Android 7.0 ‘Nougat’ Might Arrive This Friday, August 5

It appears that the next major version of Android could arrive a bit sooner than we would have expected – as in, a few months sooner. Word of this comes from infamous mobile leaker Evan Blass, who posted on Twitter over the weekend that August 5 could be the launch date for the OS. If true, the OS’ security patch date would also be August 5.

Android 7.0 releases next month, with the 8/5 security patch. Sorry Nexus 5 owners, no Nougat for you ?

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) July 30, 2016

Tying into this leak, there’s another important bit of information for Nexus 5 owners: “no Nougat for you”. If that annoys you, just picture the Soup Nazi from Seinfeld screaming it at you, and it might help ease the pain a little bit.

Android 7.0’s multi-app mode

The first and top comment in response to Blass’ high-profile leak could ring true for every Android enthusiast that wants to get their hands on the latest release as quickly as possible: “Releases next month, but most supported devices won’t have it until 2075.” Ouch. The sad thing is, while exaggerated, this complaint is one that many Android fans share. By the time a new major Android version rolls out, some customers would have just got the last one, and in many cases, they won’t be receiving the new one at all.

If you’re curious about whether or not your phone will receive the latest delicious Android update, I’d recommend checking out Android Authority‘s analysis of the situation. What you should glean from it is: if you have a modern phone from a big company, you are likely to get the update – it’s when that’s the even bigger question. If you happen to be one of the lucky owners of a device that received the Nougat preview, you can likely expect to be able to update to the final build as soon as it becomes official.

Android 7.0’s notification message reply mechanic

So what does Android 7.0 bring to the table? For starters, it will finally add the ability to run two apps side-by-side, as well as the ability to reply to a message directly from a notification (seen above). Other improvements include an overhauling of the notification drop-down, improvements to the “Doze” power saving mechanic, a data saver mode that helps prevent excess data usage in the background, and while not too “exciting”, Nougat will make the Verified Boot policy an enforced one.

Overall, Android 7.0 ‘Nougat’ looks to be a solid release. Just cross your fingers if you hope to get it anytime soon.