Android M Developer Preview Release

Android M Developer Preview Release

Just when major companies selling Android phones started rolling out new devices with Android 5.0/5.1 or upgrading their devices to Android 5.0 (Android L), Google released a developer preview of Android M for Nexus 5, Nexus 6, and Nexus 9 and Nexus Player (TV) devices. Android M made its first appearance at Google I/O held on 28 May, 2015.

Android M Developer Preview

Android M Developer Preview

Android 5.0 included major changes like the shift to material design and ART (Android Runtime) approach. Android M is also based on same material design and ART environment.

Android M Developer Preview

After successful installation of the developer preview, I have already noticed some changes in the latest version of the widely used Mobile Operating System.

The Developer Preview was installed on a virtual device using Android Virtual Device manager and few of the enhancements noticed in the preview are included in this article.

The major changes in developer preview of Android M include better power management and added security features.

The new power management feature ensures significant increase in standby time of the device. It automatically detects unused applications and reduces background processes/services  when the device is not in motion(physically stable).When the device is in same place for a period of enough time, the devices enters a sleep state in which only required applications are set as active.

Fingerprint Authentication

Fingerprint Authentication-Android M Developer Preview

Fingerprint Authentication-Android M Developer Preview

Android M adds fingerprint authentication and improves security of your device. Fingerprint system can be setup to unlock the device and even verify purchase of apps from Google Play Store. After full release of ‘M’, it might also be possible for third party apps to use this feature in implementing Privacy locks.Note that this feature requires hardware support to scan and recognize fingerprint.

Android M Themes

Android M Themes - Android M Developer Preview

Android M Themes – Android M Developer Preview

Android M also allows users to choose between light and dark themes or even set it to automatic according to their own choice.Setting it to automatic should change the theme automatically depending upon surrounding brightness of the mobile.The user shouldn’t be bothered about changing themes time and again.

Android M USB Configurations

Android M USB Configurations - Developer Preview

Android M USB Configurations – Developer Preview

This version of Google’s Android also supports various USB configurations which can be selected in Developer’s option of the device.The various options available are MTP-transfer data between PC and smartphone,PTP-transfer images and videos only,RNDIS-allows to use PC’s internet on mobile through USB and vice versa and also serve as an audio source.

Customizable User Interface (UI)

Customizable User Interface (UI) - Android M Developer Preview

Customizable User Interface (UI) – Android M Developer Preview

An additional new feature is customization of UI(User Interface).Android M allows users to design UI depending upon their own choice.Current preview includes customization of Quick settings only.(i.e. The tiles shown after a pull down from status bar at the top).System UI tuner allows us to rearrange the tiles,delete unwanted tiles or add them later again.

The next developer preview is expected to release by the end of June or starting week of July. We will keep you updated with latest technical additions to Android M as soon as possible.

On the other side, iOS 9 is also on its Way.

Read Here: Apple Announced iOS 9 in WWDC 2015

Also Read: Lenovo K3 Note Registration and Sale in India

Article By : Shikhar Jain (SITS,Pune)

#AndroidM #AndroidMDeveloperpreview

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