The annual Google I/O, where the company takes the wraps off new software, is set to take place in May. However, Samsung may have plausibly taken some sheen off Google's next major Android update announcement.
The South Korean OEM has unintentionally revealed the version number of Android N. Samsung's release notes for its MultiWindow feature's software development kit (SDK) has accidentally confirmed the version number of Android N to be 7.0.
The change history for Samsung MultiWindow SDK 1.3.1 reads: "This version has been released with Android N(7.0) compatibility."
Speculations have been rife that the Android N update would have the version number 7.0, especially considering that the preceding OSes Android Marshmallow and Android Lollipop carry the version numbers 6.0 and 5.0, respectively.
Earlier in March, Tech Times reported that Google had unexpectedly pushed out a "work-in-progress" developer preview for Android N. However, Google did not divulge what the version number would be and what the OS iteration would be called.
"By releasing the first preview and asking for your feedback now (in March!), we'll be able to act on that feedback while still being able to hand off the final N release to device makers this summer, so they can get their hands on the latest version of Android earlier than ever," noted Hiroshi Lockheimer, Google's SVP for Android, Chrome OS and Chromecast at the time.
The accidental reveal of the 7.0 version number for Android N from Samsung could be the real deal. The company is one of the most important partners of Google and is likely aware of the latter's future plans.
Android N's version number is not the only mystery confounding pundits. The likely name for the impending Android update has also been creating quite a stir, with rumors hinting to everything from Nutella, Nougat, to Nanaimo.
Poised to debut at the Google I/O in May, the Android N software update is slated to bring a gamut of novel features. These include an improved Doze mode, enhancements to the UI and MultiWindow mode (already available on Samsung smartphones), a new notifications panel, the ability to respond to messages directly from the notifications bar and more.
Photo: Tsahi Levent-Levi | Flickr
