Wednesday, April 11, 2018

ANDROID SPECIAL.... 10 biggest features in the next version of Android OS


10 biggest features in the next version of Android OS

The upcoming operating system will have interesting features to make the ecosystem more intuitive and save time

Google has recently released a preview of the next version Android, dubbed Android P (for now). The new OS is out in the form of Developer Preview 1 and is likely to get an official introduction in May during Google’s annual developer conference I/O 2018. Although the entire list of Android P features is not out yet, check out all that’s new in the operating system:

Support for iPhone X-like notch on the display
Yes, Google is following Apple. The Android P Developer Preview 1 comes with the ‘Display Cutout’ support. The new OS version will support full screen smartphones with a dedicated space for speakers and the front cameras, something that sounds a lot like what we have seen with the iPhone X.

Gmail-like ‘Smart Replies’ coming to messages
It’s been a while since Google unveiled its ‘Smart Reply’ to Inbox, Gmail and Allo platforms. These are automated responses that show up as a reply to mails or a chat, using machine learning algorithm. These will now come to messages to your save time.

Ability to see images in message notifications
Users will be able to see images in the message notification by swiping down the tray from the top of the screen, something which was not possible until now. For now, users have to open the notification to see the attachment.

Users can differentiate between single and group conversations
Android users will also be able to see which text message is one-to-one or is in a group from inside the notification tray. This is supposed to give more clarity to users right from the notifications area and save them extra taps.

Text zooming tool
This is one of the hidden features of Android P. This iPhone-like update gives users a clearer look at what they are typing by giving a magnified look when the user swipes the cursor on the sentence or a phrase.

Multiple camera support for third-party apps
Android P will embrace the dualcamera setup, which is there in every other flagship and even mid-range smartphones these days. Developers can make their apps support multiple cameras now.

New image compression technology
With Android P, images will save more data while transferring and save more space on the handset as well. This will be due to Android P’s support for HEIF (heic) image encoding, something Apple has adopted already.

Support for new WiFi protocol
Android P will bring along the support for the IEEE 802.11mc WiFi protocol, which is also known as WiFi_33 Round-Trip-Time (RTT). This is supposed to let developers take advantage of indoor positioning in apps. For end users, this means they may be able to see indoor maps right from inside the apps.

Improved password autofill
Password autofill was already there in Android but with Android P, it is supposed to get better. The feature prevents users from having to type in each section while filling up online forms, passwords and more.

10 Settings redesign with vertical volume slider
With Android P, the Settings page gets a cosmetic change. The White/Blue colour palettes are now multi-coloured, which many will find as a refreshing change. The volume slider is now also placed vertically instead of horizontally as seen until now. Its placement has also been changed from top to side.

— TOI Tech


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