The Honor 7X – arguably the best budget phone in the U.S. right now despite launching with Nougat – is slated to officially get Oreo starting next Monday, April 30. Honor announced this via its USA Twitter page and in a press release. The update not only brings the phone up to Android 8.0, but it adds several new features to the $199 phone.
Though an official changelog has yet to be released, here are some highlights to expect:
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New floating navigation dock
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Updated setting menu and Phone Manager
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Phone gallery recycle bin
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Seamless LinkedIn integration
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Link up two Bluetooth device
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Face unlock
Some savvy 7X owners joined the beta program when it was announced last month, though I never got the OTA on my unit. Still, a month and a half testing period is a pretty short turnaround, especially for Huawei. The face unlock will appeal to some, certainly, but I have my doubts about the new floating navigation dock. If it's anything like we've seen on the Huawei P20 and P20 Pro, it won't suit everyone's tastes.
Honor says that the OTA will start rolling out in the U.S. on Monday, April 30, so be checking for that update notification.
PRESS RELEASE
Mountain View, Calif., April 27, 2018 – Honor, a leading smartphone e-brand, announced today that the latest user interface (UI) upgrade, EMUI 8.0, will be available for Honor 7X at the end of April. EMUI 8.0 brings a series of incredible features such as quick shortcut menus, usage-based performance optimization and simplified phone settings that greatly enhance the functionality and user experience of Honor smartphones.
Key highlights of EMUI 8.0 include:
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Quick shortcut menus from app icons – Users can quickly access specific features in an app by holding the icon and choosing from the app shortcut menu. A user can even drag a desired feature out of the pop-up menu to create a new shortcut on the screen.
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New floating navigation dock – With the newly added home screen shortcut, the floating navigation dock lets users navigate and operate their device from anywhere on the screen.
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Updated Setting menu and Phone Manager – The redesigned Settings menu is clearer and more intuitive. The updated Phone Manager automatically optimizes the system based on usage patterns, keeping the smartphone running at top performance all the time.
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Photo gallery recycle bin – Users can now restore photos and videos if they accidentally delete them. The Gallery in the new UI features a recycle bin which retains deleted photos and videos for 30 days.
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Seamless LinkedIn integration – Contacts and Email in EMUI 8.0 let users sync the career details of their LinkedIn contacts, making it faster and easier to manage contacts across platforms.
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Link up two Bluetooth devices – Smartphones are now able to connect to two Bluetooth devices at the same time, boosting mobile experience and fun.
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Face unlock - Scans a recognized user's face to unlock instantly. It also prevents unlocking with closed eyes, and allows only device owners to see lock screen notification details, ensuring maximum security.
“The latest EMUI 8.0 upgrade once again demonstrates our commitment to delivering innovative mobile technologies and exceptional value to users worldwide. As a global leader, we continue to combine state-of-the-art technology with affordability, so everyone can have a productive, entertaining and fun lifestyle.” said George Zhao, President of Honor.
These new features will be available on April 30, 2018 via OTA upgrade for Honor 7X in US.