Google had people surprised, with its earlier than expected announcement of the new and upgraded Operating System Android N. It is expected to be released sometime in 2016. The reason behind such an early announcement and initiation of the beta testing, spares no doubt that the company wants to leave no stones unturned, to ensure the best experience for users.
Although, there is much speculation about the release date, the word on the street being, it should be with us by September. The OS is quite deep into its beta testing lifespan, garnering an array of reviews from users. Primarily, the reviews have been mostly on the positive side.
Android N will be the final build for the Android 7.0 series. Apart from that, another exciting release that we will see very soon from Google is Google Home, Google’s stepping stone into the Artificial Intelligence market. Much like Amazon Echo, this will be an interactive platform designed to communicate with the user, ask questions, take in requests.
Now, the question on everyone’s mind is, when shall we be getting it on our phones? Well, good news for Nexus users, for it will be the first to get the upgrade. While, for other android users, patience might prove to be a comforting friend.
If there is anything that we have learnt from the past track record of Android and its implementing of upgrades, it’s that Nexus has always been the first, while others catch on slowly.
According, to the schedule of Android N after Nexus, Samsung, HTC, Blackberry, LG, Huawei shall receive their upgrades respectively.
Samsung has consistently been slow at coming up with upgrades for its Android platforms. Last time, it was a good five months late in providing an upgrade for its Android devices. Marshmallow was introduced on 29th of September 2015, while Samsung got it on 3rd March 2016, for Galaxy Note 5.
Meaning, Samsung users can expect to get to use it somewhere around MARCH 2017. However, HTC and LG, have been impressing customers by ushering in quicker upgrades last year. HTC, brought in Marshmallow, for its HTC One M9, after just two months, in December, after Google released it.
LG too was a success story by releasing Marshmallow in December, for its LG G4. Hence, it can be expected that HTC and LG users shall have the Android N, at their grasp by December 2016.
The Android OS, as well as the handset markets, have three tough contenders this year. SAMSUNG with its products like Samsung galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 Edge, LG with its LG G5 and HTC with the HTC 10. The competition is going to be fierce, between HTC and LG.
Another company that might surprise us, is Huawei, which has been on a steady upward trajectory since a little before last year. It holds the record of being the fastest partner of the Google franchise, to roll out the Android Marshmallow, on its Huawei Mate 8, in November. So, there might be a good chance of making your peers jealous with Android N upgrades coming December.
Blackberry, on the other hand, was depressingly slow to come up with its marshmallow upgrade. The priority of the company now being the refinement of its PRIV model software and securing its ties with Google. Users shouldn’t hope for getting the upgrade any time before the second quarter of next year.
Since its tests have begun, there has been several comments on some of the features to look forward to, are the Android N’s security upgrades.
Users have reported that it provides direct booting facility. What this does is, it divides the APPS into two groups, namely, Direct Encryption Storage and Public Encryption Storage.
Essentially, what it means is, when you turn your phone on, all apps in the former above said group can be accessed before unlocking the phone. These include alarms, messages SMS etc. While, all things relating to personal security shall be carefully hidden away until the user signs in.