Android L Top 7 New Features
Now that more devices are able to upgrade to Android L, it's important to understand what the operating system has to offer. After learning more about these seven top new features, you'll want to update your device as soon as possible.
Updated Lockscreen
An updated lockscreen makes Android L significantly more convenient than earlier Android systems. The new lockscreen is similar to the one used by iOS. Like previous versions, the Android L lockscreen displays time, date, battery life, and other crucial information. It also lets you dismiss notifications without entering a password.
Android L also prioritizes lockscreen notifications. If there's an important update for an app you use frequently, it will get placed above those that don't require your immediate attention. Users can accept or dismiss notifications by swiping a finger across the screen.
Longer Battery Life
Android L extends battery life in two ways: Project Volta and Battery Historian.
Project Volta increases battery life by analyzing how your phone uses energy. You can use it to see which apps are using the most energy and what time of the day your phone burns through the most electricity.
Battery Historian will actually turn apps off when your phone's power runs low. Depending on how depleted your battery gets, it can even dim the screen and automatically disconnect from Wi-Fi. According to Google, these tools could add 90 minutes to your battery's life.
Material Design
Material design improves the Android system's aesthetics so that users have a more positive experience. The new design also improves functionality by helping users move icons and better understand how their apps work.
Android L's new material design includes several features:
• Shadows that show which surfaces are on top of others
• Status bars that match app colors, showing which app is in use
• Animation that shows where content is coming from and going, instead of just appearing out of nowhere
• A navigation bar that slides from the screen's corner
Not all apps take advantage of this new feature. As developers catch up with the operating system's changes, though, users can expect to see more apps using 3D and textural simulations. Apps made by Google have already been updated to use material design.
Multi-User Functionality
4.2 Jelly Bean allowed multi-user functionality, but only on tablets. Smartphones with Jelly Bean, however, didn't support this feature. Google has finally corrected this oversight.
Parents who pay for family plans will appreciate this change. While they may not want to purchase mobile devices for young children, they may also dislike sharing accounts with other members of their household. Multi-user functionality makes it possible for parents to protect their accounts while letting young family members use their phones.
Corporate Data Separation
BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) has become commonplace in corporate America. Anyone with a professional job likely uses his or her smartphone for work-related matters. This makes communication easier, but it also creates security concerns.
Lollipop 5.0 lets users separate data so that work doesn't mingle with their personal lives. It's a significant feature that benefits users and their employers.
Do Not Disturb
Past versions of the Android operating system made it easy for phones to disturb their users. Users who got phone calls while playing video games, for instance, might find themselves suddenly kicked out of their games. A phone call or text could also interrupt music, videos, and other content. This feature prevents events like phone calls from cutting into your screen time.
As more people rely on their smartphones for daily activities, this will become an increasingly necessary feature.
USB Audio Support
Lollipop supports USB audio, which means users can choose to listen to music through their smartphone's micro-USB port instead of the headphone jack. There aren't many USB headphones available, but including support in Lollipop will encourage more manufacturers to produce them.
Audiophiles may not know it yet, but this is a big step towards creating digital music options that meet higher expectations.
With all of these new features, it may be time to go Android. There are several carriers that provide affordable coverage for your new smartphone plans. Which of these features seem the most useful to you? Do the improvements made to Android L make you want to buy a new mobile device before the holidays?
About The Author:
This article is written Jayt Ripton. He is working on a few unique tech, mobile and gadget articles and features that'd be a great fit.
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This article is written Jayt Ripton. He is working on a few unique tech, mobile and gadget articles and features that'd be a great fit.
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