[Can This Be True?] Google Starts Working On Android P '9.0'
Barely few weeks back the Android O which Google named Android Oreo and also known as the latest version of Android (8.0) was launched. About five months back, the developer Preview of this same version of Android was released.
The new Android OS has not been seen in any other device aside from the Pixel and Nexus devices which are owned by Google. Perhaps, some devices that are not Google will get this update before the year runs out.
The news about the Android Oreo is still on while on the other hand, it's the rumor of the upcoming Android P which will be the Android 9.0.
Isn't it a bit odd?, Google has not even release the Android 8.1 which suppose to be the immediate update after the Android 8.0 and now, it's another rumor.
According to Kickedface, Google has already started working on the next major version of Android. However, a new tag was opened up in AOSP Project with the name "Master-P" which tells commits made to the AOSP master branch will show up in Android P '9.0'.
Google is already one step ahead of others which has proven to be the truth, hence almost everyone is aware of it.
Presently, Google is testing it's Android P '9.0' on three devices, it shows three commits of Google pixel (sailfish) and Google Pixel XL (Marlin) with new platform code name and version. You can take a look at the image below.
Hence, the code is Android P as compared to Android O for the previous release. The platform version is PPR1 compared to OPR1 which is in correspondent with Google's new number format.
Additionally, this changes the platform version in the compatibility "Master is P only, executing old values", Test suite from '8.0' to just "P".
This makes it clear that further testing on commits made to the master branch, all of which go under Android P will be done to make sure that they pass the updated CTS.
"Why is the change necessary if the master branch is now for Android P related commits only" a Googler 'Lan Pedowitz' asked, another Googler by name Bowgo Tsai dropped a feedback regarding to what he asked, saying "He copied from internal Gerrit".
However, he went on to state that he's not sure if OMR1 is needed. The OMR1 is something new we never heard of, what we can say is that the OMR1 is being referred as an Android Oreo Maintenance Release (i.e the Android 8.1).
If this information turns out to be true then the Android P and the newly launched Android Oreo may possess some look alike features, though there must be some changes but it won't be much.
This information has not been confirmed to be the truth, it's still rumor, it's obvious that we might be wrong based on some information because we are not authorized to Google's International Gerrit. Perhaps, Google maybe completes the Android 8.1 release and must be testing it until Pixel 2 is launched.
Thus, we can't jump into conclusion about the Android P '9' because it's a bit too early for such news but still, all it this point at one thing.
Google is preparing something and AOSP shows that Google probably has a list of features they are aiming at for the next major release of Android.
Hence, this version of Android (9.0) might be the last version of Operating system for Android devices then a new set of device with another OS name and version will land.