Google has started rolling out the second developer preview before Android 7.1 Nougat becomes available to everybody next month. The latest release is specific for Nexus and Pixel devices.
According to the Android Developer's Blog, the latest update is now available to LG's Nexus 5X, Huawei's Nexus 6P, HTC's Nexus 9, and the Google-made Pixel C tablet. The second developer preview brings in system optimization and security hub fixes for the said devices. Google's latest Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones are already enjoying the benefits of Android 7.1.1 including Google Assistant, enhanced fingerprint sensor and additional features for the camera app.
"Android 7.1.1 includes the developer features already available on Pixel and Pixel XL devices and adds optimizations and bug fixes on top of the base Android 7.1 platform. With Developer Preview 2, you can make sure your apps are ready for Android 7.1.1 and the consumers that will soon be running it on their devices," the post added.
The second preview brings in an updated SDK build that prepares the supported device for the final release. It adds additional tools for Android Studio, the company's app builder, as well as Level 25 of its emulator system images for its API.
The first preview brought app shortcuts, circular icons resources, and colorful keyboard support. It also included new emoji, enhanced live wallpaper metadata, storage manager intent, improved VR thread scheduling and several more improvements.
For owners of the listed device and are interested in joining the Android Beta Program, one simply needs to sign up for it. Google will then send in the updates automatically once it is available via over-the-air (OTA) download. Registered users will then have the opportunity to test out new and upcoming features before anyone else does. The update can also be manually installed.
The Android 7.1 Nougat update is scheduled to roll out next month, but no exact date has been announced so far. However, other original equipment manufacturer (OEM) devices such as Samsung, Motorola, HTC, and LG will have their own release date for their respective devices.
