Google’s Pixel smartphones were the first to ship with Android 7.1 Nougat software, but Google has been offering developer previews of Android 7.1 for select Nexus devices since October.
Now it looks like Android 7.1 is getting ready to drop the preview label. According to Vodafone, a security update coming to the Nexus 6P on December 6th will also update the phone’s operating system from Android 7.0 to Android 7.1.
The latest version of Google’s operating system for smartphones and tablets brings a handful of new features, including:
- Support for app shortcuts on the home screen (for instance, letting you jump to Work or Home addresses in Google Maps)
- A new Moves section in settings that enables support for gestures such as flipping from the rear to front camera by double-twisting your wrist
- Support for keyboards with stickers, animated gifs, and other images.
- Circular icon support
- Apps can now take you straight to the “free up space” screen if more storage is needed
Now that Android 7.1 is just about ready for Nexus devices, it’s just a matter of time before we start to see it roll out for phones from other device makers. Some custom ROM builders have also been busy bringing unofficial builds of the operating system to a number of devices.