Google has released a preview of the next version of the Android operating system, known as Android N. The company normally releases a new version of Android at its I/O developers conference in May, but said it decided to bring forward the release in order to give developers more time for feedback. Google said it aims to have the final version ready by this summer, meaning it can be on phones by the year-end holiday season.
The new features on Android N include the ability for app makers to offer a split-screen view. Developers can set minimum dimensions for the screen size of the app, allowing it to shrink and be viewed alongside other content on the phone or tablet screen. Aimed especially at video apps, it also means features like picture-in-picture mode on TVs.
As with most recent versions of Android, Google also promises more battery-saving features. It launched the 'Doze' feature on Marshmallow to save battery when the device is stationary, and with Android N, Doze additionally saves battery whenever the screen turns off. Google said it's also still investing in 'Project Svelte', an effort to reduce the memory needs of Android so that it can run on a much broader range of devices. With N, this means making background work more efficient.
The N preview is available for developers only, for testing on an Android emulator or Nexus devices.
