In the meantime, Google will push out updates of this Android N Developer Preview to squash bugs, improve its new features, and get feedback ahead of the public release.
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Google has been working on bringing true split-screen functionality to Android for quite some time now. An “activity” in Android can be all or part of the app design, so it’s feasible that developers could allow users to pin certain portions of an app (say, a single to-do list out of an entire to-do app, or just one tab from a browser), but that’s just speculation at the moment. Google’s SVP for Android, Chrome OS and Chromecast, Hiroshi Lockheimer took to Medium and not the usual Blogspot stuff to announce this preview. Notifications will also be grouped by the app that sent them. Until we’ll get the sweet taste out of the new major update, which will come pre-loaded on Google’s next Nexus device, or devices, we’ll continue to keep you updated with the latest details that leak onto the internet.
Smartphone vendors such as HTC, LG, Samsung and Sony haven’t released Android Marshmallow update for most of their devices. But when it comes to the leading Android version, Lollipop now emerged as the most-popular and the most-used Android in its history.
The first new API is perhaps the most important.
Direct reply notifications. As with Android Wear today, Android users will be able to reply to incoming message notifications quickly and conveniently, without leaving the notification shade.
Last year, the European Union finally opened an official inquiry into Google’s secret agreement with mobile device manufacturers that enables the company to pre-bundle its apps on each device.
An interesting addition for developers in Android N, would be introduction of ICU4J Android Framework APIs. On a side note, developers can snag a Pixel C for 25% off ($449 sale price) for a limited time off of the Google Store to help celebrate the launch of the Android Beta Program. Moreover, Android N debuts Project Svelte.
Android N is available now for select Nexus devices (Nexus 6, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus Player and Pixel C) as an over-the-air download. It does mean you can get a lot more done in there – and Android was already better than anybody else in that regard.
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Similar to Apple’s approach of providing first party solutions front and center on its devices, Google can be seen increasingly encroaching on fair and competitive practices despite being the gateway to a million plus apps, by putting its apps ahead of others.
