When Google released the Android M Developer Preview at Google I/O in
May, it promised updates on a nearly monthly schedule leading up to launch in
the fall. Today it makes good on that promise (albeit maybe a little late) with
Developer Preview 2.
Available for the Nexus 5, 6, 9, and Nexus
Player, this new update to the Developer Preview includes a host of tweaks and
bug fixes based on feedback from the developer community. Perhaps more
importantly, it includes near-final APIs for developers to work into their
apps.
Google lists the major changes as follows:
Android
Platform Changes:
·
Modifications to platform permissions including
external storage, Wi-Fi & Bluetooth location, and changes to
contacts/identity permissions. Device connections through the USB port are now
set to charge-only mode by default. To access the device, users must explicitly
grant permission.
API
Changes:
·
Updated Bluetooth
Stylus APIs with updated callback events. View.onContextClickListener and
GestureDetector.OnContextClickListener to listen for stylus button presses and
to perform secondary actions.
·
Updated Media API with
new callback InputDevice.hasMicrophone() method for determining if a device
microphone exists.
Fixes
for developer-reported issues:
If you're running the Developer Preview
already, you'll get this update delivered over-the-air within the coming days.
If you're impatient, you can head to theDeveloper Preview site and download a new system image. Want to get in on the
fun? Here's how to install the developer preview on your
own Nexus device.
The impact on you: Even if you don't plan on running the
Developer Preview yourself, frequent public updates like this are good news for
you as an Android user. The more people get their hands on Google's new
operating system early, the more bugs get reported and fixed, and the more
developers update their apps to take advantage of the new features.
Android Lollipop was the first Android release
to get an early public developer preview, but it still shipped with a wide
array of bugs and has been slow to roll out to devices. The company needs to
work harder to rectify these issues with the Android M release this fall.
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