Samsung is already testing the Android 7.0 Nougat OS build on both Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge devices, with the update expected to bring in Grace UX previously seen on Galaxy Note 7, along with performance improvements.
Google released the final build of Android N a month ago, after monthly developer previews of the OS. So far, only Nexus devices have received the new update.
Now, Geekbench listings have surfaced, first reported by GSM Arena, that hint to the Android N potentially ready to hit Galaxy S7 and S7 edge devices. The listings show both devices running Android N, but it doesn't reveal much, save for specifications we already know. However, this does suggests that current tests are being conducted, meaning you'll see Android N land on these devices soon enough.
Besides new features that come with the Android N, Samsung will also carry over its Grace UX, essentially an updated version of TouchWiz, first spotted in the Galaxy Note 7. Also being carried over are improved Always On Display features from the Note 7. The UI also seems to be running much smoother than the software currently on these devices.
No indication yet from the Geekbench if Android N will be landing on older Samsung flagship phones like the Galaxy S6 generation, but if history is any indication, older models may possibly get the update.
Samsung has previously announced that Android N will come to another one of its flagship devices, the Galaxy Note 7, in three months at most, a time it needs to implement custom features in its build. Owners of these flagship devices who sit in turmoil, awaiting the Nougat update, should wait a little while longer if they want a stable and reliable Nougat build for their devices. Beta testing ensures that Samsung can guarantee an official release that's ideally bug-free and not spattered with issues.
"It is very important for us to offer up-to-date information with the new OS, but what's more crucial is to build a stable and seamless platform for users," Koh Dong-jin, president of Samsung's mobile communications division, said. "That's why we are planning to do enough beta testing before any OS updates."
Not only that, but the company is still recuperating from the PR damage they've sustained involving Galaxy Note 7 devices randomly combusting.
Once the update does arrive, users can enjoy new features that come with Android N such as multi-window apps in multitasking, a much more efficient battery consumption with the Doze feature, among others. As previously mentioned, the update is currently available on Nexus devices, but the LG V20, due for release on Sept. 29, will come with Android N built-in.
Photo: Maurizio Pesce | Flickr
