It’s that time of year folks, the time where – some of us – begin to wrap up warm and huddle around our laptops, sucking in the Nexus News. The “Nexus News” continues to be rumors but, things are starting to heat up and it looks like Androidandme have gotten their hands on some juicy details on some of what’s to come in Android 4.2 Key Lime Pie. From features that improve battery life to the Nexus program as a whole there’s a lot going on here.
The news comes from the same source that spoke of a hands-on experience with the LG Nexus. There’s been more info surrounding what Key Lime Pie is going to feature and what it means for Android. Let’s take a look!
More Tweaks
Project Roadrunner
This added tweak is said to be less of just another tweak but more of a complete overhaul when it comes to Android’s battery life. There’s not a whole lot of details on Project Roadrunner but at the moment it’s sounding like it’ll mean big things for battery life. With phones like the RAZR Maxx becoming more attractive I can see why Google will double down on power usage. Remember Project Butter? Of course you do. This is said to do the same thing but for battery life.
Play Store Tweaks
Android 4.2 is said to feature the a refined Play Store that will come with the usual speed improvements but come with new features as well. Such as promotional campaigns within the app itself that will tie into notifications as well as more billing options and improved in-app purchases. I can’t wait to see what comes of any improvements to the Play Store and anything that makes it better for developers’ to get their stuff out to the users can only make for a stronger eco-system.
Google Now, Updated
There’s no denying that the latest search innovation from Google has become successful. It’s popular throughout the world and has already proven itself to be smarter than Siri. With more and more added everyday it looks like Google is set to make a real go of it with Now. It’s a sure thing that Google will want to perform a massive update to Now when Android 4.2 hits, especially as it’s become a major part of the OS for good now. If anything, Google Now has a lot of potential and to see it get even better. Tying in to more and more services across the web could be one way Google could take this to the next level.
Updated Video Player
Google has long needed a better video player. Whilst there’s nothing particularly wrong with it, what does it do besides playing video you have stored locally? That’s all it does. It’ll open mp4 streams etc from the web but it doesn’t really tie into any services. With 4.2 however, Google are said to be revamping the app to tie into more on the web and to make the app do a whole lot more than it ever has done. APIs will be on offer for developers to bolt their apps into, making the video player a lot more flexible and geared towards multi-use. This could be the start of a media streaming service from Google.
Nexus Program, Revamped
Pick a Nexus, Any Nexus
There’s long been word of multiple Nexus phones hitting the market by the end of the year and there’s been a lot of evidence surface in the last few days to suggest this. The rumor is that any manufacturer will be eligible to release a Nexus device and that they don’t necessarily have to have Nexus in the title of the phone. Manufacturers that wish to enter will have to adhere some fairly obvious hardware requirements. They’ll have to make sure that their phones support the following:
- NFC Support
- Stock Android
- Updates from Google
- Support for Google Wallet
- Enough power for “Nexus Games”
Whether or not “nexus games” is the codeword for an upcoming gaming service from Google is unknown but, I’d like to bet that it is. I don’t think they’d call it Nexus Games either as this would alienate pretty every other partner under the sun.
The Customization Center
I really don’t know what to make of this one. The rumor goes that Google will allow manufacturers to throw in their own custom UIs for users to put on top of their Nexus. I can’t see Google welcoming people to mess up the way Android looks however, what does sound more plausible is that the new feature will become a hub for people who want to change things up a little bit without an involved process. For instance, wallpapers, icons and ringtones all from one simple UI. This would be fairly ideal as well, as malleable as Android is you often have to go each app in turn to get stuff done.
There’s another part of the rumor that states if manufacturers have their UI in the Center and Android upgrades, the UI will go back to default settings or the user will wait until both the Skin and Android are available together. I don’t think Google will want to push anything like this, no matter how much people like TouchWiz.
What To Think, What To Think
There’s a lot of news swirling around and as we head into the weekend I’m sure something else will surface from the depths. Whatever it is though, we’ll be here to bring you the latest. Oh, and be sure to tune in to the Android Headlines Podcast Show, Monday where we’ll be having a special Nexus episode!
Source: Androidandme