Google has released their Android P developer preview and it will bring a range of new features to Android devices.
It even comes with support for the notch that many Android manufacturers have started to install on their handsets, there are also enhanced messages, indoor positioning and much more.
New Features in Android P
Looking ahead, today we’re sharing the first developer preview of Android P, the newest version of Android. It’s an early baseline build for developers only — you’re our most trusted reviewers and testers 😉 Early feedback from our developer community is crucial in helping us evolve the platform to meet your needs. We’d love to get you started exercising the new features and APIs in P, and as always, we depend on your early feedback and ideas, so please give us your input!
One of the most talked-about features is the support for display cutouts, commonly known as notches. This feature allows developers to optimize their apps to work seamlessly with the notches that are becoming increasingly common on Android devices. This means that apps can now make better use of the screen space around the notch, providing a more immersive experience for users.
Another significant addition is the enhanced messaging experience. Android P introduces a new messaging style that allows for rich content in notifications, such as images and stickers. This makes conversations more engaging and interactive, directly from the notification shade.
Indoor positioning is another exciting feature that Android P brings to the table. Using Wi-Fi RTT (Round-Trip-Time), Android P can provide accurate indoor positioning down to one or two meters. This can be incredibly useful for navigation within large buildings like malls or airports, where GPS signals are often weak or unavailable.
Developer Tools and APIs
Android P also comes with a host of new APIs and tools designed to make life easier for developers. One such tool is the new Multi-Camera API, which allows developers to access streams from two or more physical cameras simultaneously. This can enable features like seamless zoom, bokeh effects, and stereo vision.
The new ImageDecoder API is another noteworthy addition. It provides a modernized approach to decoding images, offering better performance and more flexibility compared to the older BitmapFactory API. This can be particularly useful for apps that handle a lot of image processing.
Security and privacy have also been given a boost in Android P. The new version restricts access to the microphone, camera, and all SensorManager sensors from apps that are idle. This means that background apps will no longer be able to access these sensors, providing an extra layer of privacy for users.
The guys from The Verge have put together a great video which shows some of the new features coming in Android P.
As yet there are no details on what the P in Android P will stand for, what do you guys think it will be called? Please leave a comment below and let us know.
Source Android Developers, The Verge
Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.
