Few know that Android has been around for quite some time in two iterations. One is a full-fledged OS that runs the vast majority of smartphones, and the other is stripped down. It is installed on the entry-level phones with weak hardware and poor performance. It is called Android Go, but, although it is as lightweight as possible, it receives the same updates and innovations as the main operating system, albeit with a slight delay. For example, as happened with Android 11 Go.
Android Go received a major update
Google released Android 11 Go for entry-level devices tonight. The developers of the search giant have done a great job of optimizing the operating system to make it as fast as possible and at the same time not devoid of basic functionality. Unfortunately, this had to raise the system requirements a little. If earlier smartphones on Android Go could have a maximum of 1-1.5 GB of RAM, now all devices with 2 GB of RAM should work on a stripped-down version of the OS.
What's new in Android 11 Go
Android 11 Go has almost all the same innovations as in Android 11
Most of the innovations of the main version Android 11 will be available in Android 11 Go:
- Pop-up chat bubbles on top of apps;
- One-time application permissions;
- Division of memory into independent Scoped Storage cells;
- History of incoming notifications;
- Screen recording function;
- Prohibiting the use of beauty mode in the camera by default;
- Improved password autocomplete mechanism.
However, there are also some innovations that cannot be found in the classic version Android 11. In this case, we are talking about a 20 percent increase in application launch speed. Google developers have partially rewritten the operating system program code and as a result simulated a hot start on a cold one. Simply put, now applications will launch as quickly as if they were already running and all this time were in standby mode in the background.
Minimum RAM for Android 11 Go
2GB RAM – new minimum for Android 11 Go
Despite the fact that now the maximum amount of RAM required to run Android 11 Go is 2 GB, this requirement applies only to new devices. For older machines running Android 10 Go, the update will be available regardless of RAM. So, at least, Google said. However, you need to understand that the actual release of Android 11 Go for old smartphones will depend solely on the desire of their manufacturers to support existing users and adapt the update for them at no cost.
According to Google developers, 2 GB of RAM will expand the capabilities of compatible smartphones. Indeed, thanks to the increase in RAM, devices will receive an additional 270 MB of free memory, which can be used to launch another 3-4 applications in the background. That is, it will directly affect the multitasking of the phone and will allow it not to unload running programs ahead of time. Coupled with Doze mode, which will keep them asleep and not waste battery life, this is a good and useful innovation.
Which smartphones will receive Android 11 Go
So far, no manufacturer has promised to update their smartphones to Android 11 Go
But if in the case of the classic version Android 11 there were quite a few vendors who promised in advance to release a new version of the OS for their devices, then in the situation with Android 11 Go there was not a single one. Neither Nokia, nor Samsung, nor Motorola, nor other manufacturers that release smartphones on Android Go, have expressed a desire to optimize the fresh update. Therefore, it is highly likely that fans of the cut-down operating system will only be able to use Android 11 Go on new devices.