Google released the third developer preview for Android N last week at Google I/O. We’ve already found a slew of new features and changes in this update to Android N – some of them big, some of them not so big. And now we have another one, albeit fairly minor. Many of you have likely sideloaded an app onto your smartphone or tablet before. And now that interface for sideloading an APK has changed slightly.
The only differences here really, is that the page showing you the permissions for that app and asking if you want to install, has been streamlined a bit. Additionally, the “Cancel” and “Install” buttons that were across the bottom of the screen, are now at the bottom right-hand side. They are also smaller, and that makes it easier to touch, especially if you are using a larger device like the 6-inch Nexus 6. The actual installing page and confirmation page have been changed a bit too. The installation page has a gray Android guy behind the progress bar, which shows it’s downloading. In the older version, the progress bar was at the top of the screen. That is now in the center of the screen. And on the confirmation page, the only difference is that the content is now in the center as well as being a bit larger than before, and the buttons at the bottom are now on the right side, similar to the page showing the permissions for that app.
For many of us out there, this change isn’t earth-shattering and won’t really change how we sideload apps and games onto our devices. However, it is a nice UI change for the package installer, and it streamlines the process a bit. Additionally, you will only see this UI when you are sideloading an APK onto your device. It’s also worth noting that while this is a small change, there is a possibility that Google could revert back to the old interface when the final version of Android N hits the streets in the summer. We’re slated to get two more betas of Android N before the final release, so anything is possible, really.
