In recent years, Google has used I/O to start teasing its next major Android release, but today Google just made a decision to drop Android N and its first developer Preview. Google’s Hiroshi Lockheimer says that the final Android N release will be delivered to device makers this summer, but we’ll see updates to this Developer Preview between now and then.
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The Android Beta program has just kicked off at g.co/androidbeta where once you sign in with your Google account you can register your device to receive the OTA update to Android N. The update brings all the features of the Android N developer preview, but also take your chances with any bugs.
Spilt screen / multi-window might be the biggest new feature to those that haven’t already got that feature. This will allow you to run multiple apps side-by-side in the same view. Also included is a picture-in-picture mode, a feature that Apple recently added to iOS.
In one of the most popularly demanded features on the Android platform, the users can now reply to the notifications directly from the notifications tray and they need not click on them individually and open them up to reply.
Google’s Nexus 2016 project is gradually shaping up as fresh reports indicate that the tech giant has narrowed down the candidate builders to two, Huawei and HTC, while the next Nexus’ operating system, known for now as Android N, is set roll out in the third quarter of the year. Google usually gives developers, fans a first look at the new OS at its annual I/O developer conference, so this preview comes as a surprise.
In particular, the European Union is reported to be looking into if Google has leveraged its pre-bundling agreement to deter or stop altogether, mobile manufacturers from building and marketing their apps, stores, and versions of the Android operating system. This can only lead to great things for apps and Android devices.
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Google’s Android N also come with more background optimisation, which includes new restrictions to limit implicit broadcasts. As such, you can have a peek at our Android N update instructions (in the link to this paragraph’s right) right this minute. This is not something new as several apps already do this, i.e. Google’s Gmail app. Hours ago, a verified Google employee who acts as Google Nexus Comunity manager on Reddit announced that the Huawei Nexus 6P is also getting its share of performance improvements. You might have to scroll a little more to reach an app deeper down in the stack, though.
