Google gave a glimpse of the next version of its mobile operating system, Android N, with features like a quick settings button and split-screen multitasking. Now, the company has not only introduced more features from the operating system that will reach a small number of customers by the end of this year, but has also released a beta version that developers can download and play with.
The new features include a new picture-in-picture mode, so one can watch YouTube videos while operating other apps. There is a clear-all button for multi-tasking windows. It also has the ability to jump to the last app if one double taps the multi-tasking button.
Instant Apps
Space remains a major area of concern on Android devices, even if a phones have enough space to get apps installed, there are certain app people hardly use for a long time and might forget to delete which ends up consuming space. Instant Apps solves that problem. It runs even on the oldest Android phones running Gingerbread without having to install an app. So instead of downloading the whole app, one can use this without even having the app installed on your device.
- Duo
Duo is a dedicated person-to-person video calling app available for both Android and the iPhone.
Working just like Apple’s Facetime, Duo is easy to use because it has one use case. It also has a ‘Knock Knock’ feature, which shows the video preview of the person calling you on your lock screen, before you actually take the call. Both Allo and Duo will be available later this year.
- Allo
Even now, Google does not have a single messaging app that people love and use. This year, the company wants to woo the users with two new apps—Allo and Duo. Available for both Android and iPhones, Allo is a normal messaging app packed with all the features that you would expect like emoji and custom stickers.
Android Wear 2.0
The biggest feature of Android Wear 2.0 is the ability to make data from any app show up on your watch. With features like better third party app syncing and automatic exercise recognition, Wear 2.0 aims to free the smartwatch from relying on the smartphone.
Android Auto
With Android Auto slowly making its way into our cars, the tech giant is ready to take the next step. These improvements let auto-makers make their own flavours of Android N, including the popular traffic tracking app Waze in Android Auto. Now, any old car can use Android Auto from the phone even if the car does not have a dedicated screen.
AI Assistants
- Google Home
Inspired by Amazon’s success with its always listening home AI assistant Echo, Google is launching the Home. Just like Echo and its AI assistant Alexa, Home will listen to spoken commands to answer questions and execute commands for connected homes. Just like Echo, it is a white cylinder and comes with an integrated speaker. Built with Chromecast as the foundation, it will be able to push video and audio to Chromecast compatible devices.
- Google Assistant
Google Assistant is the Siri-like conversational AI helper that lives on your Android phone and on Google Home devices. But owing to the company’s unmatchable expertise in machine learning, Assistant lets users speak to it like they were talking to a real human. From helping with queries to booking tickets, Assistant is the super smart AI assistant that we won’t be able to live without in the future.
Virtual Reality
Google’s dabbling with virtual reality began with Cardboard. This year, Google will finally have a full fledged mobile virtual reality platform that it is calling Daydream. It will be baked right into Android N and will make use of specially created VR versions of apps like YouTube, Street View and Google Photos.
