Android N, the next version of Android operating system, is going to be a major update. Unlike the previous Android Update, the Android N will focus more on the new features and making Android a better OS for both developers and users.
The company already showed some of the upcoming features like the new dual-window multi-tasking mode in its Android N Developer Preview updates. But it appears like there are many features which Google is yet to reveal. No, we are not talking about that secret freeform window mode which we discovered a couple of weeks back in Android N Developer Preview, but instead this new feature was discovered in a new Developer Preview 2.
As Spotted by Ars Technica, the Android N Developer Preview 2 contains reference to some yet to be announced apps – “VR Listener” and “VR Helper.” Along with that, it also contains a permission warning information which tells users that a given app “will be able to run when you are using applications in virtual reality mode.”
While we currently don’t know what these apps will do, but one thing is clear now that the Android N will bring native support to Virtual Reality. Just like Android Marshmallow did with the fingerprint APIs. Back in February, The Wall Street Journal also reported that Google is planning to make Android better for VR devices and it could even unveil its improved Cardboard successor at the I/O developer conference next month.
Hopefully, we will get to hear more about Google’s new version of Android and VR devices next month at I/O 2016.
Android N Developer Preview is currently only available for the select number of Nexus devices which include Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus 6, Pixel C and a few more.