Google gives first impression of next Android release
Google has released the first details of the next Android version during its I/O developer conference. The new Android version includes a new visual style and a faster runtime. Google will release a preview version for the Nexus 5 and 7 later this week.
The next version of Android, currently only known as the ‘L-release’, is visually built around Google’s new design guidelines, which Google calls ‘Material Design’. Apps are divided into different visual layers, each of which has depth information. This information is used in animations so that parts of the interface can move independently of each other and can move over each other.
Google has further expanded the notification system in the L release. For example, notifications are now displayed on the lockscreen and it is also possible to show notifications as a small popup, above the running app. These Heads Up notifications are partly already baked into Android 4.4, but were not yet activated. Recently, mods were released with which this functionality could be unlocked.
Android L should make it easier to unlock a device. For example, a pin code or pattern on the lockscreen can be disabled in certain cases. This can be determined on the basis of a location, but also, for example, the proximity of certain Bluetooth devices, such as a smartwatch.
The mobile version of Chrome will be more closely integrated with the operating system in Android L, showing open tabs in the same menu as open apps. The L-release also includes a do not disturb mode, a new settings panel and a new onscreen keyboard.
Under the hood, Android L no longer uses the Dalvik VM, but the new Android Runtime, or ART. This was already available as an experimental option in Android 4.4, but will be activated by default in the new Android version. According to Google, ART should ensure that apps run faster and smoother, up to two times faster than with Dalvik. In addition, ART is 64-bit compatible with full support for the armv8 and x86-64 instruction sets.
The upcoming release should receive improvements in the graphical field, partly because, according to Google, smartphones and tablets for the high-end market with ‘pc gaming’ properties are on the way. Google has included those improvements under the Android Extension Pack, which brings support for tesselation and geometry shaders to the OS, among other things.
In terms of battery life, Android L must provide more information to developers about how the battery is charged. A new Battery Saver Mode is made available to users, which disables certain features in order to conserve battery power.
The L-release of Android should come out at the end of this year, but Google will put a preview version online on Thursday for the Nexus 5 and Nexus 7.