NVIDIA’s SHIELD Tablet (Original & K1) Updated To Android 7.0

SHIELD tablet owners, rejoice! Up to now, it hasn’t been made too clear whether or not either the original SHIELD tablet or its K1 update would ever receive Android 7.0, but the answer to that question has been answered mere hours ago.

The introduction of Android 7.0 ‘Nougat’ is the biggest part of this update, but there are a ton of other enhancements that have come along as well. At the forefront, the latest version of NVIDIA’s SHIELD Controller (released alongside the updated SHIELD Android TV) is supported, power consumption has been reduced when stowed, and for those who use their SHIELD for chatting, the update also introduces Unicode 9 emojis.

Here’s the full feature update, straight from NVIDIA’s digital mouth:

SHIELD Controller (2017) Support

• Updates to SHIELD controller support

New Multitasking Features

• Split-screen: Run two apps side by side* in Portrait or Landscape modes
• Quick switch: Double tap the Overview button to quickly switch back to the last opened app

Improved Notifications

• Multiple notifications from the same app are now bundled for a streamlined experience
• Reply to messages directly from within the notification*
• Tap and hold on a notification to quickly silence or block notifications from the app

Improved Power Consumption

• Doze on the Go: Doze is now smarter & kicks in even when the device is being carried around

Emoji

• Includes all-new Unicode 9 emojis

Usability Improvements

• Display & Font size can now separately adjustable to improve readability or screenspace
• Quick Settings can now be customized directly from the menu by tapping “Edit”
• The top Quick Setting tiles can now be accessed with a downward swipe from the lock screen
• Settings now includes a Navigation Menu & Suggestions to improve usability
• The “Clear all” option in Overview have been relocated to the top right

System wide improvements including

• New Data Saver: when enabled, limits access to Cellular data for background apps
• New JIT compiler: improves the speed of App & System updates
• Update to Android Security Patch Level December 1, 2016

SHIELD Rewards Program

• Introducing SHIELD Rewards, the exclusive loyalty program for SHIELD owners

The last bullet-point there is an interesting one. While I received the update on my own SHIELD tablet, I foolishly dismissed all of the notifications without investigating that particular one first. Google hasn’t helped either, so as soon as we figure out more information about this program, this post will be updated.

Nonetheless, if you’re a SHIELD tablet owner, your update is waiting!