Android 7.0 ‘Nougat’ Could Arrive Might Arrive This Friday, August 5

Google may launch Android 7.0 Nougat as soon as Friday.

This particular prediction came from known and generally reliable leaker Evan Blass, aka @evleaks, in a tweet on Saturday. "Android 7.0 releases next month, with the 8/5 security patch," Blass said in the tweet. Assuming Blass is correct, an August launch would be early for a new release of Google's mobile operating system, which in recent years has gotten off the ground in October or November.

But an August release doesn't mean Android device users can start nibbling at Nougat right away. Attribute the delay to the Android upgrade process. After Google launches a new version, phone makers and wireless carriers must test it on every device before they can plan and implement a rollout. That means Android users often have to wait months to receive the latest version.

Typically, Google rolls out a new flavor of Android to its own Nexus devices before the software wends its way to makers of other phones. And some Android devices likely won't ever make the grade.

In his tweet, Blass said: "Sorry Nexus 5 owners, no Nougat for you." The current Nexus phones sold by Google are the 5X and 6P. The Nexus 6 is still available, though not through Google. The current Android N Developer Previews do not include support for the Nexus 5.

It appears that the next major version of Android could arrive a bit sooner than we would have expected – as in, a few months sooner. Word of this comes from infamous mobile leaker Evan Blass, who posted on Twitter over the weekend that August 5 could be the launch date for the OS. If true, the OS’ security patch date would also be August 5.

Tying into this leak, there’s another important bit of information for Nexus 5 owners: “no Nougat for you”. If that annoys you, just picture the Soup Nazi from Seinfeld screaming it at you, and it might help ease the pain a little bit.

The first and top comment in response to Blass’ high-profile leak could ring true for every Android enthusiast that wants to get their hands on the latest release as quickly as possible: “Releases next month, but most supported devices won’t have it until 2075.” Ouch. The sad thing is, while exaggerated, this complaint is one that many Android fans share. By the time a new major Android version rolls out, some customers would have just got the last one, and in many cases, they won’t be receiving the new one at all.

If you’re curious about whether or not your phone will receive the latest delicious Android update, I’d recommend checking out Android Authority‘s analysis of the situation. What you should glean from it is: if you have a modern phone from a big company, you are likely to get the update – it’s when that’s the even bigger question. If you happen to be one of the lucky owners of a device that received the Nougat preview, you can likely expect to be able to update to the final build as soon as it becomes official.

One phone due to get a taste of Android 7.0 sooner rather than later is LG's upcoming V20.

A follow-up to LG's V10 smartphone, which came out last October, the V20 will launch in September as the first Android device equipped with Nougat out of the box, the South Korean company said Monday. The V20 will tap into certain key features of Android 7.0, LG said, including the Doze battery saver, support for better gaming graphics and Direct Reply to help people more quickly respond to text messages and other tasks using the notification panel.

So what does Android 7.0 bring to the table? For starters, it will finally add the ability to run two apps side-by-side, as well as the ability to reply to a message directly from a notification (seen above). Other improvements include an overhauling of the notification drop-down, improvements to the “Doze” power saving mechanic, a data saver mode that helps prevent excess data usage in the background, and while not too “exciting”, Nougat will make the Verified Boot policy an enforced one.

Overall, Android 7.0 ‘Nougat’ looks to be a solid release. Just cross your fingers if you hope to get it anytime soon.

Google said it could not share details about the launch of new Nexus devices in the fall. LG did not immediately respond to CNET's request for comment.

Tags: Android, UpdateOperating, SystemsMobile