Google’s March 21, 2017 Android O preview gave app maintainers a concrete job: examine implicit broadcasts, background services and location updates under new background limits. Google described battery life and performance as aims. Its announcement did not establish measured savings, let alone how much maintenance time a particular team would need. [android-o]

Our proposed maintenance sheet starts with those three functions, rather than a single box marked Android O. For each function an app uses, record the responsible maintainer, the behavior to check and the time reserved for testing. Ask which existing assignment will move if that time is unavailable. This allocation method is editorial synthesis, not a staffing instruction from Google. [android-o]

Compatibility deserves its own time slot. Google recommended installing the current app on a preview system image, testing it and publishing necessary compatibility fixes without changing platform targeting. A manager can therefore distinguish work to preserve existing behavior from a proposal to add features, rather than making maintainers account for both as one undefined task. Phandroid reported that Google planned four previews, with the next due in May. We suggest adding the first-preview build to the maintenance sheet and reserving a follow-up testing slot for that expected checkpoint, rather than budgeting compatibility as a one-off job. The schedule was a plan, not evidence that a later build had arrived or that testing was complete. [android-o][phandroid-o-preview]

Record the test target as well: Google listed the Android Emulator, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus Player, Pixel, Pixel XL and Pixel C. Its initial preview required manual download and flashing, was for developers rather than daily or consumer use, and was not available through Android Beta. Our allocation sheet should reserve suitable test resources, not quietly enlist someone’s everyday phone. [android-o]

Source documents

  1. O-MG, the Developer Preview of Android O is here!https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2017/03/first-preview-of-android-o.html
  2. Android O Developer Preview arrives with a ton of featureshttps://phandroid.com/2017/03/21/android-o-official-preview-features/