HUAWEI might have started testing Android O on the Mate 9

The first Android O Developer Preview landed recently giving devs the chance to interact with the new platform before the final version is released later this year. HUAWEI, it seems, may have already taken this opportunity, as news from the XDA Developers forums suggests it is currently testing Android O on the HUAWEI Mate 9.

Seemingly, one of the senior members of XDA has gained access to an internal test build of Android O on the Mate 9 which indicates that it will take advantage of all that the new version has to offer.

“There are a few new things in the build such as a new files app and new developer options,” wrote XDA, “but it is missing all language options apart from Chinese (Mandarin) and English and also does not feature a System Update app or eRecovery.”

XDA has made attempts to confirm that the user is running the software that they claim to be — they haven’t revealed how they have access to it — by requesting a photo of the About Phone page and the use of Picture-in-Picture mode, a new feature of Android 7.0 Nougat. Both of these have subsequently been supplied.

If this is accurate, it would indicate that HUAWEI would be in a position to deliver the update relatively quickly after the final version of Android O rolls out. Here’s hoping, because the manufacturer typically isn’t very fast when it comes to software updates.