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Google Launches Android N Developer Preview And Beta Program (engadget.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the surprise-announcement dept.

Google is releasing Android N Preview to developers today. The early release is meant to collect feedback sooner than usual, and even includes a new way to download the update. Instead of installing a drive image, you can participate in an Android Beta Program that installs pre-release versions over the air (as long as you have a relatively recent Nexus device or the Pixel C). The biggest attraction, by far, is a new multi-window mode, which lets you use split-screen modes on phones and tablets, and even specify minimum allowable dimensions. There's even a picture-in-picture video mode, too, so you can keep watching YouTube while you message your friends. Other improvements in the preview include direct reply notifications that let you reply to a message right from an alert, iOS-style. Also, Android N optionally bundles notifications from the same app so that they don't clutter your view. Marshmallow's Doze feature has been improved to save battery life whenever the screen turns off, and coders can take advantage of Java 8 features. Google is also working to reduce the memory needs of Android via Project Svelte, allowing the Android OS to run smoothly on lower specced devices.

1 of 24 comments (clear)

  1. But by markdavis · · Score: 3, Insightful

    How exciting... all these N improvements I will likely never use, and yet I bet I still won't be able to:

    * List/filter contacts by group, which was TAKEN AWAY from us years ago with no notice and for no apparent reason.

    * Turn on the Smart Lock but WITHOUT the stupid swipe to continue.

    * Have settings menus where the items are actually alphabetized so they can be found quickly.

    * Have a battery usage/monitoring system which actually works and means something (like it used to).

    * Choose the icon set used in various places, especially the main status bar, so they are actually visible and meaningful (yes, they actually took away the "bars" from WiFi, Cell, and Battery... how brilliant)

    * Turn off the persistent Android Wear connected notification which is unnecessary.

    I am sure I can think of a lot more, but I am tired (and yes, we are talking Nexus)