Google has presented a preview of the next generation Android software at its I/O developer conference. It has been described by Google’s Engineering Director Dave Burke as “the biggest release in the history of Android”. The interface has been given a new look, with the result being something Google are referring to as Material Design. The interface has been designed to give the impression of depth as well as colour and has been designed to work across all devices, not just Chrome and Android, giving users a smooth transition between products and a complete experience.
The use of “nest scrolling”, which sees items shrink and disappear, and the use of light and shadows are what helps to create the impression of depth and the digital material is said to expand and reform according to your instincts about how to move items and what items can be moved. There are a lot of new features to look forward to also:
- Notifications will now be accessible from the lockscreen, and the notifications themselves will be organised according to what the user is most likely to want to see.
- The authentication process is now more intelligent; the software will first attempt to find out if you’re in a known environment or if you are holding it from nearby devices or the smartwatch on your wrist. If your device isn’t persuaded by your surroundings, it will ask you for a PIN.
- The keyboard UI interface has been overhauled and a “do not disturb” feature has been added.
The performance is being enhanced also, by the Android Extension Pack providing better graphics and there are new battery saving measures, which provide extensive statistics about battery use and a power-saving mode.
It all sounds very exciting, let’s hope the practice can meet the expectations.
