Android P first developer preview features

The next developer review of Android P is expected sometime in May, so that’s the next opportunity we’ll have to see additional changes to Android as it appears on Google’s Pixel devices and other products. Here’s what’s new in today’s release:

THE CLOCK MOVES TO THE LEFT FOR NOTCH-FRIENDLY NOTIFICATIONS

The clock has moved from the far right to the far left side of Android P’s top status bar. And since the new OS is optimized for notches that might cut into the top display area, it starts putting notifications right next to the time. Up to four different app icons will appear; after that, Android P displays a simple dot to let you know there are more waiting once you slide down the notification tray.

Google seems obsessed with constantly changing and reworking the Settings screen with every major Android update. This year, it’s making things a bit more colorful with new icons to the right of sections like Network, Display, Battery, etc. The actual layout of things has barely changed, but the grayscale icons from Oreo are gone and replaced by colorful circles.

A MORE STRAIGHTFORWARD QUICK SETTINGS PULLDOWN

This is one of the areas where it’s very obvious that Google is making changes. Corners have been rounded off, and the settings icons for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc. are now inside circles that take on a colored accent when enabled or go gray when switched off. That horizontal bar beneath the icons is also near. Fully expanded, the new Quick Settings pulldown looks like this:

THE DOCK LOOKS LIKE A DOCK AGAIN

Android P’s dock, which contains your the favorite apps and a Google search bar, has been given a cloudy background to help it stand out from everything else on your home screen. That should also make it a bit more obvious as a thing to swipe up to reach the app switcher. There’s also a microphone icon to the right inside the search bar for even faster one-tap access to voice search and Google Assistant.