Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Android N spotted without an app drawer in official Google video



Google is going to take the wraps off of Android N this coming spring but its possible that the newest version of Googles mobile operating system will remove a longtime feature: The app drawer. In case youre not familiar with the app drawer, its the icon on the bottom of your Android devices display that you can click to access all the applications on your device, not just the ones that are on your home screen.

Getting to the official video, the Google Maps Twitter handle may just have given the world the first look at Android N. In a video shared last week detailing new features of Google Maps, the search giant shows what appears to be a Nexus 6P smartphone that's missing an app drawer on its home screen. Instead, the Nexus 6P's home screen in the video shows the Dialler, Contacts, and Camera apps.

Google Maps Tweet : 

Run Forrest Run! Or walk, or drive, or bike. #MapsAtTheMovies https://t.co/GocsZtDx9Lhttps://t.co/4iOFYbDkl0

Google Maps (@googlemaps) February 26, 2016

If this turns out to be true, it would mean Google is moving Android closer to Apple's way of doing things. The iPhone has always laid out its apps across multiple home screens, with users free to move them around as they like.

AndroidPolice has shared a few mock-up screenshots of Android N showing tweaks in notifications tab as well as quick settings panel. According to the shared mock-up screenshots claimed to be from Android N, Google's next Android OS version will have more than just cosmetic changes.

The screenshot showing notifications tab shows more details while quick settings panel will add an edit tab. The app icons seen in mock-up images are smaller than the current version.

One of the notable changes seen is that the quick settings as well as notifications tab now span full width instead of half of the screen that shows up currently.

Another notable addition seen is the quick settings toggles visible at the top of the notifications pane. Google's new approach to show quick settings toggles in notifications tab seems to be inspired from other Android-based skins preloaded by OEMs. One of the screenshots show notifications tab including toggles for Wi-Fi, network status, battery, do not disturb, flashlight, and an additional drop down button. On tapping the drop down button opens the quick settings panel showing all the options.

An edit button is also seen at the bottom of the quick settings panel making it easier for users to make any changes to the toggles.

It's worth mentioning that the spotted screenshots or the shared video claimed to be from Android N may be early version of the OS and we may see a lot of changes in the final build.

Google is likely to reveal its next mobile operating system, believed to be called as Android N initially, at the I/O conference. Google CEO Sundar Pichai had last month has announced the date and venue for the I/O 2016 which will be held in Mountain View, California on May 18 through May 20. The Google I/O 2016 registration opens 8th March 2016.




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