Tech enthusiasts drool like Pavlov’s dogs at the mere hint of a new $1,000 phone from Apple or LG or Samsung, but in reality, many people don’t buy flagship phones. But even inexpensive phones should be great too, right? That is the theory behind Android Go — and it has proven to be a hit, with over 1,600 Android Go devices now available. Here’s everything you need to know.
Aren’t there lots of versions of Android already? Why build yet another?
In developing markets like India and Brazil, smartphone infrastructure is the biggest barrier to the adoption of online services, not handset ownership. Hundreds of millions of people in India use Android phones — more than in the U.S. Google said — but they suffer from expensive, spotty networks that make it difficult to reliably access the web. To address that problem, in May 2017 Google announced Android Go: A new platform for bandwidth-optimized apps.
Recommended Videos
In addition to emerging markets, Android Go benefits many U.S. users as well. At Google’s 2018 developer conference, Google I/O, the tech giant announced the U.S. is the second-largest market for Android Go devices. In fact, 25% of the 300 million entry-level smartphones currently in the market are in the U.S.
Android Go was designed from the get-go with slower, low-memory devices in mind, Google said. The new Android 10 Go ships on Android smartphones with 1.5GB of RAM or less (Android Pie Go and earlier was restricted to 1GB of RAM or less) and exposes device-level connectivity settings to internet subscribers. Carriers can let people top up their data in their phone’s settings menu, and Chrome Data Saver — Google’s traffic-saving tool that uses proxy servers, compression, and machine intelligence to cut down on the amount of data consumed by web pages — will be switched on by default.
What are Go apps?
Google has released a spate of Go apps over the past few months.
A comparison between Google Maps Go (left) and Google Maps (right) on the Galaxy S8Image used with permission by copyright holder
These Go apps are smaller, stripped-down versions of the original counterpart. Many of these apps will be pre-installed on Android Go phones, but there are also “Lite” apps that are ideal for low-powered smartphones, like Twitter Lite.
The most recent addition to the stable is Gallery Go, a low-powered version of Google Photos that helps users to sort and edit their photos, without having to utilize their data connection. Like Google Photos, Gallery Go organizes user photos into specific categories, including selfies, pets, nature, and more. It uses machine learning to figure out what belongs where, so you don’t have to waste time labeling your photos. It also has access to a powerful editing suite that helps your pictures look their best. Best of all, all of this happens on your device, saving your mobile data for when you need it.
Gallery Go is available from the Play Store for devices running Android 8.1 Oreo and above.
What version is Android Go on currently?
Just as there was an Android Go (Oreo Edition) based on Android 8.0 Oreo, an Android 9 Pie (Go Edition) based on Android 9.0 Pie, there is now finally an Android 10 (Go Edition) based on the latest Android 10. According to Google, you’ll see some hefty performance increases in the new version, with apps launching 10% faster on Android 10 (Go Edition) compared to Android Pie (Go Edition).
However, not every Android Go phone will get the new version. Android Go doesn’t benefit from updates straight from Google, so updates are at the whim of each manufacturer. This was a problem with previous versions of Android Go, and it is symptomatic of Android’s continued fragmentation problem.
Those phones that are loaded with Android 10 (Go Edition) will benefit from Google’s new lightweight Adiantum encryption techniques, lending the same excellent level of data security to Android Go phones as is enjoyed on regular Android devices. Google’s excellent roster of Go apps has also been updated for Android 10 (Go Edition) with all the latest features, including Google Go’s read-along feature, and the super-slim Go Gallery that weighs in at a tiny 10MB.
Most excitingly, Android Go has grown significantly since the release of Android Pie (Go Edition). When the last version of Android Go was released, there were over 200 Android Go-powered devices available. Now, at the launch of Android 10 (Go Edition) Google boasts there are more than 1,600 devices running Android Go. These phones now make up over 80% of the entry-level Android phones activating today, with some devices being available for as little as $27.
It’s clear there is a strong demand for Android Go, and we can definitely expect to see more of it in the future.
Updated on September 25, 2019: Android 10 (Go Edition) has been announced.
How fast is 5G? What you need to know about 5G speeds
Cellular carriers around the country are doing everything they can to expand their 5G coverage networks. Millions of people are already covered by a 5G tower in their area, and more are scheduled to arrive throughout 2024 -- bringing increased speeds to folks everywhere from the biggest city to the most remote mountain town. Nearly all modern smartphones now support 5G, making it the new standard for wireless devices.
That means anyone with an iPhone 15 or Galaxy S24 has a phone capable of accessing 5G networks -- but how fast is 5G? And is it noticeably faster than 4G speeds? There are a lot of benefits to 5G networks, but they're not without their growing pains. And like its predecessor, your mileage may vary based on how many people are using the same towers as you or how far away you are from the nearest access point.
What is an eSIM? Here’s everything you need to know
If you've purchased a new cell phone in the past decade or so, you're probably already familiar with the SIM—the little thumbnail-sized card that's used to connect to your your carrier's cellular network —but in recent years smartphone manufacturers and carriers have started replacing them with something called an eSIM.
The "e" in eSIM stands for "embedded," which makes sense as this is a SIM card that stays inside your phone and can't be removed. It performs the same function as a traditional SIM card but has the potential to make things a lot simpler for most smartphone users. Almost any new phone you buy nowadays features eSIM technology, including the new iPhone 15. In fact, the iPhone 15 doesn't even have a physical SIM card slot available, and all iPhone 15 users need to transfer to eSIM -- giving a hint at where the technology is going. Pretty soon eSIMs could become the standard, with physical SIM cards gradually fading out of use.
But if you're confused by the concept of an eSIM, don't worry -- we've got you covered. Read on as we get more specific about what eSIM technology truly is, and how it differs from its predecessor, the physical SIM card.
Google Messages vs. Samsung Messages: Which app should you use?
Amid the rise of third-party messaging apps, texting remains a popular means of messaging in the U.S. If you own an Android phone, you've likely used or heard of Google Messages, which is positioned as the default text messaging app for Android. It is the culmination of Google's long history with multiple messaging platforms. Google has pursued smartphone companies to use its Dialer and Messages apps as their default since at least 2017 and now mandates them to use Google Messages as the default messaging app on all devices.
Meanwhile, if you have been a Samsung user in the past, you have likely also known and experienced the Samsung Messages app, which comes preinstalled on all Samsung phones and cannot be uninstalled. This is despite losing its spot as the default messaging app on Samsung Galaxy smartphones.
