14 DAY TRIAL // Google is expected to launch the next version of its Android operating system in the following months, and it seems that information on this topic continues to surface online. The latest concerns the home and navigation buttons that will apparently be redesigned.
Android Police got their hands on an image that reveals overhauled buttons on the navigation bar in Android N. The picture was reportedly taken on Google’s upcoming Nexus smartphones, the Marlin and Sailfish, both of which are expected to debut at the same time as Android N.
At this point, it’s quite unclear if all handsets running stock Android will be seeing the new, redesigned navigation bar or just the two Nexus phones. The website has rated the source with a 7 out of 10 confidence level, which means that there’s a strong chance that the feature will make its way on Nexus devices and possibly all the others running stock Android.
However, there’s also the chance that Google might actually not implement the new design in its latest Android OS version and change its mind completely. At this point, it’s hard to tell what the Mountain View-based giant will decide in this case.
The home button gets a new design and colored animation
The image reveals that the home button will come with a multi-colored design and will include some sort of animation when the user long-presses it. Various colors will expand in multiple directions. Unfortunately, there’s no video to see exactly how the animation works. All buttons on the navigation bar have gotten an opaque design, which is quite an interesting change.
The new change could only occur with the activation of Now on Tap, but that’s really unsure at this point.
Google made a similar change to the navigation bar when it launched Lollipop back in 2014. Android N is set to arrive in the following months, together with the two Nexus phones, meaning that more information is bound to surface sooner rather than later.