Announcements for Android N and Android Wear 2.0 from Google I/O 2016

It is the 10th anniversary for Android and it has become one of the most used operation system in the world. There are over 65 billion installs from Google Play last year alone. Google’s new release for Android is called Android N. But Google is now opening the Android naming system for this year’s release for the public’s suggestion.

To submit you name release, go to www.Android.com/n and enter your suggestion.

Android N brings improved performance especially for graphics thanks to a new platform called Vulkan which provides little overhead and faster graphical performance by enabling developers access the GPU directly unlike OpenGL. This enables developers to squeeze in more effects per frame while still maintaining a high frame rate. Android Runtime now runs 30–600% faster and includes a Just-in-Time compiler for a over 75% faster app installation with a 50% reduction in compiled code size and reduces storage sizes and makes a device a little more efficient for battery life.

Android N brings file-based encryption rather than just block based encryption and also introduces a new hardened media framework by breaking down “key subsystems into individual SE linux protected processes, codex and file extractors”. Android N also introduces auto-updates to apps and system images without any user input. Password will no longer be requested and thanks to the new JIT compiler, the “Android is starting” dialogue box is gone and instead a utilizes a new “Direct Boot” system to boot to the new image seamlessly. In addition to device based security, Google services are also very secure like safe browsing on Google Chrome and the rigorous security testing for each app to be released on Google Play along with Google’s App Security Improvement Program to further speed up the process of finding vulnerabilities. Google Play also utilizes SafetyNet which automatically detects if an app steps out of line and uninstalls it irrespective of its source with over 8 billion apps being checked everyday.

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Android N also brings a new style of productivity and multitasking. Recent apps now only shows you apps that you use frequently and Google finally added a “Clear All” button to instantly close any number of apps with one click. Google also introduced a new feature called “Quick Switch” which activates when double tapped on the recent apps button takes you back to the previous app that was being used similar to an “ simplified Alt tab”. Thanks to new improvements in Multi-Window, you can now use split screen for tablets and phones and Picture-in-picture for Android TV for enhanced multitasking. Long-tapping the “Recents” button on your smartphone or tablet enables Split-screen mode where you can summon another app as well. On Android TV you can simply enable Picture-in-Picture while watching a show and do a another task in the background such as installing another app or looking up for details even using Google Assistant.

Notifications also gets a new design with Android N bringing in reply feature right on the notification similar to iOS so you can send off texts right away without accessing the app itself. You can also long-press the notification by holding a particular notification to pull up the options for silencing a notification.

Google also introduces new emojis thanks to support for Unicode 9 which brings in new styles of emojis and colour and also better representation of women in professional role’s (which is highly welcome). Android N is expected to be fully released this summer but Google also announced a new beta candidate if you want to begin using the new OS right away on your main phone or tablet!

Virtual Reality is also coming to Android N and users have installed over 50 million apps just for VR on cardboard. Google wanted the VR experience to be much more than some random blurred motion that interacts with you. They wanted to create something that was completely immersive with reduced vision to photons latency and higher quality images and interaction with added comfort and an overall better native experience. So Google introduced Daydream. To learn more about Google’s Daydream, click here.

To install go to, www.Android.com/beta and make sure your device is supported.

Wearables and Android Wear:

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Android Wear Watches[/caption]

Android Wear 2.0 is coming with more new and useful Watch face capable of having data from any app anywhere on any watch face, smart reply, new handwriting and also a new keyboard. Google is also improving fitness experience on the Watch by opening up inter-app data communication and the ability to store music on the watch leaving you phone behind. All of these new features don’t require a phone. Apps can be standalone and connect directly to the cloud using networking such as cellular or Wifi features.

Android Wear 2.0 is available for developers at g.co/wearpreview and will be available for release in the fall.

To learn about the other announcements at Google I/O 2016, click here!