The most comprehensive overview of the new Android N features. Android N: what's new and is it worth upgrading? Google new version of android n

So far, only the Xperia Z5 and Z3+ series have received the Android 6.0 Marshmallow system update, and the majority of smartphone and Sony tablets are waiting for firmware for their devices (to be fair, we note that most other manufacturers have not yet updated their devices), Google company suddenly announces the next one Android firmware N and releases Developer Preview for a number of Nexus devices! Usually the software giant shows the logical continuation of its mobile OS at a press conference Google developers I/O But not at this time.

After reading the materials of our Western colleagues and Google information, we decided to write to you about the main changes in Android N and what’s new in it, compared to the current Android M (Marshmallow). Naturally, the “sweet” name has not yet been given.

New features of Android N (Android 7.0)

1. Multi-window mode. It will be possible to launch several applications on the screen at once - on the right and left, or on top and bottom, depending on the orientation in which you are using the device. Using the dividing line, you can select the screen size allocated for one or another application. Developers will be able to set the minimum allowed window size for their application or completely disable this function. This allows you to drag data from one application to another, copy text in one application without any problems and immediately paste the text into another, and the like.

2. Improved power saving modeDoze. The fight to reduce battery consumption and improve Android system energy efficiency continues. The new Doze charging saving mode has been improved, and now it will monitor your smartphone constantly and will be activated not after some time of inactivity of the device, but immediately after the screen turns off.

3. Grouping of notifications. Multiple notifications from the same app will now be grouped together in the status bar shade. Using a swipe or tap, you can preview them and go to the desired notification.

4. Reply to messages directly from the status bar. When you receive a new message, you can quickly write a response to it directly from the curtain, without going into the messenger itself.

5. Fast switching between active applications. Just double click on the review button running applications(the rightmost virtual button in the form of a square by default) and one of the latest applications will be opened.

6. Panel improvement quick settings. By sliding the notification panel curtain, you get one panel with buttons for launching the most required functions. You can also expand the panel with switches, of which there are even more. Naturally, they can be configured in the order you need.

7. Night mode. As they say at Google, the interface switching mode in night mode using a dark interface design style, lowering the screen brightness and using a red color tone filter. They promise that it will become an integral part of Android N. You can activate it on a schedule. During the release of Android 6.0 Marshmallow, the ability to select a dark or light theme was also provided, but the final version of the firmware did not receive this function.

8. Saving traffic. Thanks to new feature With Data Saver, you can set a limit on data streaming for certain applications or compress this data and reduce the number of requests.

9. Improved file manager.

10. Screen color balance calibration. The user can use the sliders to adjust the color rendering on the screen of their device. There are no built-in profiles - everything is up to your own eyes and according to your preferences. But in our Sony Xperia This feature has been available for a long time.

11. Change the menu with recently launched applications. The tiles will become larger and more visual (on the left – Android 6.0, on the right – Android N).

12. Blocking unwanted numbers. Now this function is implemented at the system level and everyone will be able to blacklist all annoying numbers.

13. Compilation improvements and supportJava 8. This allows you to reduce the code, a new version ART runtime performs faster optimization installed applications, increasing the speed of application installation.

First look at the Android N beta in video:

Here is the first list of the main visible changes in new Android N. What do you think is still missing in this list, what would make the system more flexible and convenient by default? What are your general impressions of the existing innovations?

In contact with

IN modern smartphones At the top of the screen you can always find a line on which there is a signal strength icon, a battery level icon, etc. The letters G, E, 3G, H, 3G+, H+, 4G, and sometimes LTE may also appear in the line. What do they mean? The answer is actually simple - the icon shows which transmission technology is used in this moment. In other words, this is the technology that is used to connect your smartphone to the Internet.

Now let's take a closer look at each icon. Attention - in the upper right, left, or right corner (depending on the smartphone model).

• G from English GPRS - General Packet Radio Service, general packet radio communications (2G). GPRS allows the network user cellular communications exchange data with other devices on the GSM network and with external networks, including the Internet. The maximum speed is 171.2 Kbps, but in practice it is usually lower.

• E from English EDGE. Digital technology wireless transmission data for mobile communications, operating over 2G and 2.5G networks. The maximum speed has already reached 474 Kbps.

• 3G from English third generation - third generation. Third generation mobile communication technology, which also provides high-speed Internet access. UMTS technology with HSPA add-on is used. The maximum speed of 3G networks reaches 3.6 Mbit/s.

• H, 3G+, H+. HSPA (High Speed ​​Packet Access) technology allows you to transfer data over UMTS networks at very high speeds up to several tens of Mbit/s! However, you need to take into account that not all devices support this speed.

• 4G (LTE, LTE-A). As you might have guessed, the technology got its name from the phrase fourth generation - fourth generation. These are promising technologies that allow data transmission at speeds exceeding 100 Mbit/s for mobile subscribers and 1 Gbit/s for landline subscribers.

Please note that the figures indicated in the article are approximate. Much depends on the operator, the user's location, the user's device, etc. And this means that in real life speed may vary significantly. At the same time, in many cities, the Internet connection speed on smartphones is so high that you can watch HD videos directly from your device.

What's new?

For now, it makes sense to note five key innovations, four of which can already be tested in action. But in final version Android N, of course, should have much more new features and capabilities.

Android N allows you to have two apps on the screen at once.

At the same time, the height or width of the windows is adjusted; the application opened in each of the fields can be replaced with another at any time. And for Android TV, Google promises a picture-in-picture feature.

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Icons quick access are now displayed on a compact, narrow panel. A long press on an icon opens the corresponding item in the settings menu.

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The settings menu has changed: now it is a panel that extends to the left with many items. Beautiful and comfortable!

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Along with the release of Android N Developer Preview, Google announced that this version of the OS has improved the Doze energy saving function

It first appeared in Android 6.0. If previously Doze was activated only some time after the smartphone went into sleep mode, now it happens immediately after the screen turns off. However, how exactly did this affect the time battery life Unfortunately, it’s impossible to say yet.

How to install?

If you are the happy owner of the Nexus 6, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P smartphones, as well as the Nexus 9 and Pixel C tablets, then everything is as simple as shelling pears. All you need to do is go to this page, enter the password for your Google account and press the big green button. This action confirms the user's consent to join the Android Beta testing program. And in just a couple of seconds, an update to Android N will arrive on your gadget over the air. All personal data should theoretically be preserved, but backup copy Still, it’s better to do it first. Moreover, if you suddenly decide to leave Android programs Beta, then the “nexuses” themselves will be reset to factory settings, and the information on them will be irretrievably lost.

Owners of other smartphones and tablets will have to dance with a tambourine: unlock gadgets using special programs, download the Android N image and enter a couple of commands manually during installation. In general, the process is not particularly complicated, but it is completely unnecessary for an unprepared person. If you are suddenly interested, then excellent instructions.

Should you install Android N right now?

Android N Developer Preview is early version not ready yet operating system, which is intended for developers, not mass users. If you are not involved in creating programs for Android, then we do not recommend installing it. In addition to the innovations described above, along with Android N Developer Preview you will receive a whole bunch of bugs and glitches that will make the device extremely inconvenient in everyday use.

The Android N operating system has not yet found its final name, but we already know a lot about it. Google is being more open this time, releasing a couple of developer previews this year and now introducing a beta build that can be used as the main operating system. It can be downloaded for the Pixel C tablet and Nexus smartphones from version 6. If users are not ready to work with a non-final version of the system, you can read about its innovations in this article.

1. Multitasking

   The inability to display more than one app at a time became especially noticeable on Android last year, when the work-oriented Pixel C tablet was released. In Android N, developers eliminate this shortcoming. You can also split the screen on smartphones by holding down the task switch button. This is a fairly intuitive solution, but now it’s like you get two screens the size of a smartphone.

   Applications do not need to be updated to be compatible with this feature. Some, like Instagram, aren't selectable at all yet, while others, like Twitter and The New York Times, load just fine in a smaller format despite landing on the "may not work" warning list.

   The task switch button is another Android N trick: double tap it opens the last recently used application. Google calls this Quick function Switch is the equivalent of the Alt-Tab button combination in Windows.

   If you have too many apps open at once, the Clean button will help you close them with one click.

2. Notifications

   The Notification Shadow has been completely redesigned in Android N. Objects are now visible more clearly, with smaller icons that make better use of space. Notifications have become more functional, they can be expanded twice for viewing information and interaction. You can open them not only with a swipe, but also with small buttons.

   Long-pressing each notification allows you to set how you want to receive notifications from that app in the future, such as receiving them silently or blocking them altogether.

   

   We can also mention the integration of quick switches. In you need to pull the top edge of the screen down to open a menu with switches for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and others, and in N there is a row of five icons above the notifications. To open the rest, you need to scroll through the list; the icons can be customized to select the ones you use most often.

3. Settings

   The settings menu has also undergone changes. At the top there are suggestions for actions that you have not yet performed on your device, such as settings accounts Email or voice commands. Each option contains relevant information, such as free disk space, data about Wi-Fi networks, traffic, etc.

   

   Another change concerns the permanent settings that appear in the list when activated. The toggle appears at the top of the list and can be dismissed, like notifications, if desired.

4. A virtual reality

   While there's nothing truly new in the current public beta, a virtual reality is the big piece of the Android N puzzle. Google launches new platform based on Android called Daydream, which replaces the Cardboard device. You will need a Daydream certified smartphone with the correct display and sensors, these will work with the new VR mode in Android to improve the performance of virtual reality devices.

   So far, Google is demonstrating prototypes of such devices with a simple wireless motion controller. Other manufacturers will be able to produce their own devices that meet the Daydream standard; , and are already ready to offer smartphones with Daydream support.

   In terms of content, Google is working on VR versions YouTube applications, Street View and Photos, collaborating with Netflix, Ubisoft and Electronic Arts. The launch of the Daydream platform is planned for the fall.

5. Keyboard themes

   

   This is far from the main innovation of the next version of Android, but the system has a lot of themes for Google keyboard default. You can choose different colors, add and remove borders between buttons, and set a photo as a background.

6. Performance

   Google is talking about performance improvements in a number of areas. N supports new GUI Vulkan, which is starting to be used in computer games and will increase the speed of display of games on smartphones and tablets.

   Android N received new compiler JIT, thanks to which Google promises to increase battery life and halve the size of applications, making them 75% faster.

7. New emoticons

   

   Google is updating the set of emoji in Android N, giving them a more unified look. The company is inviting the Unicode Consortium to adopt 13 new emoticons.

8. Easter eggs

   Android N doesn't have a version number yet, but Google already puts traditional surprises into the system. In every version of Android, they are opened by quickly tapping the version number in the settings. In this case, the N logo appears. We just have to wait until the system has a final name, then the surprise may be more significant.

We have already mentioned that Google is developing a new OS to replace Android 6.0. For now it is known under the name Android N. And it seems that we got acquainted with it earlier than we planned.

The reason for this is the recent release of Developer Preview, a new operating system for latest smartphones Nexus (Nexus 6, Nexus 9, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus Player and Pixel C) participating in the beta program. And even if this is just a raw beta, a number of very definite conclusions can already be drawn from it.

At the moment it is clear that Android N will receive the following features:

• New notification system;
• Multitasking functions with split screen;
• Quick response;
• Quick settings switches;
• Subheadings for settings indicating their current status;
• Data storage;
• Sleep mode for applications after the screen is locked;
• New online compiler speeds up system loading.

Let's look at them in order.

New notification system, quick response and quick settings switches

One of the main Android differences N there should be a new notification system. Google itself calls it “Bundled Notifications”. Its essence is to combine several notifications from the same application into one message. If you want to get full information about all notifications, just press the expand button or expand it with two fingers. Notifications from each application are neatly placed in the appropriate tab. And now even a very large list takes up very little space on the screen.

In addition, such density will allow the owner to easily deal with a bunch of messages filling his device. So we can only give credit to this solution, which is head and shoulders above both past Android and iOS solutions. Keep it up, Google!

Android N also received the Quick Reply to Notifications feature. Apple already has something similar. There you can respond to an app notification without opening it. Fast and easy. However, this feature does not yet work on all applications. For example, you won't be able to use it for email. But Hangouts or Skype support it.

Another clever feature is the new quick settings toggles. Now there are five of them. You can enter them by simply translating the trigger. Something similar has already happened in latest versions Android, where you could hold down the WiFi icon and end up in the corresponding menu. But now there are many more such links. For example, clicking on the battery will take you to a charge consumption graph.

By the way, don’t forget that all these innovations are equipped with magnificent, smooth animation. Everything is assembled and re-arranged very quickly and without delays. Big G did a great job.

The only complaint about the new functionality is the unexpectedly scanty drop-down settings menu. You will have to double click on the application to see the settings icon. We hope this is just a raw beta issue. But who knows. Also, we would like to see the battery percentage.

Split-screen multitasking features

Split-screen multitasking has only recently appeared on smartphones. And the first company here was Samsung. But now, the flag is in Google's hands, introducing this feature as a basic feature for Android N.

To activate it, simply hold down the multitasking key while you are in the application. After this, you will see that the button has changed its icon, and the screen is divided into two parts. By default, the screen is split evenly, but you can set your own value, up to 2/3. It will not be possible to divide further. Yes, and why?! This became clear on Samsung example, giving the user complete freedom of choice. As a result, no one leaves less than 30% to the second application. Otherwise it becomes useless.

The good news is that both split screens work incredibly smoothly. You can use both applications at the same time. No loss of quality. The exception is applications like YouTube, which automatically pause when you leave their window.

Of course, now you can easily copy and paste text from one window to another, just like on a regular computer. So, now working with smartphones will become much easier.

On the other hand, it is doubtful that such a function will gain popularity among smartphone owners. It undoubtedly looks great at presentations, but in real life it is of little use. Another thing is tablets. Most apps are still poorly optimized for large screens. And it might be better to have two apps running simultaneously on split screens than one that's more than half empty.

Another nice feature of multitasking is the ability to switch between applications by simply pressing the multitasking key.

Hidden features

Split-screen multitasking and a new notification system are the most noticeable changes to Android N that are visible to the naked eye. But there are many important changes that have gone unnoticed.

Firstly, it is a more efficient use of batteries, which is achieved by forcibly putting running applications to sleep in blocking mode. This solution was first presented at Android Marshmallow. Now applications will stop turning on and working in background, draining your battery.

Background Android mode N also optimizes the use of other device resources. For example, random access memory, which allows you to reduce system requirements, without loss of smooth operation.

Another new feature of Android N is the new operational compiler. Now you don’t have to see the annoying “Application optimization” message every time you reboot or update your device. As they say: “it’s a small thing, but it’s nice.”

Results

Android N outputs Android system on new level development. And while it may not demonstrate any truly breakthrough features, that doesn't mean it doesn't have some really important and practical improvements. The simplest example of this is split-screen multitasking. Also, we hope that Big G will continue to work on optimizing the use of system resources and battery power.

The main problem new system from Google will most likely become smartphone developers. Most of them have their own interface options. And not every one of them will want to quickly adapt to other people’s decisions. The simplest example of this is the situation with the update to Android 6.0, which has been stalling for a year now. However, perhaps Google will have its own trump cards that can force developers to hurry up with the update. But time will tell how the situation will turn out.