Google officially names Android 9 as Android Pie

Android 9 is officially here and it’s called Android Pie. Keeping up with the tradition of naming Android versions after sweets, Google today revealed the official name for the upcoming Android P update. The update will be available for Essential Phone and the Pixel devices today.

While Essential has already announced the availability of Android Pie update today, we still have to wait for other OEMs to announce the Android Pie availability. However, Google confirmed that the devices which were in the Android P beta program will receive the Android Pie update in a timely manner.

Devices that participated in the Beta program from Sony Mobile, Xiaomi, HMD Global, Oppo, Vivo, OnePlus, and Essential, as well as all qualifying Android One devices, will receive this update by the end of this fall! We are also working with a number of other partners to launch or upgrade devices to Android 9 this year.

Google also confirmed earlier that Android One and Project Treble will allow more devices to get upgraded to Android Pie. The new update will bring many new features to Android like Digital Wellbeing dashboard, a new gesture-based navigation system, and other AI-enhanced improvements to the UI. However, these features are still in work and will be available for Android devices by the end of the year. Digital Wellbeing dashboard is still in beta and you can follow the steps below to get it on your Pixel device right now.

• Install the Android Pie update.
• Go to Google’s Digital Wellbeing Beta website
• Enter your email address and select “yes” on the “Do you have Android Pie on your Pixel?” question
• Soon after, you’ll get an email with an invite to begin testing digital wellness. Click the link in this email to accept the invite and begin testing.
• Within 24 hours of joining the beta, you’ll see digital wellness appear in your Android settings menu. There’s nothing to download, install, or update.

The update is available for Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL and Essential phone right now. If you own any of these devices then you can head to Settings and download the OTA updates. For other devices, the OEMs will release the dates and availability of Android Pie soon.