In the weeks since its announcement, we’ve seen news of Android spread like wildfire. The next version of Android L has been unveiled and the new software has been given an upgrade. According to Sundar Pichai, head of Android, Android’s revamp is one of the biggest upgrades so far. The new Android release has brought about a whole lot of new features, big visual changes, and clever tweaks to get Android users excited about. Here are some of the key changes to look out for in the Android L’s facelift!
Material Design
One of the biggest changes for Android L is the new design guideline across all of its platforms. The idea here is that Google services look consistent across different displays of viewing.
The interesting aspect of its facelift comes with bold colour palettes, icons, typography and 3D visual touches. In terms of typography, Android’s signature Roboto font has been given a makeover – it’s wider, rounder and clearer. Inspired by nature, physics and the bold, graphic look of print-based design, Google says that the new changes can bring to life even more beautiful, engaging experiences.
Google designer Nicholas Jitkoff also concurs that content is front and center, using principles of modern print design. Every motion is meaningful, clarifying relationships, teaching with delightful details. Android users can expect a revamped set of animations that give the design of OS a clean, modern and minimalist finish. Be sure to look out for new on-screen software buttons – with a triangle replacing the Back arrow, a circle for Home and a square for accessing the Recent Apps multi-tasking menu.
Interactive Notifications and Lock Screen
Notifications on Android L also receive an overhaul. New lock screen notifications will surface with actions, content and updates to users, without unlocking. The notification panel merges with the lockscreen so you can see what’s going on when you pick up your phone, and a simple swipe takes you there. Visibility controls allows you to manage the types of notifications to show on the lock-screen.
On the other hand, Android L is getting smarter too. The user interface has the ability to track your preference – from which, they work out what you interact with the most to show that notification most frequently on your phone.
Another big change involves notifications showing at the top of the screen, prompting you to pick up a call. This calls for less intrusions when you’re in middle of breaking your records at games! Plus, with Personal Unlocking, the phone will not prompt you for a security PIN if you’re at a specific location, or if you’re wearing a Bluetooth device.
Also read: Own Your Own Virtual Reality Headset With Your Android Phone, Thanks to Google
64-Bit Support for Speed and Efficiency
Apart from some nifty features that give end users an immediate visual impact, Google has also put in a lot of hard work behind the scenes to ensure that Android L performs the best. However, we’ll spare you from codespeak and technicalities. In the simplest terms possible, Google has reported that Android L will perform two times better, so apps will become more efficient, with the support of 64-bit architecture.
If you’re interested, here’s what’s going on inside: ART is the standard runtime in Android KitKat that works with ARM, x86 and MIPS platforms and performs twice as fast as the Dalvik runtime that is found on the preceding Android iterations. End users will greatly benefit from memory efficiency, larger number registers, cross platform support and and increased RAM support that 64-bit infrastructure supports.
Project Volta
Thanks to Volta, it helps your apps run efficiently and conserve your phone’s battery juice. Battery Historian is a new tool that helps developers to measure consumption by app, and troubleshoot energy-draining issues to minimise battery impact. Here’s the elixir guaranteed to boost battery life. Battery Saver can lengthen the phone’s battery life up to 90 minutes by default!
Google has continued to impress us with one of the biggest updates to the mobile OS. Android L feels like a bigger push towards Google’s mobile OS, at this point of time.
Honestly, I’m pretty intrigued by the arrival of Google’s further optimisations and enhancements. That said, Android L is looking good to secure its hold over the smartphone and tablet market.