Google Releases Android ‘N’ Developer Preview For Developers

By Deepak Rajawat • Updated On 11 Mar 2016

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Are you waiting for Google’s I/O to witness what the next Android flavor tastes like? Surprise-surprise! the wait is over. Google, In an unprecedented move, has released Developer Preview of yet to be named version Android ‘N’ way ahead of Google I/O 2016.

And getting the new version is easier than ever before. Google is pushing this developer preview as an over-the-year (OTA) update via its Android beta website (For anyone who registers for the same). The final version of Android N will come with the next Nexus Devices somewhere in Q3, 2016.

Also Read: Google Introduces New Destinations Feature

Currently, Android N preview is only compatible with relatively new Nexus devices such as Nexus 6, Nexus 9, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus Player, and the Pixel C. Google in its statement stated that as it inches closer to final product it will shout out to more consumers for a pre-launch experience.

android-n

The most exciting feature of this Android N Developer Preview is its new split-screen mode. In this multi-window mode, users can run two applications side-by-side. This splits-screen option is finally to take advantage of large canvas tablets has to offer.

Also Read: Google Now On Tap Can Now Pick Texts From Images And Camera Viewfinder

Apart from this, the Mountain View giant has made few more improvements in notifications and now it let user draft and reply to SMSes from notification toggle without opening messaging app. Similarly, it has also improved Marshmallow’s Doze feature to extend battery even when a screen is turned off.

This type of Developer Preview isn’t meant for regular users. Such type of developer builds is flooded with bugs and battery issues so it is not recommended for regular users until and unless you are a tech nerd. If you have made up your mind to upgrade to Android N Developer Preview don’t forget to backup your existing data.

Key Android N features:

New split-screen multi-window feature
Improved doze mode
Dialer app can screen calls
Improved notification shade with option for direct reply and bundled notifications
Support for Java 8 language features
Mini toggles in quick settings
Data saver option for granular control over app data consumption
Night mode
Alt-Tab style feature for fast app switching
Faster App installs
More powerful file manager
Change display DPI with screen zoom

Deepak Rajawat

Deepak Rajawat is a technology journalist and editor with over 12 years of experience in both print and digital media. Before transitioning to online journalism, he contributed to renowned publications including Hindustan Times and The Statesman.

At Smartprix, Deepak reviews smartphones, laptops, TVs, and soundbars, with a focus on answering the real-world questions that matter most to consumers. Over the past decade, he has reviewed more than 1,000 devices, combining hands-on expertise with a user-first approach.

A graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication from Calcutta University, Deepak also follows emerging technologies closely—including Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR). Earlier in his career, he covered sports with the same passion he now brings to tech.

He is based in Noida and joined Smartprix in September 2015.

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