Android Oreo is getting an update and it was recently announced that a preview will be available. Among the usual improvements and efficiency enhancements, the update will have something exclusively for Pixel 2 owners. Android 8.1 will also activate "Visual Core" — a hidden imaging chip that was previously unusable on the Pixel 2.
Visual Core is the first ever processor Google designed for consumer devices. It shipped with Pixel 2 devices, but it did not have any purpose before the update.
As Android 8.1 rolls out, the Visual Core in Pixel 2 devices will be activated. This is expected to bring a number of advantages as far as image processing is concerned.
For one, apps that use the camera will be able to utilize Google's HDR+ system more efficiently. With the aid of the Visual Core as a dedicated imaging processor, the process will be much faster.
The Visual Core will make shooting pictures and processing videos quicker. However, Pixel 2 imaging is already fast in its current state. App developers would be gaining the ultimate profit from a dedicated processing device.
Android 8.1 will also feature optimizations for Android Go, a feature that works with devices that have less than 1 GB of memory. The Neural Networks Application Programming Interface (API) would also be added and it is designed to "accelerate on-device machine intelligence."
The preview for the update was announced at the official Android developers blog. If a user's device is enrolled for the Android Beta Program, they should receive the 8.1 preview within the next few days.
However, it is not advisable to enroll a device in the Beta Program if it is used for important work. Doing so may subject the device to irreversible bugs that may leave the phone unusable. Furthermore, users cannot opt-out of the Beta Program without doing a complete wipe of the enrolled devices.
