Google Play Store v8.1 Update Available with Android O Gets Notification Channels

Android O is nearing its final launch and everyone can just feel it. The coveted mobile operating system is believed to come to devices late this August, although there are still some sources that claim there are still a few bugs that are taking a bit too long to get sorted out. Still, if you’ve been running the newest Android O beta previews, then you know that the mobile operating system feels more stable than ever.

The apps associated with Android are also getting sneaky updates, and if you’re not running a beta preview of O, then you won’t notice much of a change. This is because most of these new updates are just maintenance optimizations for the operating system version that is soon to come. Such an update came to Google Play Store with version 8.1. Google Play Store v8.1 doesn’t look changed at all if you’re still running any version of Nougat.

But open Google Play Store v8.1 on an Android O powered device and you will notice one major new feature: Notification Channels. The latest version, namely the aforementioned Google Play Store v8.1, comes with six new and distinct channels that allow users to filter through notifications appropriately and effectively. These channels are as follows:

• Updated Apps
• App Updat5es
• Available
• Account Alerts
• High Priority
• Security and Maintenance

Google Play Store v8.1 will thus allow users of Android O sort through and optimize the notifications they receive. These sorts of customization options are something that seems to happen a lot with Android O. Google Play Store v8.1 is not the only one that go such a new feature. In fact, the new version of Chrome did as well, a week ago. So Android O will be a pretty good operating system if you ask us.