Google revamping Android with L update

Google last week unveiled and launched a developer preview for Android L, the next big update to its mobile OS, at its I/O Developer Conference.

From a developer perspective, the big addition to the Android L (or Android 5.0) update will be the inclusion of more than 5000 new APIs, intended to simplify and extend development for the platform.

Android L also supports 64-bit processing. This will take Android back up to speed with Apple's iOS 7. It also includes a new user interface designed to make smartphone navigation more intuitive.

The interface uses a design approach Google calls material design, which involves using surface and shadow to establish a physical structure to show what can be touched and manipulated.

The update will also introduce many other tweaks, including a revamped notification screen, changes to app icons and layouts, a new keyboard UI and improvements aimed at extending battery life.

In a blog post, Google SVP for Android, Chrome and Apps Sundar Pichai said a key focus of the latest upgrade is delivering a consistent Android experience across multiple devices, including phones, tablets, laptops, smart TVs, cars and even watches.

To facilitate this, Google has developed two Android extensions. Android Wear is designed for watches and other wearable devices. The first two Android wearables - the LG G Watch and Samsung Gear Live - are already available for order on Google Play.

Android Auto will allow drivers to access and navigate Google services such as maps, search and music using the car’s controls. Pichai said the company plans to start rolling out Android Auto to cars later this year.

Google typically names its Android versions after sweet foods - such as KitKat, Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean and Honeycomb. Pundits are speculating that the real name for the update will be unveiled later, and that it could be something like Lollipop or Lemon Cake.

Image courtesy of Lynn Wallenstein under CC