 | |
 Android Go 10 home screen with Pixel Launcher | |
| Developer | Various (mostly Google) |
|---|---|
| OS family | Unix-like (modified Linux kernel) |
| Working state | Current |
| Initial release | December 5, 2017 |
| Latest release | 13 (Go edition) / October 19, 2022 |
| Marketing target | Low-end/ultra-budget smartphones (with 2 GB RAM or less) |
| Platforms | ARMv7 (32-bit) |
| Preceded by | Android One |
| Official website | www |
Android Go, officially Android (Go edition),[1] is a stripped-down version of the Android operating system, designed for low-end and ultra-budget smartphones (but is also used by some tablets[2][3][4]). It is intended for smartphones with 2 GB of RAM[5] or less and was first made available for Android Oreo. Android Go has platform optimizations designed to reduce mobile data usage (including enabling Data Saver mode by default), and a special suite of Google Mobile Services designed to be less resource and bandwidth-intensive. The Google Play Services package was also modularized to reduce its memory footprint.[6] The Google Play Store will highlight lighter apps suited for these devices.[7][8]
The operating system's interface differs from that of stock Android, with the quick-settings panel giving greater prominence to information regarding the battery, mobile-data limit, and available storage; the recent apps menu using a modified layout and being limited to four apps (in order to reduce RAM consumption), and an application programming interface (API) for allowing mobile carriers to implement data-tracking and top-ups within the Android settings menu.[6] Some system services are disabled such as Notification access, Split-screen, and Picture-in-picture mode to improve performance.
Most devices running Android Go use Google's "stock" Android GUI, although there are several manufacturers that still use customized GUI.
