Our first look at Android N reveals new notifications bar

Android

Android N is expected to be announced at Google I/O in May and released some point later in 2016. Today, we've got our first look what the new OS update might look like.

Android Police has seen an early build of Android 7, but sadly couldn't post the actual screenshots. Instead the site has made the following mock-ups which show what they have seen.

If accurate, they reveal that notifications are no longer the full-width of the page, and will give you three lines of information compared to the current two in Android 6 Marshmallow.

Android N

App icons are now a little smaller in the notifications as well, sitting on the top left. There are also new color elements within the text of notifications, which could be used to highlight the urgency of some nudges.

Nutty changes

Quick Settings is also getting a small change with there being a new bar along the top of the notification panel. You can still bring it down in full to see the rest of the settings, but this new bar makes it easier to toggle some settings without opening up the full menu.

The menu still allows you to edit what Quick Settings you want access to, but it will now give you a second page so you can put your lesser-used choices onto a different page.

An important thing to note is this is only an early build of Android 7. Things are bound to change before the rumored full release later this year, and if Google feels this isn't the right direction it may drop some of these features altogether.

James Peckham

James is Managing Editor for Android Police. Previously, he was Senior Phones Editor for TechRadar, and he has covered smartphones and the mobile space for the best part of a decade bringing you news on all the big announcements from top manufacturers making mobile phones and other portable gadgets. James is often testing out and reviewing the latest and greatest mobile phones, smartwatches, tablets, virtual reality headsets, fitness trackers and more. He once fell over.