Things you need to know about Android P First Developer preview

Google is releasing a developer preview for the third time in a row for the next version of their mobile operating system as Android P.  The version has been developed with new features for apps and developers to take advantage of while there are many system-level changes as android gets a new design for drawer, notifications and for quick settings.

This is the first developer preview for Android P that has been released by Google and it is the next major update operating system of the Android mobile although it is still unstable and buggy and does not provide first look for some of its biggest new features and improvements.

Android P first impressions:

Google’s Android P will support notches in smartphones displays just like iPhone X and Essential Phone. The display cutout or notch will work for the status bar of the smartphones and the apps. This will allow the developers to have control of the status bar so as to accommodate the size of the notch to avoid any black bars or letterboxing when content is being shown.

Improved Notification:

Secondly, it will be composed of a Messaging Style as new notification style that will help the user to know who sent them a message and how can they reply to the message. This Messaging Style will also show the content of the message to the user including the stickers and attached photos. The settings menu has a new look now and more colorful than before and gives a reflection of the ZenUI and Touch Wiz.

Multi-Camera support / Enabled

The version in addition, has Multi-camera API native support that has multiple cameras for smartphones that will enable the users to take advantage of any built-in feature even when they may not be using the built-in camera app. Android P will also be able to support HDR VP9 content for the smartphones and will include google play movies content, YouTube, and other sources. HDR capable devices will be able to support HDR VP9 profile. It will also come with HEIF that allows better image compression.

Built-in Screenshot Editor

Furthermore, it will also come with markup which is a built-in screenshot editor that will enable its users to doodle on any screenshots they take and is made to be similar to the feature in Apples iOS 11. This feature will be accessible to Android P users whenever they take screenshots and they will be receiving notifications after taking one and press edit so as to enable the markup tool on the smartphones.

It will also have indoor positioning by Wi-Fi Round-Trio-Time that will enable Android devices to measure the distance one is from any wireless access points. These changes are perceived to be long-term investments that are geared to make Android one of the best platform for developers that have updates for user privacy, security and performance fronts.

Traffic encryption and network security

Features for standard system dialogue that will enable a more consistent fingerprint for authentication while the HTTP traffic will by default be blocked to favor TLS will also accompany Android P. The apps will be optimized better while the in-memory foot point of the compiled code is reduced to enable the apps to gain more efficiency and performance due to changes in ART runtime.

Support Device

The system images for Android P are available in Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, Pixel, and Pixel XL with Google encouraging the developers to use the Android Emulator for android 3.1 and above. Google is also limiting the use of private libraries and non-SDK interfaces by using public Android APIs and encouraging its developers to use the same also. They also have to report any private APIs that do not have a public equivalent.

Protection, backup encryption and more

There are changes brought by the Android P that allow the operating system to restrict camera, microphone and sensor access for the idle apps as Google is coming up with backup encryption with per-network randomization and client-side secret. When an app is in the background, they will be restricted from getting access to the microphone of the phone. Thus your android app to be more secure with new android p updates. Google will offer more information later on this year to help in the refactoring and enhancing the media APIs so as to make them easily developed and integrated with.

Improved Performance

There are also enhanced performance apps that are written in Kotlin and ART, a better autofill that enables password managers to key in your password for you to help you from copy and paste and switch apps. There are also changes to Doze, Background Limits and Standby and other changes to bits that control or regulate power in Android. Any apps that would like to get data in the background will be tested against all these.

In conclusion, Android P will start to give warning boxes to the users when they are not using recent SDK so as to make you feel bad to make the users have a distrust for your apps, and also restrict any access to some selected non-SDK interfaces.

Conclusion:

This version will be very beneficial to its users in various ways such as the increased security in which the users of Android P will enjoy increased security accompanied by the privacy especially from the restriction system that is inbuilt in it through the use of sensors, microphones and even cameras when it is put as idle. The encryption for backups with secret on the client will be also be available hence one won’t lose his/her data stored. Finally, a fingerprint system will be available on each individual application so that the users can be trusted to be the owners. This updates will help Android app developers to create a more secure app for their client along with it helps to stay top in play store with this awesome new feature.