14 DAY TRIAL // Google announced the rollout of Android 7.0 Nougat at the start of the week and factory images were made available shortly after. Google also announced that it will be releasing quarterly maintenance updates, similar to developer previews when Android N was in beta.
The next update for Android Nougat is said to come this fall and new information points to the fact that it will be a big one, namely Android 7.1 Nougat. The update could also bring MR1 and lots of features that we were expected in Android 7.0 Nougat release. It could also mark the inclusion of API 25.
Two days ago, Google released what seems to be the stable version of Developer Preview 5, with some bug fixes, but it didn’t include some of the most rumored and interesting tools that we were all expecting to see. Google didn’t include the Nexus launcher or the highly anticipated Google Assistant in this release.
Nexus smartphones could launch with Android 7.1 Nougat
XDA developer Nate Benis, who leaked some features of Android Nougat in the past year, stated in a post that Google would include these changes in the upcoming release. David Ruddock from Android Police reported that the upcoming Nexus phones will launch with Android 7.1, confirmed to be Nougat’s MR1 release.
For context, Android Marshmallow never made it past the 6.0.1 version and if Google really does intend to bump the version number to 7.1, then the MR1 will surely be a major release and should include the highly anticipated Google Assistant or the Nexus Launcher.
However, we’ll just have to wait and see what new customization options will be incorporated in the next Nexus smartphones and if they will be provided to older models as well. But for now, Nexus owners can expect to get OTA updates to Android 7.0 Nougat, as well as users of Android One and Pixel C devices.
Looks like the new Nexus phones will launch with Android 7.1, which is now confirmed to be Nougat's MR1 release. — David Ruddock (@RDR0b11) August 23, 2016