Rumored name, features and release dates of Google’s Android N revealed
Following the trend of naming Android updates with desserts by alphabetical order, Google’s Android N is going to be the successor to Android Marshmallow.
Android enthusiasts are fascinating over what name the ‘N’ will stand for even though Android M has not been updated by a lot of users. If one has to go by the rumors, the name is likely to be Nutella and here is the list of features and changes that might come with it.
The first feature that Android N is rumored to have is multi-window feature, just like iOS 9 has this feature for iPads. Andrew Bowers from Google said that “we’d spoil the surprise of N if we shared all of them. Split screen is in the works!” Currently, it is said that multi-window is a “highly experimental” feature in Marshmallow, but Google is working on improving it and it will be officially released, it will be pushed to the Android tablets. If this happens, not only will it be useful for larger Android devices, but also pit against Apple’s iPad and their new software features.
The second feature might be a new messaging application, but it’s unclear whether or not this means that Hangouts will be pushed aside in order to make room for “Messaging”, the application which already reached India and parts of Africa and it’s competing against WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. The Wall Street Journal has reported a number of times that this “new” messaging app would be smarter and more like a blending of Hangouts and Google Now, with answers available for whatever people ask it.
Lastly, the third and most important change will affect Chrome OS, as it has been rumoured that the two operating systems will become one with Chrome folded into Android. This is something Google has apparently been working on for a long time and, while it has recently made some progress, the single OS isn’t expected to be ready until 2017, making it more likely that if any Android OS is to kill off Chrome OS it will be Android 8.0 “O”. For now the company has confirmed that both operating systems will continue to exist.
But Google wants to do more than put Android on more devices, Lockheimer revealed during his Fast Company interview. Google wants smart Android devices to talk to each other better in order to offer new features that right now aren’t possible. In terms of actual new features in Android N it’s a bit too early too tell, especially given that most Android users are still waiting for the Marshmallow upgrade. However, we will continue to update this article until Android 7.0 N’s release, including new rumours and information as we hear it.
Android N is expected to get its first outing at Google I/O 2016, which has now been confirmed to run between May 18, 2016 to May 20, 2016. Google will offer an Android N Developer Preview, which you will be able to install on its 2016 line of Nexus devices.
