Google is ready to come out with a beta version for its new Android 7.1 update. Meanwhile, although the new update is ready to roll out to the Nexus lineup, it will introduce features exclusive only to the new flagship, the Pixel and Pixel XL.
Reportedly, one noted exclusive feature limited to the Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones is native support for Google Daydream VR. This means that with the update roll out, the new flagships will be able to support virtual reality content like 3D media and VR games. The feature will not be available for Nexus devices, even when users update to Android 7.1. Among the Google lineups, only the Pixel and Pixel XL flagships are "phones built for virtual reality."
Aside from native VR support, the Android 7.1 Nougat update also unlocks a different user interface for its camera. Supposedly, the Pixel and Pixel XL camera apps will allow digital storage access for images and videos. This is to make up for the "somewhat limited" storage since the flagships don't offer expandable storage. Aside from storage, some new image and video capture features will be exclusive to the Pixel and Pixel XL's camera setup.
Meanwhile, the new Pixel Launcher is also expected to be exclusive to the new flagships, hence the name, although only for a limited time. Since the launcher uses open source codes, it is only a matter of time before third-party developers come out with their own versions of the launcher for the Nexus devices, as well as other third-party lineups.
Although exclusive features will be optimized for the Google Pixel and Pixel XL, users may have to wait a bit before full access is possible. Supposedly, the new Android 7.1 platform on the devices are the base versions, and a newer Android Nougat 7.1.x version will still come out, although it may be as far back as December.
