It was previously reported that the next iteration of the Android OS, presumably called Android 7.0 or Android N, is set for release this coming September. However, as pointed out in a report from Ecumenical News, Samsung devices won't get the update until early 2017.
It is noted that while flagship phones from other companies tend to get the latest Android quickly after Google launches them on their own devices, Samsung often takes a while longer. Samsung devices did not get Android 6.0 Marshmallow until six months after it was released for Google's Nexus phones.
Should Samsung wait another five or six months before their flagship devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S7 get the new Android N then it is likely Samsung phone owners will need to wait until February or March 2017.
Fans speculate that this delay is not going to be fixed as it may be due to contractual obligations between Samsung and Google or because the latter is sticking to a specific release schedule that cannot be easily adjusted.
Android N will come with several new features such as the ability to multitask with different apps at the same time. While this feature has been added on by other flagship devices this is the first time that it will come as a built-in feature with the Android OS.
The new OS version will also simplify notifications, replies and more to make it more convenient and faster to access apps, reply to messages and notifications, and to do all of these without having to close an app or switch from one to another.
While the release of the final build is in September, phone users can download and use the Developer Preview, which is an unfinished version of Android N. As such as this version does come with bugs and other issues that will be fixed in the official release.
