It was only yesterday that we were greeted with a very makes-us-happy-to-report news that OnePlus has started testing the OnePlus 3 Oreo update in closed-beta group. This was really special as not only OnePlus is a relatively small company when compared to the likes of Samsung, Huawei, LG, Sony, HTC(?), etc. popular OEMs, but also for the fact that it has not been three full weeks yet since Google released the Android 8.0 update for Pixel and Nexus devices.

And today, we hear that Samsung too is working on the Android 8.0 Oreo update, too, for — you guessed it! — the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus. Well, so what?

The report comes from kind-of Samsung’s unofficial news website, Sammobile, who also have a build no. to report: G950FXXU1BQI1 for the Galaxy S8, and G955FXXU1BQI1 for the Galaxy S8 Plus.

Well, the timing of the news really makes it a dull typical Samsung-ish grab-the-headlines news.

While in the case of OnePlus 3 Oreo update, we were served with the leaked images of the Android 8.0 OTA (of changelog and installation) as also the About device screen showing OxygenOS 5.0 and Android 8.0.0 build, which makes the Android 8.0 testing on OnePlus 3 a real done thing, today’s rumor about the Galaxy S8’s Oreo update seems to be nothing more than a show-off quickie news. prepared in-time, to draw Android users’ attention from a solid Oreo update development taking place at OnePlus, to something as obvious as the biggest Android OEM preparing an Oreo update for the most selling Android phone.

What gives?

Distracting users from the real news that OnePlus has an Android 8.0 test build available already (for a last year’s flagship, btw), that’s what. When do you think Samsung would have a test build ready for the Galaxy S7? Well, in  our estimates, not before January 2018.

It’s easy to imagine Samsung’s marketing team pondering over the hooray over the OnePlus 3’s Oreo update news, that they thought it was about time they made a news about their own Oreo update ambitions — maybe just to stop OnePlus grabbing all the headlines on 8.0 update scenario.

After all, you have to ask, which popular OEM isn’t already working on the Oreo update. Think of HTC, Samsung, Sony, LG, Motorola, etc. and you have full belief that for sure are burning their midnight oil preparing an Oreo OTA for their flagship device.

Sony has even released an Oreo pre-installed device in the form of Xperia XZ1, which also comes with a compact version, suitably dubbed as Xperia XZ1 Compact. Which also means that they too have an Oreo build ready with them, and are in the process of making it compatible for — most probably — Xperia XZ Performance.

Last year, OnePlus did very well the beat Samsung to Nougat update, and they look like doing the same again with the Oreo update — only faster.

While it’s good to see the mention of software version in case of Galaxy S8’s Oreo development, we have seen those build nos. be presented to us when Samsung’s Nougat update was due last year, and given that these builds never make it to market in following few weeks or more, they are not worth the hype. The actual build would be different.

What we would like Samsung to come up with — whether officially or unofficially — is a rollout of Galaxy S8 Oreo beta build. And if they are damn serious about it, then they shall do it before OnePlus is able to do that. Now, given that OnePlus is said to be looking at September-end period for its Oreo beta release, Samsung really doesn’t have too much time to become the first player to roll out Oreo update.

What do you think? What do you find more interesting, and convincing: mention of Galaxy S8’s Oreo build no., or image leak of OnePlus 3’s closed-beta Oreo update?

Source: Sammobile