In a surprise development, a new image of Google Pixel 2XL that shows the OS running on it as the Android R has surfaced and has received the latest update in January 2020. This has set off a series of comments on how this is possible so early in the day when even the Android 10 OS is yet to reach many new models of phones. More importantly, why would Google want to load the new operating system on one of its oldest models, released almost 3 years back? One can only speculate at this stage.
Speculation on What Could Have Happened
The main debate is how genuine is this image and how did the owner of this phone get it? Experts explain that the way Google would work is to first create a Generic System Image or GSI and then the developers are allowed to write their applications around it. It just gives them the basic platform from the purest form of Android. The early build of the Android 11 or Android R is expected to be available in a month’s time.
The person who clicked the image of the Google Pixel 2XL might be one of those developers and he received the GSI. Now, this only goes to show that Google has plans of accommodating this model also for an OS upgrade as and when the Android 11 version is ready for release. This must set the legion of Android phone manufacturers into thinking how they are depriving millions of their customers by not even sending the Android 10 upgrade to their devices. Only the new launches are now being loaded with the Android 10. Even those models launched six months back have not been considered for upgrades.
There is also very little information available on what new changes the next version of the Android OS may come with. There is one rumor that suggests there will be a feature where the phone users can encrypt critical documents stored on their devices as a security measure. There is the speculation that the new OS version will allow you to set the phone to a low battery mode when low on charge.