Google announced today that it has released its final update for the Android 7.1 Developer Preview. The next step? Releasing Android 7.1.1 to the broader ecosystem so that hardware makers can add the software to their devices.
That’s not a typo. The Developer Preview is referred to as Android 7.1, e.g. the next minor update to Android 7.0 Nougat. But the release that is heading to the public is Android 7.1.1. The initial 7.1 release was for Google’s Pixel phones only.
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As with preview previews, this Developer Preview update can be installed on the Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus 9, and Pixel C. And if you’ve been receiving previous previews, this one will show up in Software Updates automatically.
So, what’s new?
“Developer Preview 2 is a release candidate for Android 7.1.1 that you can use to complete your app development and testing in preparation for the upcoming final release,” Google explains to the developer audience. “It includes near-final system behaviors and UI, along with the latest bug fixes and optimizations across the system and Google apps.”
Google expects to launch the final release of the Android 7.1.1 in in December. It will be rolled out 1.1 to the supported preview devices and the recently launched Pixel and Pixel XL devices. Google says it will also push the code to AOSP, its open Android platform, so that device makers can bring this new update their handsets and tablets.