Galaxy S8 Oreo Beta Going Live: Samsung Begins Rollout Among Limited US Users

By Rachel Cruz, Christian Post Contributor Thursday, November 02, 2017

Android 8.0 Oreo has been active among Google Pixel and Nexus smartphone owners for a while now but Samsung users have yet to get the official update. The company, however, recently launched its beta program for the latest operating system (OS). The rollout is slowly happening for U.S. Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus smartphone owners.

Evidence that Samsung's Oreo beta program began going live came from a Reddit user who shared the screenshots. Allegedly, the Android 8.0 beta for S8 and S8 Plus runs as the "Samsung Experience 9.0." Among the features included in the new OS are colored notifications, a better launcher shortcuts and a smoother performance overall.

Samsung quietly opened its Oreo beta program a few weeks ago. Interested users can sign up via the Samsung Plus app and locate the option for the beta registration. Over 7,500 U.S. users can experience Oreo's performance in beta but the program is only limited to T-Mobile and Sprint subscriber, as well as owners of unlocked Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus.

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The Reddit user also revealed that the beta program will officially launch Thursday, Nov. 2, at 11:00 a.m. with no confirmed time zone. Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus users can begin checking their Samsung Plus App by then to see if they got into the program, provided they have registered early on.

Currently, Samsung ships out new Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus units with the Android Nougat operating system. Google announced in August that latest Samsung units should have the Oreo by the end of the year.

Prior to Samsung opening its Oreo beta program for select users, Galaxy S8 units installed with the Oreo have been spotted, tried and tested in September, as seen on Geekbench.

In Europe, limited S8 users noted an update via Samsung Pay, which indicated support for the Oreo OS. Samsung is also looking to roll out the Oreo in Note 8 devices but as with the S8 and S8 Plus, all that's missing is the official launch date outside of the beta program.