Google has announced the availability of the developer preview of the next version of Android OS: Android O. Following its traditional naming system, this codename “O” will be named after a dessert when the final version is released.
This version isn’t available for everyone at the moment but for developers who will be testing it out and giving feedback on the preview. The new version of the OS is still in its early days, more features will be added and there will be lots of stabilization work to be done.
Google is yet to give all the detail about the features of Android O, but we know that the new version is meant to give priority to improving smartphone battery life. Additional automatic limits to app’s background activities have been added, making it easier to create apps that have minimal impact on devices’ battery life. Just as Dave Burke, VP of Engineering states it: “We’ve put additional automatic limits on what apps can do in the background, in three main areas: implicit broadcasts, background services, and location updates.”
Some changes will also apply to the notification system on the new Android version – apps will now be able to group their notifications into categories called Channels. This will give users control over different kind of notifications.
Burke also added that “Android O also adds new visuals and grouping to notifications that make it easier for users to see what’s going on when they have an incoming message or are glancing at the notification shade.”
Better battery management and notification seem to be biggest announcement. However you can click here to see other interesting additions to the Android O.
Google has also announced May 17-19 as date for Google i/o, its annual developer conference where the code name and every other detail of the final version of the OS will be announced.
