8.0 Oreo beta problems. It’ll help you fix battery life problems and connectivity issues.

Samsung Galaxy S8 Android Oreo Release Date

With the Galaxy S8 Android Oreo beta making progress, we continue to inch closer to the official Galaxy S8 Android 8.0 Oreo release date. Unfortunately, we still don’t have a firm date to share with Galaxy S8 users.

In its initial Android 8.0 Oreo announcement, Google stated that its been working with its partners to deliver Android 8.0 Oreo updates before the end of the year.

Samsung was included on the list, but that doesn’t necessarily mean Samsung will push the final version of Android 8.0 Oreo this year. In fact, it looks like Samsung’s Android Oreo roll out will closely mirror its Android Nougat roll out.

Last year, the company’s Android 7.0 Nougat timeline looked like this:

  • November 9th: Samsung releases its Galaxy S7 Nougat beta. (November 2nd this year.)
  • December 30th: Samsung ends the Galaxy S7 Nougat beta.
  • January 5th: Samsung starts rolling Android Nougat out to Galaxy S7 users.

The Galaxy S7 Nougat update spent over a month in beta testing and started rolling out en masse to Galaxy S7 users in late January/early February.

This timeline lines up with recent information from a Samsung rep from the company’s beta program. The rep claims the Galaxy S8 Android 8.0 Oreo update should push out in January or early February at the latest.

Earlier this year, Samsung Turkey said it planned to roll out the update out in Turkey in early 2018 though it didn’t specify a specific release date.

Realistically, with the holidays as close as they are, and with the information we have on hand, we’re probably looking at an official release next month.

Samsung Galaxy S8 Android Oreo Update

Google’s Android 8.0 Oreo operating system delivers a wide range of new features, tweaks, and enhancements. These changes include 60+ new emoji, redesigned emoji, upgraded Notifications, improved boot speeds, deeper colors, Autofill, and several new security features.

If you want to start digging into Android 8.0’s changes, we’ve put together a guide that compares Android Oreo to Android Nougat.

It’s a great starting point and it will help you get familiar with some of the changes coming to your Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+, or Galaxy S8 Active.

Samsung’s version of Android 8.0 Oreo looks different thanks to the company’s new Samsung Experience 9.0 UI. With that said, the company’s included many of these features in its Galaxy S8 Oreo upgrade.

The Galaxy S8 Android Oreo update in its current state includes the new emoji characters, performance enhancements, and tweaks to Samsung’s apps and services. Highlights include:

  • Improvements to the Home Screen & Quick Panel
  • Samsung Keyboard upgrades
  • New Edge features
  • Custom Colored Folders
  • Improved Privacy in the Photo Gallery
  • Clock Enhancements

You can learn more about these enhancements in our guide to the Galaxy S8 Android Oreo update.

Android 8.1 Oreo

Everything we’ve seen points to Samsung pushing Android 8.0 Oreo to Galaxy S8 users, not Android 8.1.

Google recently released Android 8.1 for Pixel and Nexus phones and it delivers more than just fixes for bugs. It also brought some new features.

There’s always a chance Samsung jumps right to Android 8.1 Oreo, but that’s far from confirmed.

Last year, Google released Android 7.1.1 in early December for Nexus and Pixel devices. While some third-party manufacturers adopted the new version, Samsung’s kept most Galaxy devices on Android 7.0.

Many devices, including the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+, are still running Android 7.0 even as Samsung upgrades its mid-range devices to Android 7.1.1 Nougat.

Is this a big deal? Only if Samsung fails to deliver Android 8.1’s features and fixes in a timely manner. Most Samsung devices are running Android 7.0, but most of the changes from Android 7.1.1 are baked into the company’s version of Android 7.0.

4 Reasons Not to Install Galaxy S8 Oreo & 11 Reasons You Should

Install Oreo If You Want to Improve Your Security

Install Oreo If You Want to Improve Your Security

If you value your security, and we assume all of you do, you should think about installing the Galaxy S8 Oreo update soon after it arrives for your phone. 

Samsung continues to release important security patches for Galaxy-branded devices and your Galaxy S8's Android 8.0 Oreo update should bring the latest patches from Samsung, and Google, to your phone. 

The Galaxy S8 Android Oreo update delivers the company's latest security updates and we expect upcoming releases to come with newer security patches.

If you're curious about Samsung's security updates, you can read more about the changes on Samsung's website

If you failed to download an older security update from another month, you'll get those patches when you go to install Android Oreo on your Galaxy S8 for the first time. 

The Galaxy S8 Oreo update also comes with security improvements to Samsung Pay, Samsung's popular mobile payment solution. If you use Samsung Pay, you should probably download the Android Oreo update soon after it arrives for your phone. 

It also comes with some enhancements to Find My Mobile including the ability to remotely back up Secure Folder to Samsung Cloud when you lose your phone and a way to lock up Samsung Pass using Find My Mobile.

On top of those features, Oreo comes with enhancements to the device's Biometrics. Features that use biometrics like your face, fingerprints, and irises are only available when you use a secure screen lock type (pattern, PIN, or password).

If you decide to switch to a non-secure screen lock type (Swipe or None), the device will automatically suspend biometric authentication for unlocking and for verification in apps like Samsung Pay and Samsung Pass. 

6 Comments

6 Comments

  1. John Black

    10/20/2017 at 8:18 am

    I have a couple corrections for this. first is the latest build numbers for US and International are G950USQU1ZQJ7, G950U1UEU1ZQJ7, and G950FXXU1ZQJ9. And those builds I am also seeing beta builds for US Unlocked, so it might be getting it. Second is customer service agents do not get any information on upcoming beta programs until after they are announced, meaning that they don’t know, but may have heard rumors. Also the geek bench benchmarks were faked. I have more information on it, I can’t say any of it. But just know, the date is soonTM.

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