Google Pixel first-generation was launched with Android 7.1 Nougat, Pixel 2nd generation came with Android 8.0 Oreo, and now the Pixel 3 series will obviously run on Android P whose first developer preview was released recently. Although we don't have the Pixel 3 at our disposal just yet, fortunately, we have our first traces of the device showing up in AOSP. In a commit titled “Cherrypick ‘Add device config to decide which Auto Selection Network UI to use,’” the description states that a new configuration has been added to the Android framework “because the HAL V_1_2 only supports Pixel 3, and the new Auto Selection Network UI is based on HAL V_1_2.” HAL, it refers to a Hardware Abstraction Layer which is a piece of software that fills the gap between the Android operating system and the hardware. There is not much information available about the new HAL, but it is presumably for radio features that might be only found on the Google Pixel 3. There is no way to tell it for sure though. In another commit, there's a new “NetworkScan API,” but then again there is not much of information here either. It is safe to assume that the new HAL and the “NetworkScan API” will surely limit the ...
Friday 6 April 2018
Google Pixel 3 references surface in AOSP, hints at improved networking
Google Pixel first-generation was launched with Android 7.1 Nougat, Pixel 2nd generation came with Android 8.0 Oreo, and now the Pixel 3 series will obviously run on Android P whose first developer preview was released recently. Although we don't have the Pixel 3 at our disposal just yet, fortunately, we have our first traces of the device showing up in AOSP. In a commit titled “Cherrypick ‘Add device config to decide which Auto Selection Network UI to use,’” the description states that a new configuration has been added to the Android framework “because the HAL V_1_2 only supports Pixel 3, and the new Auto Selection Network UI is based on HAL V_1_2.” HAL, it refers to a Hardware Abstraction Layer which is a piece of software that fills the gap between the Android operating system and the hardware. There is not much information available about the new HAL, but it is presumably for radio features that might be only found on the Google Pixel 3. There is no way to tell it for sure though. In another commit, there's a new “NetworkScan API,” but then again there is not much of information here either. It is safe to assume that the new HAL and the “NetworkScan API” will surely limit the ...
