Google wants your help naming Android N. It’s launched a website that’ll let anyone suggest names for N, and Google says it’ll search through them to pick out a final name. Does that mean it could choose something aside from a dessert? Who knows. Google didn’t really go into detail about what the selection process will be like, aside to say that it very much reserves the right to choose whatever it likes.
Google announced N in March, releasing a developer preview that included a handful of new features: split screen multitasking, quick settings buttons, battery life improvements, and new emoji. Later, Google also announced that N would support an equivalent to 3D Touch (although word is this may be delayed).
Google is moving pretty quickly with this latest version of Android. In the past it’s announced Android previews during I/O and then unveiled the final name and release in October. This time around, Google seems to be pushing for developers and handset manufacturers to get on board sooner. With major features like split screen involved, it makes sense that Google would want strong support as soon as possible.
For those who have been paying close attention, Google’s Android N demos on Wednesday were no surprise. For the past two years, Google has used I/O to give the world its first look at changes to Android. But this year, for the first time, Google dropped a preview version of the software months earlier, in March. The idea was to give developers even more time to get acclimated with the new software.
New features include a split-screen view that lets you run more than one app simultaneously. You’ll also be able to reply to texts directly from a notification, instead of having to stop what you’re doing and go to the texting app.
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