Android Oreo 8.1 users can now see the speed of a WiFi hotspot before connecting

[Polycount]

Google may be facing low adoption rates with Android Oreo but that hasn't stopped them from rolling out exciting new features for the mobile OS. This time around, that means a slight change to your device's WiFi interface.

Instead of guessing at what the speed of a nearby WiFi hotspot will be prior to connecting (only to be met with disappointment), you will now be able to view this information beforehand. As reported by Engadget, the WiFi connection interface will use abstract terms like Very Fast (over 20mbps), Slow (less than 1mbps), OK (1-5mbps) and Fast (5-20mbps) to grade connections. These terms are also accompanied by a WiFi icon that varies in fullness depending on how fast a given connection is.

Public Wi-Fi can be spotty. For the first time, #AndroidOreo 8.1 lets you take out the guesswork & see the speed of networks before you hit connect. Rolling out now: https://t.co/lSzvCFgNk7 pic.twitter.com/60EmoPxUX4

— Android (@Android) January 22, 2018

Naturally, different speeds are suited to different tasks. For example, don't expect to be streaming a YouTube video at 1080p and 60 FPS on a Slow connection. Google provides the following examples in their help section:

Slow: If you can use Wi-Fi calling, you can make phone calls and send texts.

OK: You can read webpages, use social media and stream music.

Fast: You can stream most videos.

Very Fast: You can stream very high-quality videos.

This change is subtle but it could have a big impact on many users' quality of life. If you haven't received the update already, it should be rolling out to all Android Oreo 8.1 users sometime today.

Time will tell if Apple decides to follow Google's lead and implement a similar iOS feature down the line.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/72886-android-oreo-81-users-can-now-see-speed.html

 

[gusticles41]

I'm enjoying Oreo very much, it's a convenient OS. With the last update I started receiving a battery % monitor on my connected bluetooth devices. This is incredibly useful, since I only charge my earbuds once every few weeks, and lose track of where they're at.

 

[TheBigT42]

Ok I can see how it could tell how fast the connection between the Android Device and the AP.

I don't believe it can tell how fast the connection from the Router to the Internet is.

A router could have a 1 gig Ethernet connection to the ISP modem/gateway but the ISP is only delivering 60meg Down.

 

[jakethehuman]

Ok I can see how it could tell how fast the connection between the Android Device and the AP.

I don't believe it can tell how fast the connection from the Router to the Internet is.

A router could have a 1 gig Ethernet connection to the ISP modem/gateway but the ISP is only delivering 60meg Down.

Yeah that's what I was thinking too. The network speed is usually very fast otherwise it would bottleneck the internet speed, right? So the network speed could be huge but the actual internet speed slow...