Google today officially announced the new Android N Developer Preview, which can be downloaded today for devices such as Nexus 6, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus Player, Nexus 9 and Pixel C. The final release of the operating system Android N will take place this summer.
Here are some of the innovations in the new version Android N:
- Multi-window: Added a new attribute to the program manifest announcing the ability to use the program in split screen or Picture-in-Picture mode. Previously, a similar feature was implemented by some manufacturers for several programs (most often of their own design).
- Direct reply notifications: This feature was previously implemented in the API for Android Wear, and now it can be used on smartphones and tablets, allowing users to respond faster and more conveniently to incoming notifications.
- Bundled notifications: Notifications from different applications can be grouped (for example, from instant messaging programs), which can be expanded with a two-finger pinch gesture.
- Efficiency: Expands on Doze Mode, introduced in Android Marshmallow, to improve energy efficiency while sleeping.
- Better Java 8 support
Google emphasizes that this is an initial preliminary release of the OS for developers and is not intended for daily use by consumers. To facilitate the process of obtaining new beta versions of operating systems, Google has launched the Android Beta Program with the ability to install the Developer Preview Android N and deliver OTA updates to it.