Google may have announced two Pixel smartphones alongside Google Home and an updated Chromecast along with ‘Google Wifi’ router, but it also announced some new software along the way. Android 7.1 Nougat is an updated version of the operating system that will first come running out-of-the-box on the newly announced Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones that go on sale in about two weeks from now. It will of course come to other Android devices too, including Nexus devices sometime in late 2016.
So while Android 7.1 will come to other devices in due course, and will not be a Pixel-exclusive release as a whole, but that doesn’t mean that everyone will get to use all of its new features.
In fact, and disappointingly for non-Pixel Android users, some of the biggest new features of Android 7.1, such as Google Assistant and the all new Launcher, will remain exclusive to Google’s own Pixel smartphone lineup.
Google hasn’t been overly forthcoming about what officially will and will not breach the Pixel borders and make its way into Nexus and other Android phones moving forward, but a source at Google has apparently leaked the complete changelog for Android 7.1, including a split of what is only going to be made available officially on the new Pixel phones, and what will be available to Android devices from other manufacturers, including Nexus devices. Though it’s as yet unclear whether the Pixel C tablet is going to fall into the same pool as its smartphone counterparts.
The changelog of Android 7.1 for both Pixel and non-Pixel devices is a lengthy one, so bear with us.
So there we have it. As can be seen in the changelog above, the Pixel Launcher will unfortunately not be making the move to the Google Play Store as the Google Now Launcher did, which is a shame, but the biggest miss here is Google Assistant, which too won’t be available on non-Pixel Android phones.
Things like circular app icons, Night Light and Daydream VR mode though will be available to other Android devices if OEM manufacturer decides to support them. Now we’re just left wondering which devices they will be. Over to you, OEMs.
(Source: Android Police)
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