Android N or Android 7 or Android Nougat is the latest edition of Google’s phone and tablet OS. With this release, the company is already crossed the half-way mark – 14 out of 26 alphabets.
What’s shocking for the world is that the company didn’t wait for the Google IO 2016 to announce this big product. As per the company official, the reason behind this unpredictable announcement is to give the Android app developers some time to get prepared for the new OS. And hopefully, the developers will get a few months to pull-up their socks before Android N actually hits the marketplace.
Questions that matter:
* What is Android N? It’s the latest version of Android OS Series. In sequence, it’s Android 7.0, and N stands for Nougat.
* When it’s hitting the markets? It already has, but not for the mobile users.
* When we’ll get it? The OS has already been launched, but you will have to wait a few months to see it in your smartphone.
* What will it cost? Same as other versions of Android – nothing.
Android N Features:
Each new release of Android comes with handful of new features and improvements from its predecessors. Android N is no exception, as it will bear innumerable new features that are sure to excite the Android users. At the same time, the new OS will have many pitfalls corrected that existed in previous editions.
Here is a detailed analysis of some salient features of Android N:
Android Nougat VR
One of the most enticing new features of Android N is Google Daydream, also known as Android VR. With this feature, you will find yourself in a different world while accessing some features of your Android smartphone. Now enjoy browsing the Play Store, StreetView, Photos, Videos and YouTube in a completely different way.
The feature is not in the list of Android N checklist but you may expect it to hit the store soon. And if you are a proud owner of a powerful smartphone like ZTE Axon 7, Android Daydream is right there for you.
Multi-Window Support
How it feels to experience true multitasking? Ask Android N. The multi-window support and split-screen feature will allow you to do multiple tasks at once. This is a long awaited feature which could have been a part of the earlier versions too, as Samsung and LG phones have already incorporated it. However, Google has finally provided it in its flagship phone.
Using the multitasking feature is a piece of cake as all you need to do is long pressing the recent button in the navigation bar. And to close all apps, you have a Clear All button. The Quick Switch button allows you to jump back to the previous app without closing the current one.
Greatest appeal here – in Android TV, you can continue watching your favorite movie in a small screen while doing your other tasks in rest of the screen.
Direct Reply Notifications
Got an important message and want to reply without leaving your current task? It’s easy to do with Direct Reply feature. Now, you will get a notification on the top of your screen every time you get a new message, and you can directly reply it.
iOS has already used this feature when iOS 8 released it for iPhone and iPad. However, that feature was only for iMessage app. With Google N, users will be able to reply to any messaging app running on your phone, be it text messages, Hangouts, WhatsApp or Skype.
New Quick Settings Menu
Android N comes with a new Quick Setting menu that will allow you to change settings of your phone right from the home screen or any screen you are using. The menu would be available on the pull-down from the top.
Though this feature has already been introduced in a range of Android devices, the new feature will come with more advanced appearance. The buttons are made smaller to allow notifications to flourish, and the menu will also remember your preferences while showing up the icons. So now if you frequently use your Hotspot, the Hotspot icon will start appearing on top.
Along with this, you will have the option to sort the menu icons as per your wish. You may decide which icons to show on the Quick Settings menu – a completely new feature.
Bundled Notifications
Another revolutionary change has made in Notifications, something that Google always love tickling with. Bundled Notifications is a feature that will combine the notifications that come from same app. So now if you get a friend request, a message and a post like from Facebook, all three notifications would show as one. It will save you from swiping away notifications to read all.
Also, you will have more control on notifications. A simple long-press on the notification would allow you to silence or turn off the future notifications.
Doze Mode 2.0
Android Marshmallow came with a Doze Mode, especially crafted to save your phone battery when your phone is idle. Now, Android Nougat comes with an improved version of the feature as it will pause all apps as soon as the phone screen is off.
Along with saving a great amount of energy, this feature will also ensure that the useless apps and updates do not consume your internet data. However, important apps like messaging apps will continue to run and you will keep receiving notifications for new messages.
Android Nougat Performance:
Performance has always remained a positive factor for Android and this is the core reason behind Android’s strong competition to iOS. But now with Android N, the performance factor is sure to get a big boost. As said by officials, Android Nougat will come with the biggest leap in graphics as this OS wears Vulkan, a highly powerful GPU for developers. It will also provide the smartphones with better graphics and smoother performance.
Security is another aspect that has remained a big issue for Android. But now, Android N is all set to combat this pitfall. In Android N, if you have downloaded an app from a source other than Google Play Store, you can identify the app source by going into the App Info section of your Settings.
Other touchups in performance includes JIT compiler optimization that will increase task speed to 30 percent to 600 percent. Updates have become simpler as security updates would be automatically downloaded. The annoying “Android is updating” notification popup will also disappear.
Other Features
* New Launcher Shortcut is arriving for pressure-sensitive display technology.
* 3-D technology has been introduced in the OS which will make it easier for manufacturers to blend this feature in the devices.
* File-based encryption and Direct Boot will enhance the security of your smartphone.
* Android N comes with Unicode 9 and 72 new emoji.
Android N Release Date:
Android N has already hit the market, but you will have to wait a few months to see it on your device. And yes, the day when you will be able to use this OS depends upon a few things with your device being the most important one. If you use a Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6, Nexus 9, Google Pixel C, Nexus Player or an Android One device, you will be able to enjoy the update very soon. And if you have some other device, the wait could be longer.
Google has focused more on its own flagship devices and this is the reason that Nexus would be the first gadget to enjoy this OS. On the other hand, gadgets from other manufacturers may have to wait for a few months before they will be able to see the update.
Not all devices will be lucky enough to enjoy Google N as the company has announced a list of carriers for future updates. Some flagship devices from Sony, Samsung, Motorola and HTC are the lucky names in the list. Stay tuned to get the list of phones, and make sure to buy one if your phone’s name is not in the list.
