Android N Features

Google usually lifts the veil on their latest Android software at Google I/O but this year they have shaken things up a little by not only announcing Android N but also releasing the developer preview 2 months before their event.

Here are some of the key features we have seen on the developers preview. Please bare in mind that it is very early days a

nd so it is likely that there will be more to come before Google I/O and even more before it's public announcement in September.

NEWS:

Before we tell you about some of the features, it has been rumoured that the next iteration of Android will do away with one of the main things separating it from it's iOS rival; The App Draw.

The early developer preview does include the app draw (much to the relief of us here at Y Gadget) but it has not yet been confirmed that it will stay nor has it being confirmed that it will be lost.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see...

Behind the Scenes

The First two things that we want to tell you about are the behind the scenes improvements. There are no visual clues to these two features but if Google follow up on their promises we should definitely see the benefits when compared to Marshmellow. As anybody currently running 6.0 on their device will tell you, Doze is a legitimate improvement on the android battery life. Doze works by powering down many features when the device is resting on a desk or table to give extra stamina to your battery. It works well, but most people's problem with it is that there is no improvement when the device is kept in a pocket. Android N aims to fix this and give you extra time on a single charge by powering down whenever the screen is off. Great news for anybody seeking longer battery that doesn't have the luxery of putting their phone down throughout the day.

Secondly, the monthly safety security updates on Marshmellow are a great idea but updating an Android device can be bothersome when you have to wait for App optimisation to complete. It usually takes a long time to do, especially when you have a lot of apps installed. Taking the joy and excitement out of receiving an update. Android N aims to make the App Optimisation process a lot quicker. Taking the sting out of the update process.

Split Screen

Finally! Using two apps on one screen is nothing new for people using devices like Samsung or LG but it has never been built in to stock Android until now. This means that when you do have a device supporting Split Screen, it was only available when using a handful of apps designed to be compatible, which is one of the main reasons we don't use it very often. From what we have seen on Android N, split screen mode will work with every app making it a lot more useful and taking your productivity up a level. Split screen is one of those things that you don't realise how handy it can be, until you start to use it.

Something that is completely new in the multitasking area is the app switcher. Double tapping on the 'Recent Apps' button will now quickly swap the current app on your screen for the most recently used one. Taking away a couple of taps that would have been necessary in previous builds of android.

Redesigned Notifications

We aren't sure whether or not we like the look of the new notification shade on Android N yet. But one thing that is certain is that notifications will be more interactive, and so, more useful.

More information is made available in notifications as you can now see separate notifications or actions from the same app. When you pull down the notification shade, multiple notifications from the same app will be grouped together just like they used to be, only now, you will notice a small arrow that will expand the notification to give more details on each action/notification. You will be able to reply to messages, emails, and maybe even tweets and facebook comments right from the notifications without leaving the app you are in.

Redesigned Quick Settings

In stock Marshmallow, To get to your quick settings you either need to pull down the notification shade and then pull down again, or you could use two fingers to swipe down from the top of your screen. In Android N one swipe down from the top, with just one finger, will reveal notifications and a small row of icons for toggling settings such as, Bluetooth, and WiFi. Pulling down again will show the larger quick settings that we are already used to.

Again, this is something that most OEM skins have so we might not see much change when Android N reaches these devices except maybe for the appearance and increased functionality and reduced size.

These are the most notable features we know about on Android N at the moment. Keep checking back and we will update you when we know more. What feature are you most excited about? Are you bothered about keeping the App draw? What would you like to see in the next version of Android? Let us know in the comments below.

Until next time...

#AndroidN #Updates