Buying a new smartphone today it is important that this is updated to the latest version of Android, currently Android 9, not only because it is safer against intrusions and malware, but also because it includes several really useful features as well as hidden tricks that, as the case may be, they can make a difference in using the smartphone.
The main functions of Android 9 I had already written an article, which we will now complete by talking about 8 most advanced features of the Android 9 system, tricks and secrets that allow you to optimize the capabilities of the most modern cell phones of brands such as Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi and all the others.
1) Picture-in-Picture
While with Android 7 the possibility of dividing the screen between two applications was added (using the multitasking button and then the one with two rectangles on the app, in Oreo it is possible instead to keep an app with the Picture-in-Picture mode, which means seeing it in a floating window in the foreground on the home screen. This type of mode only works with some applications like Chrome when watching a video in full screen, like Google Maps in navigator mode, with Netflix, VLC (but not all phones) and a few others.
You can see which apps support the functionality on your phone by going to Settings> Apps> Settings> Special access> Picture in picture . Since on some smartphones the setting can be in a different position, to find it quickly you can use the search bar at the top of the Settings screen and search for the word Picture .
To enter Picture in Picture mode for a video, when you see it in full screen, just touch the Home button on your mobile phone. For example, with Google Maps during road navigation, pressing Home on the phone reduces the map to a small floating window.
You can then open any other app with that window always in view.
2) Automatic filling of the password
Those who use Chrome by storing passwords and keeping them synchronized on the Google account, making sure that even on the Android phone the logins to the sites from Chrome are automatically filled, you can find it very convenient that this automatic access has also been extended to applications. If the passwords are stored in the Google account, you can make sure that they are also used to access the apps.
Those who do not use Google as a password manager, can also use the automatic compilation of passwords from the app to manage passwords such as 1Password, LastPass or Dashlane.
3) Notification channels
By going to Settings> Apps and tapping on the app name, you can configure which notifications that app can send.
For some apps like Whatsapp and Google Maps these configuration is very detailed, with the possibility of choosing the type of notification for all types of events. In this configuration Android 9 offers the possibility of using notification channels, or categories of importance:
Urgent: sound and sight on the screen.
High: sound.
Media: No sound.
Low: Without sound or visual interruption.
Notification channels help sort notifications by importance, and different notifications may appear for the same app.
Not all applications (and not all phones) support notification channels and importance categories.
A quick way to configure app notifications, when one appears, is to touch and hold until the More Settings button appears which takes you directly to the notification settings.
4) Postpone notifications
By sliding a notification with your finger slowly and only a little, an icon appears next to the one in the shape of a gear that has the design of a clock. That button allows you to postpone the notification by one hour or choose a different time interval from the drop-down box.
5) Notification points on app icons
With Android 9, the app icons on the phone's home screen show a dot in the low corner when that app received a notification. You can touch and hold on the app icon to view a new popup that will show all the notifications.
Unlike iOS, Android doesn't show the number of unread messages in place of the dot, unless you use a launcher that supports it like, for example, Nova Launcher or EMUI on Huawei phones.
6) Smart text selection, for copying and pasting.
Selecting a portion of text on a touchscreen has never been easy, especially on Android. With the Android Oreo version, text selection is facilitated because it is automatic for single words, numbers and dates. In addition, when you select text, for example, on the Chrome browser, a pop-up menu appears to make copy and paste and then, pressing the other options, also to search on Google and translate it.
7) Automatically enable Wi-Fi
This little trick allows you to automatically enable Wi-Fi when one of the high-quality saved networks is detected.
This way you can automatically keep wifi active at home or in the office. Enable this feature from Settings> Wireless and Networks> Wi-Fi> Wi-Fi preferences .
8) File Manager
Oreo has a hidden basic file manager.
To find it, open the Download app then tap the menu icon in the upper right corner and press " Show internal storage ".
Then open the main menu on the left of the screen and look for the name of the phone to be able to browse the folders, copy, move or share files at will.
READ ALSO: 5 hidden Android improvements to be activated on each phone
The main functions of Android 9 I had already written an article, which we will now complete by talking about 8 most advanced features of the Android 9 system, tricks and secrets that allow you to optimize the capabilities of the most modern cell phones of brands such as Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi and all the others.
1) Picture-in-Picture
While with Android 7 the possibility of dividing the screen between two applications was added (using the multitasking button and then the one with two rectangles on the app, in Oreo it is possible instead to keep an app with the Picture-in-Picture mode, which means seeing it in a floating window in the foreground on the home screen. This type of mode only works with some applications like Chrome when watching a video in full screen, like Google Maps in navigator mode, with Netflix, VLC (but not all phones) and a few others.
You can see which apps support the functionality on your phone by going to Settings> Apps> Settings> Special access> Picture in picture . Since on some smartphones the setting can be in a different position, to find it quickly you can use the search bar at the top of the Settings screen and search for the word Picture .
To enter Picture in Picture mode for a video, when you see it in full screen, just touch the Home button on your mobile phone. For example, with Google Maps during road navigation, pressing Home on the phone reduces the map to a small floating window.
You can then open any other app with that window always in view.
2) Automatic filling of the password
Those who use Chrome by storing passwords and keeping them synchronized on the Google account, making sure that even on the Android phone the logins to the sites from Chrome are automatically filled, you can find it very convenient that this automatic access has also been extended to applications. If the passwords are stored in the Google account, you can make sure that they are also used to access the apps.
Those who do not use Google as a password manager, can also use the automatic compilation of passwords from the app to manage passwords such as 1Password, LastPass or Dashlane.
3) Notification channels
By going to Settings> Apps and tapping on the app name, you can configure which notifications that app can send.
For some apps like Whatsapp and Google Maps these configuration is very detailed, with the possibility of choosing the type of notification for all types of events. In this configuration Android 9 offers the possibility of using notification channels, or categories of importance:
Urgent: sound and sight on the screen.
High: sound.
Media: No sound.
Low: Without sound or visual interruption.
Notification channels help sort notifications by importance, and different notifications may appear for the same app.
Not all applications (and not all phones) support notification channels and importance categories.
A quick way to configure app notifications, when one appears, is to touch and hold until the More Settings button appears which takes you directly to the notification settings.
4) Postpone notifications
By sliding a notification with your finger slowly and only a little, an icon appears next to the one in the shape of a gear that has the design of a clock. That button allows you to postpone the notification by one hour or choose a different time interval from the drop-down box.
5) Notification points on app icons
With Android 9, the app icons on the phone's home screen show a dot in the low corner when that app received a notification. You can touch and hold on the app icon to view a new popup that will show all the notifications.
Unlike iOS, Android doesn't show the number of unread messages in place of the dot, unless you use a launcher that supports it like, for example, Nova Launcher or EMUI on Huawei phones.
6) Smart text selection, for copying and pasting.
Selecting a portion of text on a touchscreen has never been easy, especially on Android. With the Android Oreo version, text selection is facilitated because it is automatic for single words, numbers and dates. In addition, when you select text, for example, on the Chrome browser, a pop-up menu appears to make copy and paste and then, pressing the other options, also to search on Google and translate it.
7) Automatically enable Wi-Fi
This little trick allows you to automatically enable Wi-Fi when one of the high-quality saved networks is detected.
This way you can automatically keep wifi active at home or in the office. Enable this feature from Settings> Wireless and Networks> Wi-Fi> Wi-Fi preferences .
8) File Manager
Oreo has a hidden basic file manager.
To find it, open the Download app then tap the menu icon in the upper right corner and press " Show internal storage ".
Then open the main menu on the left of the screen and look for the name of the phone to be able to browse the folders, copy, move or share files at will.
READ ALSO: 5 hidden Android improvements to be activated on each phone
