Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile
  3. News

Android 7.0 Nougat is coming soon as the final developer preview rolls out

Julian Chokkattu
By

Android N Developer
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends
The last version of Android Nougat‘s developer preview is finally here, and that means we’re closer than ever to the official rollout of Android 7.0 and the release of Google’s new Nexus devices.

It has been a long, four-month process that began when Google released the first developer preview in March — an earlier than usual move because the search giant wanted manufacturers and carriers to roll out the new version to devices quickly. Since then, we’ve gotten three more previews where Android Nougat has showcased features like Split Screen, Direct Reply, and Night Mode. We’ve also lost newly introduced features like Launcher Shortcuts, and quick access to Night Mode. You can learn about everything we’ve seen throughout the developer previews here.

Recommended Videos

The final Developer Preview 5 doesn’t add any new feature — rather, it brings the final few touches, bug fixes, and optimizations to the operating system and preinstalled apps. While Preview 4 added the final APIs developers could use to make sure their apps are compatible, Preview 5 offers the “near-final system updates” for the devices supported.

Related

If you’re a developer, Google has also added an emulator you can use in the final preview so you can make sure your apps are ready during the final testing. Google says developers should “make sure your app handles all of the system behavior changes in Android N, like Doze on the Go, background optimizations, screen zoom, permissions changes, and more.” The company is encouraging developers to utilize new features such as multi-window support, Direct Reply, new emojis, and more.

You should be getting the update sometime Monday if you have enrolled in the Android Beta Program. If you haven’t yet done so but want to experience Android Nougat before the official release, head over to android.com/beta and opt-in with your device, if it’s eligible. We’ll update our hands-on once we have had some time to play around with Developer Preview 5.

Of course, it’s still a beta version of the final release, so you may still have some issues. If you do find any bugs, Google asks that you report them. Also, if you happen to have any questions for the Android engineering team, they will be hosting a Reddit Ask Me Anything, or AMA, from 12 to 2 p.m. July 19 PT.

Google says we’ll see the official release of Android 7.0 Nougat later this summer, which means that’s likely when we’ll see the Nexus device launch as Google typically launches new Android versions with new hardware.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Julian Chokkattu
Julian Chokkattu
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Julian is the mobile and wearables editor at Digital Trends, covering smartphones, fitness trackers, smartwatches, and more…
Google’s first Android 11 developer preview brings permissions tweaks and more
features refinements android 11 wishlist 10 q hands on 2

Android 11's path to release has finally begun. Google announced the first developer preview for Android 11, and it's now available for developers who want to start building apps and services for the next version of Android.

It's important to note that the majority of consumer-facing features in Android 11 won't be announced until Google I/O 2020 in May. Instead, this first developer preview serves as a way to introduce developers to new APIs -- like new APIs around 5G and permissions.

Read more
Google is finally rolling out RCS support to Android Messages in the U.S.
Pixel phone with five icon at the bottom of the display.

RCS is finally here -- at least for Android users. Google has announced it is rolling out RCS as Android's primary texting platform to anyone who uses the Android Messages app.

RCS is a pretty big deal for Google and largely seen as Google's way to compete better with Apple's iMessage. That's because it's essentially a next-generation texting platform, enabling features found on iMessage, like read receipts, better group message support, better multimedia support, and more.

Read more
Google Assistant 2.0 is now rolling out, starting with Pixel phones
mobile trends google assistant ai

Google Assistant 2.0 is finally here. The Pixel 4 and 4XL may have stolen the show at the Made by Google 2019 event, but Google also announced that the next generation of the Google Assistant will start rolling out, beginning with the Pixel 4 and other Pixel phones, though we didn't see any sign of the Pixel Watch.

Google first announced the second-generation Assistant at Google I/O in May, and it brings some pretty huge improvements. Perhaps the most important change is that Assistant now works largely on-device. While Assistant algorithms used to require over 100GB of storage, that number has now been shrunken down to under 500MB. With the on-device algorithms, Assistant will be able to respond to many day-to-day commands quickly and easily.

Read more