The next update to Google’s mobile operating system, Android M promises to deliver significantly improved user experioence, according to Dave Burke, vice president of engineering for Android.
Burke gave an insight into M during a keynote at the Google I/O conference yesterday, claiming it was Google’s “most polished Android release to date.”
Google has has paid particular attention to the permissions system with the new release. Android M apps won’t ask for a smorgasbord of permissions up front when users first install an app. Instead, apps will query users when they try to use a feature that requires a permission. Users will be able to allow or deny individual permissions when they’re requested, and turn them on or off at will.
Those changes should make it easier for developers to get users to update their apps, since updates won’t require users to approve new permissions. It should also cut down on people fretting about permissions that may not make sense at first blush, like Facebook Messenger requesting microphone access. The messaging app uses the microphone to power its voice calling feature, but doesn’t use it otherwise. Under the new permissions model, Messenger users won’t be asked for microphone access until they place a call for the first time.
The update also includes system-level support for fingerprint sensors, which will standardize development for phones with those sensors. That will come in handy for Android Pay, a new mobile payments system due later this year. It works with operating systems as old as the Android 4.4 KitKat release, but Android M users will be able to pay using their fingerprint in a manner similar to Apple Pay.
The fingerprint support will also make it easier for Android developers to build apps that authenticate using the sensor. Rather than require them to build code for individual brands or devices, the tools provided in Android M should make it possible to write one set of fingerprint authentication code that will work across Android M devices.
[Source:- Techworld]
