It seems like the release of the next-generation Nexus smartphone will come very soon. This speculation surfaced after the developments in Android M, said to be the device's operating system, recently emerged.
App Developer Magazine reported Sunday that the first update to Google's M Developer Preview was unveiled early this month. It reportedly came with the latest M release platform code as well as near-final APIs that could authenticate an app.
The report said that Google's mobile operating system development arm made significant improvements on the Nexus system images as well as the emulator system images. Google reportedly tweaked the first M Developer Preview to address most of the issues that developers experienced during its first phase, including:
- Android Platform Changes – modified platform permissions such as external storage, contacts/ identity permission changes, as well as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth locations by using charge-only mode by default by using the USB port to connect devices.
- API modifications – adding improved Bluetooth Stylus APIs with updated callback events that could be used to find out if a device microphone is available.
The Android M Developer Preview 2 also includes an enhanced SDK with sytem images, documentation, and samples that can be used for working against the newest Android M platform, with updated RuntimePermissions/ RuntimePermissionsBasic and FingerprintDialog for API and behavior changes.
The official Android Developer blog posted instructions on how to download the M Developer Preview 2, saying:
Developer Preview 2 system images for supported Nexus devices are available by download and by over-the-air (OTA) update. The OTA update is available only to supported devices that are currently running Developer Preview 1. If your devices is running Developer Preview 1, you should automatically receive the OTA update within a few days of availability."
The first version of the M Developer Preview was released during the Google I/O conference on May 28.
Google has yet to announce the release date of the final build of the Android M operating system. This means that the next Nexus smartphone product lines will have to wait until the latest mobile OS comes out since the tech firm normally releases them together.
