“The new Android version brings native multi-window support, interactive notifications, enhanced Doze Mode, and more”
Google has just released the first Developer Preview of the upcoming Android N release. It comes as a surprise since Google usually release developer previews of upcoming Android versions after Google’s I/O developer conference in May.
The Android N Developer Preview brings several new features including native multi-window support and notification enhancements. The split-screen multitasking mode is not limited to tablets, but also works on phones, and even TVs – where you’ll even get a picture-in-picture mode for the large screen. Thanks to split-screen multitasking, users will be able to open multiple apps simultaneously – side-by-side or one-above-the-other.
Android N comes with several new APIs that allow apps to post notifications that are more visible and interactive. Users will be able to quickly respond from the notification shade without opening the respective apps. The new release lets developers group notifications from the same app together, which can be expanded into individual ones by tapping a newly-introduced expansion button.
With the Android N version, Google is taking the Doze feature one step further. Introduced in Android 6.0, the Doze Mode enhances battery life by killing the ability of apps to access networks or CPU activity when the device is idle. However, it only works when your device has been in standby mode for a while. In the Android N release, Google has introduced Doze on the go, which makes the device go into Doze mode to save the battery whenever the screen turns off.
Other notable features of Android N Developer Preview include Android TV recording, enhanced Quick Settings tiles, accessibility enhancements, number-blocking, call screening, direct boot and background optimisations.
Factory images for the Android N Developer Preview are available on the dedicated website. These are available for the Google Nexus 6, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus 9, Nexus Player, and the Pixel C. Google has also released a new Android Beta Program, which lets you update your devices to the Android N Developer Preview and receive ongoing updates over the air.
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