A reliable source is reporting that Google is very close to releasing its next major version of Android in the very near future. Evan Blass claims Android 7.0 Nougat will be released in August with the 8/5 security patch but it won't make its way to the Nexus 5.
As Apple prepares to release iOS 10 in the fall, it is reporting that 86 percent of iOS devices in use are currently running iOS 9, a very impressive number.
In comparison, as of May 2016, Google's latest version of Android — 6.0 Marshmallow — is installed in 7.5 percent of devices, Lollipop 5.0 is on 16.2 percent, followed by Lollipop 5.1 with 19.4 percent, and Android 4.4 KitKat is in the top spot with 32.5 percent.
Google wants Android licensees and carriers to roll out major Android releases much sooner than they currently are, and has reportedly threatened to release a report grading smartphone makers on how fast they release software updates. For instance, AT&T only got around to releasing its Android 6.0 Marshmallow update for Samsung's current flagship Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 edge+ in late June.
HTC was one of the first Android smartphone makers to announce it would release an Android N update to the HTC 10, One M9 and One A9 shortly after Google announced the new OS at Google I/O in May. The company once again confirmed its plans when Google officially announced Android 7.0 Nougat in late June, and posted an update to its Twitter page.
HTC 10, One M9, and One A9 owners may get a taste of Android 7.0 Nougat in the near future and the first smartphones to ship with the new OS could be here sooner than we thought.
The always reliable Evan Blass is reporting that Android 7.0 Nougat will be released in August. He posted the following on Twitter, "Android 7.0 releases next month, with the 8/5 security patch. Sorry Nexus 5 owners, no Nougat for you."
If this report it true, it's possible Google's next-generation Nexus smartphones could be released sooner than their previously rumored September or October release. Google typically uses a major Android release to coincide with the release of its Nexus smartphones. This year, HTC is widely expected to manufacture both devices, and renders of the 5.5-inch Nexus Marlin recently leaked.
Owners of Google's Nexus 5, which was released in 2013, appear to be left out of an Android 7.0 Nougat update, according to the source. As always, take reports like these with a grain of salt for now, and it shouldn't be long before we hear some news from Google.
