Motorola Moto G6 Plus receives Android 9 Pie software update

Motorola has announced that it is rolling out the Android 9.0 Pie software update for the Moto G6 Plus. If you live in a country where the device is available, you should start receiving update notifications to download and install the update on your handset.

With Android Pie, your Moto G6 Plus will gain features like adaptive battery, adaptive brightness, security enhancements, and various changes system-wide to UI elements, along with the December security patch for Android.

How to install Android 9 Pie on your Moto G6 Plus

To upgrade your Moto G6 Plus to Android 9 Pie manually, follow these instructions:

• Select the Settings icon in the apps menu 
• Select System 
• Select System updates 
• Select “Download and Install”. 
• After the software is installed, select “Restart Now” 
• Your phone is now updated to the latest version of Android.

What's new in Android 9 Pie on your Moto G6 Plus

Your Moto G6 Plus will have the following new features and improvements with Android 9 Pie

Usability

• Adaptive battery: Go longer with a single charge. It prioritizes battery power on the apps you use the most and applies restrictions on the ones you use the least. Battery saver can now be activated from 70% or below.
• Adaptive brightness: fewer manual adjustments to perform better. Machine learning takes notes of your habits and automatically adjusts to your activities.
• Quick settings improvements: no shortcuts anymore (toggles are no longer expandable, but press and hold a toggle goes to the setting detail). The icons have been redesigned with a rounded concept and circular background.
• Rotation key: Android Pie presents a temporary rotation even with the auto-rotate disabled. A rotation button is displayed whenever it detects that your phone has changed orientation.
• Dual SIM settings: by pressing the SIM Card toggle in the Quick settings, a full-screen activity is shown to select preferred SIM and manage data usage.
• Redesigned Settings app: colorful icons for each selection with a circular background. It also warns if the phone is muted or in Do not disturb mode. Order, name, and placement of the settings options have not changed.
• Better screenshots: another handy Android 9.0 feature is the addition of the virtual screenshot button/shortcut to the power menu (the old power and volume down method (still works). You can also edit your screenshots immediately after taking them and a delete option is also available.
• Improved audio controls: the volume slider is now vertical and close to the volume
• buttons. Users can switch between ring, mute and vibrate-only mode. Plus, media controls are now the default volume adjusted, and Do not disturb cannot be turned on/off via the volume keys anymore. Bluetooth device volumes are also accessed whenever connected. As usual, 'Volume Up + Power' changes the ring mode to vibrate.
• Zoom in text: you can finally manage the annoying mistakes of selecting incorrect text. Now, when you press and hold a phrase or text, it will automatically magnify at the pointer. It also helps you read small text and select words precisely.
• New and updated emoji: 157 new emojis, as well as a gender-neutral concept. Settings icon while on PIP mode: tapping the new settings icon brings you to the app's PiP settings, where you can enable or disable the feature.
• Other UI changes: time is now on the left side and the search bar is now rounded. There is a new task manager/recents list that now shows a horizontal list instead of a vertical one and includes the split screen capabilities by pressing the app icon above the thumbnail. Dragging the split screen border will select the app you want in full screen

Notifications

• Notification UI changes: notifications now have rounded corners. It also supports inline images/stickers and distinguishes single/group conversations.
• Dismissing notifications: Android Pie will now suggest a couple of actions to you for the type of notifications you usually dismiss. It will offer to turn off frequently dismissed notifications by asking you if you would like to stop seeing these notifications or keep showing them.
• Notification bar: maximum of 4 visible notifications in the status bar before the list is truncated with a dot to indicate more unseen icons.
• Manage notifications: a shortcut at the bottom of the cards in the notification shade that allows you to see a user-facing list of recent notification activity. If it's something annoying, you can flip the toggle right there to disable unwanted notifications in the future.

Performance

• Performance improvements: applications will launch faster and use less memory, gaining performance and efficiency improvements.
• Power efficiency: refinements to Doze, App Standby, and Background Limits to improve battery life.
• Background App privacy: the system restricts access to the phone's microphone, camera and other sensors (other than GPS). A persistent notification is shown if an app needs access while in the background.
• Bluetooth enhancements: simultaneous connection of up to 5 Bluetooth audio devices. However, there is no option for simultaneous playback: users need to choose the device to be used. Android 9.0 also remembers the last volume level for paired devices.
• Wi-Fi optimization: Wi-Fi hotspot goes OFF in case of no connection. It disables automatically, preventing others nearby from connecting to your network.
• Stability improvements: includes changes that fix bugs and improve the stability of your phone.

Security

• Security enhancements: an alert tone will be heard when a call is being recorded to all parties. The pattern unlock also hides the swipe trail, instead of simply leaving the trail visible until the phone has fully unlocked. Better for security.
• Data encryption: Android Pie will now perform client-side data encryption and/or decryption on the user's phone: authentication is required (password, PIN, pattern), plus Google backs up all information to the cloud and hacker attacks become much more difficult.
• DNS over TLS support: it creates a secure connection to the DNS server before DNS queries and responses happen. For example, someone monitoring the connection will have a harder time seeing what you're doing.
• HTTPs by default: all applications built for Android Pie onwards will send and receive data via HTTPS by default, ensuring your data is better protected as you communicate with the app's servers, especially public Wi-Fi.