Sony Xperia R1, R1 Plus get Android 8.0 Oreo update: Here are the details

Sony Xperia R1 and R1 Plus smartphones in India have started receiving the Android 8.0 Oreo update. The update brings a boost in performance and system enhancement as well as features like Autofill, Smart text selection, support for Android Instant apps and new emojis. Sony Xperia R1 Plus and Xperia R1 were launched in India in October last year at a price of Rs 14,990 and Rs 12,990 respectively.

Under Android 8.0 Oreo, Sony users will get 2x boot speed when they are powering up the phone. The rollout of Android Oreo also mean better battery backup, since the OS minimises background activity for apps which are not in use. The Oreo update will help with easy logins for apps via the new Autofill feature. Additionally Oreo also brings Smart text Selection, where the OS will recognise a text which is copied or selected, and then suggest a follow-up step for it. For instance, if a user copies a mobile number, Android will prompt the user as to whether they want to call it or save in contacts.

The Oreo update will also include a new Notification Dots feature, where a user can press on the dot, see what is new and clear the notifications. The update also includes support for Android’s Instant Apps, which can open up new apps for the user without the need for installing these. Sony’s new update will also include a redesigned emoji set with 60 new emoji options.

The Sony Xperia R1 and R1 Plus sport a 5.2-inch HD display and are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 430 processor. Both phones are backed by a 2620mAh battery. On the camera front, Sony has offered a 13MP Exmor Sony rear camera sensor with auto-focus and LED Flash, and an 8MP front camera with 76-degree wide angle field of view. On the Xperia R1 Plus, Sony has offered 3GB RAM and 32 GB internal memory, while the Xperia R1 has 2GB RAM and 16GB internal storage. Both phones support 128GB expandable storage via a microSD slot.