Android 10 Go edition will bring speed, security gains

Google is bringing out its updated Android 10 version of Android Go. Google said, “we launched Android (Go edition) in 2018—a platform tailored for smartphones with 1.5GB of memory or less.” Now Google has announced Android 10 (Go Edition), the version of Android built specifically for entry-level devices with 1.5GB RAM or less.

The update will bring speed and security improvements. This means people who need to stay within a modest budget can still look forward to speed and security improvements in their new entry-level phones. As Ryan Whitwam reminded ExtremeTech readers, “not all phones are created equal.”

That said, Jon Fingas told Engadget readers that “You’ll have to be patient when phones based on Android 10 Go edition are due to arrive later in the fall. If this lives up to Google’s hype, though, you might not feel like you’re compromising as much as before.”

Consumers need not feel guilty about saving money at the expense of getting a phone that, as Jon Fingas, Engadget worded it, may be pokey and sometimes insecure.

“Keep an eye out for the new phones with Android 10 (Go edition) launching later this fall,” said Google. Damien Wilde in 9to5Google said Nokia phones will have the edition by next year. That includes Nokia 1 Plus, Nokia 2.1, and Nokia 1. Nokia 1 Plus can be expected early next year and the others after that.

Security and speed were the two S words mentioned throughout the spray of headlines announcing the updated version.

Ryan Whitwam, ExtremeTech, tried to cut through hype to qualify what will actually be great and how not to over-enthuse. “These phones will still be slow compared with a flagship device,” he said, “but Google promises faster app launches and encryption.”

The security talking point centered on a new form of encryption, Adiantum. The latter proves you don’t have to feel guilty about going for a cheaply priced phone and missing out on basic security.

Turning to security plus points, Fingas said the new Android 10 Go edition includes an encryption system that secures data without affecting performance or needing any special hardware.

Back in February, a Google Security Blog post talked about the kind of system in Android 10, Adiantum.

What is Adantium?

“Adiantum is an innovation in cryptography designed to make storage encryption more efficient for devices without cryptographic acceleration.” Built by Google, Adantium is suitable for entry-level smartphones. 9to5Google: It allows these resource-constrained devices to encrypt data without impacting performance.

“Up until now, not all entry-level smartphones were able to encrypt data without affecting device performance,” said Google. Now, “all Go edition users will have the same level of data security as any Android device.”

All in all, Whitwam said that Adiantum “allows all Android Go phones to run encrypted storage without performance bottlenecks.”

Impact on developers? Google said that “more Android developers are now enhancing their apps to work well on Android (Go edition) devices. In the past year, popular apps like Uber, Facebook Messenger, Twitter, and Spotify have been redesigned to be Go-ready.”