Not much is known about Android 9.0 P right now, but a new report says Google's next update would bring a dramatic redesign to tempt iPhone users to switch.
Citing "people familiar with the situation," Bloomberg reports that the major interface changes in Android P are part of the tech giant's larger plan to win some of Apple's share in the high-end phone market. Apparently, a major redesign could help Android phones stand out this year, especially since the iPhone maker is reportedly putting its own visual overhaul on the back burner this year in favor of performance and reliability in iOS 12.
It remains to be seen what exactly Android's redesign will entail. However, it is suggested that the mobile operating system could see its first major aesthetic change since the introduction of Material Design with Android 5.0 Lollipop in 2014.
Along with it, Android 9.0 P is also said to natively support a wider variety of device form factors including those with a notch in the display like the iPhone X. While divisive at first, smartphone makers have slowly followed Apple's footsteps, embracing the notch in a bid to trim down bezels yet improve front-facing sensors. The Essential Phone, for instance, has a small notch cut out in the upper part of its screen. Rumor has it that Huawei's upcoming P20 will feature one as well.
However, it is not just the polarizing notch that will have support in the next iteration of Android. Phones with multiple screens like the ZTE Axon M and flexible displays, which Samsung is rumored to be working on, will be addressed too.
Other expected improvements to the Android 9.0 P include a better battery life and a deeper integration of Google Assistant. This time, third-party apps will be allowed to integrate the assistant into their apps.
The Android 9.0 P has no release date at the moment but its developer preview is expected to be announced sometime next month. Its official unveiling should then follow at the Google I/O 2018 in May.
