Google Launches Android P Developer Preview 1

Aside from the expansion to more Android phones, Google also promised that Lens would also be available via the Google Photos app for iOS users.

– While some of these are consumer facing features, there are many new enhancements that will be useful to developers and phone makers. It allows developers to see how the app works with Android phone having a notch. But it has been positioned on the left now to distribute the status bar elements more evenly and make room for the iPhone X-like display notch.

The loss of support for the Pixel C means that Google now has no supported Android tablets, Ars Technica noted.

Other changes include improvements to Autofill, the implementation of the GlobalPlatform Open Mobile API for contactless payments, and improvements to underlying security, performance and power management features.

What’s more is that messaging notifications have been improved.

Meanwhile, the settings menu has also been given a new look as well. The quick settings buttons are now encircled, which turn dark gray if they are active or light gray if they are not.

Every Android smartphone comes with auto-rotate feature. Since this is the first preview, it is advised to install it on a secondary device or if you’re an app developer. In more simplified terms, applications will be able to ask for output from more than one camera at once.

Android P will natively support HDR VP9 Profile 2. It is also not in Android Beta program.

However, what’s worth noting here is that as this is the new version of Android, it brings along some new features with it. As of now, there are high chances that the Android P will be named as Android Peppermint. The company has taken enough care to improve the functionality and the overall user interface of the Android P operating system.

⮞ Support for the IEEE 802.11mc WiFi protocol -also known as WiFi Round-Trip-Time (RTT). The technology allows compatible devices to know a users’ indoor location by measuring the distance from nearby access points. This would help developers to get an accurate location in indoor condition by 1 to 2 meters.

Manually flashed system images do not automatically receive OTA updates to later Developer Preview milestone builds or the final, production version. The end-of-life for the Pixel C puts the last name in the coffin, which could raise questions about Google’s interest in the device category yet again.

In looking at Google’s timeline we see at least four more Developer Preview builds before the final release. In early June, developer preview 3 will include final APIs and the new SDK.