Android M will usher in a new era of smartphones. Darren Yates investigates Google’s next-generation Android OS and the major advances we’ll see
Android has come a long way in a relatively short space of time since its launch in the HTC Dream in 2008. With Google’s popular I/O conference having come and gone for another year, the search giant has pulled back the curtain on its next Android release, for now called ‘Android M’. Not only will it pick up where Lollipop left off in terms of power management, it’ll coincide with some impressive new features such as faster charging speeds, thanks in part to the arrival of new USB hardware. Here’s a taste of what we can expect to see later this year.
USB-C SUPPORT
It’d be a fair bet that no device designer would have looked on the microUSB3.0 connector with any great fondness. But they’ll likely have breathed a collective sigh of relief with news that Android M will support the new — and much more compact — USB Type-C connector. Given it’s the same (and only) port you’ll find on the new MacBook Air, it could spell a new era of connectivity for Android devices.
USB-C can deliver up to 10Gbps data transfer speeds, but it’s the breadth of data signals it can support that will provide promise. Expected are power and USB, but the ability to also transfer DisplayPort, HDMI and even VGA could open up multiple ‘second-screen’ options.
There’s also another interesting possibility — in late-May this year, Samsung filed a US patent application for a dual-OS phone that plugs into a laptop shell, transforming it into a Windows notebook. Like the ASUS Transformer, but using a phone instead of a tablet, the patent speaks of a dock connected ‘through a serial interface method such as USB and HDMI’ (tinyurl.com/p9n7y4p). Samsung has promoted MHL (Mobile High-definition Link) for years, but this is an application just crying out for USB-C.
However, at this stage, it’s still too early to know which signaling standards USB-C will support in ‘M’ — and Google isn’t saying much for now. The inclusion of DisplayPort, HDMI and VGA would come under what’s known as the ‘USB Alternate Mode’ umbrella, if it happens. But USB-C has plenty of other advantages — it’s reversible, so no more trying to figure out which side of the connector is ‘up’, and it’s also backward-compatible, so you’re old USB2.0 gear will still connect (albeit with an adapter).
The shortcomings of microUSB2.0 were apparent when OTG cables couldn’t accept a power feed to the host and MHL and USB couldn’t be supported at the same time. Hopefully, USB-C will overcome these issues and provide one connection to truly rule them all. That said, Intel has already shown off 40Gbps transfer rates in Thunderbolt 3 ports at the recent Computex trade show in Taiwan, so we’ll wait and see.
USB-C: FASTER BATTERY CHARGE TIMES
As smartphone batteries continue to increase in capacity, charge times are rising, almost in lock-step. The good news is USB-C should improve that markedly. Within the spec, USB-C cables can supply up to five amps (5A) of current — double today’s levels and part of USB-C’s ability to supply an impressive 100-watts of power (20VDC@5A). Again, it’ll be up to device manufacturers to determine just how fast device batteries will charge, but this should make a significant difference.
USB-C: PORTABLE POWER SUPPLY
Another new feature of USB-C we do know will appear in Android M is the new USB Power Delivery 2.0 specification, which enables your phone to act as a power supply for charging USB-connected devices such as a Bluetooth headset or fitness tracker. You’ll see a new pop-up menu when you plug in a USB-C device asking you what type of connection you want to make — ‘power supply’ is one of those options to choose from.
That said, you can do this already with existing phones — plug a USB-OTG cable into a supported device acting as power source and the device you want charged into the other end. Existing USB-OTG specs on the supply of current are vague, but we’ve pulled 460mA of current out of a Samsung Galaxy S3 via USB-OTG and maintained a within-spec 4.96VDC. However, we don’t know the long-term device-health ramifications.
DOZE MODE
With the arrival of Lollipop, Google announced power management was high on the agenda through Project Volta. That gets ramped up in Android M with the new Doze Mode. Doze is the most granular of Android’s power management efforts so far, putting individual apps into a ‘deep sleep’ hibernation that essentially cuts them off from the rest of the world, but still allows alarms and high-priority push messages to pass through. However, it’s still unclear how much of the device wakes up at this point.
To start with, Doze uses the device’s sensors to perform motion-detection in determining if the device has been left unattended. At this point, background app activity is backed off ‘exponentially’ in what Google says is a trade-off between ‘app freshness’ and battery life (tinyurl.com/p8dmh45). From there, network-access is switched off, wake-locks are abandoned and importantly, syncing is greatly reduced during hibernation. These changes will happen at an OS-level, so it shouldn’t matter if your apps are coded for it or not.
Although Android M is only available as a Developers Preview for a limited number of Nexus devices, we’re already hearing reports of double the standby battery life being obtained, thanks to Doze.
APP PERMISSIONS
Google has also had a serious change of heart when it comes to app permissions. Rather than having the user make a judgment call on permissions at the time of installation, apps will be able to trigger user permission requests at runtime, when the app is being used. The fine-grain control will allow you to permit or deny app-to-app or app-to-function transfer, making the whole thing much more dynamic. It might also make it feel like Windows Vista’s ‘cancel or allow’ user-account control — we’ll have to wait and see. The Settings menu will house all of the permissions enabled for individual apps. Google is bullish about this and already prompting developers to start taking this into account with new code (tinyurl.com/ortl2bc).
ANDROID PAY AND FINGERPRINT API
Mobile payment services are about to get more competition with the arrival of Android Pay. The idea is you’ll use your ‘M’ phone to pay for services and products from participating stores. Sound like Google Wallet 2.0? Maybe. According to Google, Android Pay will be accepted in over 700,000 stores and 1,000 mobile apps when it arrives. But some suggest the key difference this time around is its bundling into phones by some of the big US telcos, including AT&T and Verizon, combined with support from credit card vendors including MasterCard and Visa.
And to beef up security, Google is incorporating native support for fingerprint scanners into the new OS. Word is fingerprints will be able to unlock devices and authenticate payments.
ARE FINGERPRINTS SECURE?
Fingerprint recognition might be quick and efficient but there are still lingering doubts about its security. Android M will implement fingerprint security through Android’s KeyStore feature, allowing the use of cryptographic keys. Developers will be able to access the fingerprint scanning application programming interface (API) and implement it in their apps. The device will also be able to deliver haptic feedback to acknowledge successful authentication to the user (tinyurl.com/pc8lqke).
However, it’s quite possible Android M could utilise new tech coming from chipmaker Qualcomm. Earlier this year, Qualcomm revealed a new fingerprint scanner using ultrasonic soundwaves to create more accurate 3D scans of fingerprints. According to reports, it’s compatible with all current Snapdragon chips and will likely begin appearing in new devices released in the second-half of 2015 (tinyurl.com/kvooj9n).
EXTERNAL STORAGE BECOMES INTERNAL
This will sound a bit strong, but… about bloody time! Getting Android to play nice with external storage has always required patience, but in a surprise turnaround, Android M will allow users to ‘adopt’ external microSD storage as though it was internal. It’s called ‘Adoptable Storage Devices’ (tinyurl.com/p3ntgwu) and among other things, the feature will allow users to move apps and app data to external devices by formatting and encrypting the storage as if it was internal. Nothing in ‘M’ is set in concrete until it’s released, but Google is already directing developers away from hard-coding file paths into apps (never a good idea anyway), so it could well be here to stay.
Interestingly, Android M is available as a developer’s preview on Nexus devices — devices that don’t have microSD support. However, Google has ADB Shell code allowing developers to adopt a USB drive connected via USB-OTG port on existing devices for testing.
4K DISPLAY OUTPUT
We’re not sure where the content will come from (outside of games and Netflix), but Android M devices will be able to request up to 4K resolution from connected device panels. Android M will power next-generation 4K TVs, so this support isn’t that surprising. It will include a new ‘android.view.Display.Mode’ Java instruction to query the current resolution setting and use Android’s WindowManager to set it to 4K. Interestingly though, the user interface will only be rendered at the original resolution and upscaled to 4K. Devs will need controls such as SurfaceView to show content at native 4K resolution (tinyurl.com/npa2zwg).
5GHZ HOTSPOT SUPPORT
With the 2.4GHz spectrum so overcrowded these days, support for 5GHz-band hardware has gathered momentum out of sheer necessity, despite the fact 5GHz signals don’t travel as well. Android M gets a Hotspot 2.0 upgrade acknowledging that growth, allowing users to select 2.4 or 5GHz band for use.
Of course, you’ll need a phone with dual-band Wi-Fi hardware for it to work, but the option will be welcome, all the same, particularly within business circles.
SMART LOCK PASSWORDS
This next one isn’t exclusive to Android M, but appears to more or less coincide. Google has debuted a new feature called Smart Lock Passwords, a new password manager designed to reduce the need to sign into every online service that asks you to. In fact, the word is Smart Lock Passwords is being shipped out through a Google Play Services update to all Gingerbread/2.3 or newer devices (we’ve already seen it on Lollipop/5.1.1).
The idea is that once you login, you shouldn’t have to keep logging in. Google has already set up a page for developers on how to use it (tinyurl.com/op2o9aw) and developers are encouraged to include it into new apps. Users logging in for the first time will be given the option of having their credentials stored for automatic login in future. They’ll also be able to see their settings online at passwords.google.com.
APP/DATA BACKUP
One new feature that will appeal to anyone who has swapped phones will be the new Auto Backup for Apps. As the name suggests, it will allow apps and app settings data to be automatically backed up to a user’s Google Drive account. For now, users will be able to store up to 25MB per app without it counting in their Drive quota. However, Google’s wording is ambiguous as this 25MB limit applies ‘during the M Preview period’ (tinyurl.com/ocvoqkl). What happens after M is released proper remains to be seen. In any case, apps backed up and reloaded should do so with original settings intact. Nice.
MIDI DEVICE SUPPORT
The Musical Instrument Digital Interface has been around since the 1980s, but doesn’t look like going away any time soon. In fact, Google is making sure it won’t, baking native MIDI support into Android M. This comes on top of native USB audio support and improved latency introduced in Lollipop. As we howed you back in the June 2015 issue of APC, Android has supported USB audio recording since at least Honeycomb/Android 3.1 — provided you supply your own USB Audio class drivers.
Music creation has long been an area iOS has had it all over Android and while the new features introduced into Lollipop and here in ‘M’ may not necessarily put Android out in front, they’ll at least plug a hole. (Again, USB MIDI controllers are supported in “With the 2.4GHz spectrum so overcrowded these days, support for 5GHz-band hardware has gathered momentum out of sheer necessity.” Android already, if you bring your own drivers — apps like Audio Evolution Mobile can do it now provided you have USB-OTG and Honeycomb/3.0 or newer OS onboard).
WHICH DEVICES WILL GET IT?
Of course, the major question is which devices will get an Android M OTA update? With the Nexus 5, 6 and 9, plus the Nexus Player already getting Developer Previews of Android M, it’s odds-on they’ll get an update. HTC has said its flagship HTC One M9 and M9+ phones will get it, while rumours are growing a decent list of Samsung devices, including the Galaxy S6/Duos/Edge, Note 4/Duos, Note Edge, Alpha and Tab A will also receive it.
Android M should arrive during Q3 2015, possibly as late as September. Unless manufacturers and telcos break with tradition, its unlikely OTA updates will start appearing in Australia until year’s end. But we can always hope.