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As far as features go, this one is a pretty teeny tiny change, but we know you, dear Android Police reader, like to check out the nitty gritty of every Android release, and that's what we're here for.
All the reliable leaks so far have indicated that Samsung's upcoming Samsung flagship phone will use virtual navigation buttons, breaking a design habit that the company has been doggedly sticking to on phones, tablets, and sometimes even smartwatches for years. The big "potatocam" leak from yesterday clearly showed what we're assuming are the Galaxy S8 and the larger Galaxy S8+, complete with curved screens and virtual navigation buttons. But Android Police commenter Ash noticed something we didn't: some of those buttons are moving around.
We're starting to hear a few Galaxy S8 rumors well ahead of the usual Mobile World Congress-ish reveal for Samsung's flagship series (usually around late February or March). That may or may not have something to do with the phenomenal failure of the Galaxy Note 7, after which Samsung must be scrambling to shift potential customers' attention elsewhere. So we're treated with two somewhat credible pieces of Galaxy S8 info in a single week: one that Samsung will drop the headphone jack, and another that the company will finally release its deathgrip on physical home buttons.
A few weeks ago, we reported that Android's navbar may be getting solid keys rather than the hollow versions found on Marshmallow and below. Nougat is here now and there are no white buttons, but we're still waiting for the new Nexus phones, plus a maintenance release slated to be Android 7.1. LG, though, seems to think the solid look is the way forward.
Honeycomb, the first Android version designed specifically with tablets in mind, was released way back in February 2011. It was built exclusively for large screens and was never meant to reach phones, but it paved the way for Ice Cream Sandwich, arguably one of the most significant updates to ever hit Android. Taking several cues from Honeycomb, Android 4.0 brought about some of the biggest changes to the OS, not the least of which was the advent of virtual or on-screen navigation buttons.
Sony Replaces Google's Navigation Buttons With Misaligned Alternative In Xperia Lollipop Screenshots
A few images of Lollipop running on an Xperia phone have hit the web, and the most noticeable takeaway is what Sony has done to the navigation buttons.
There's been a quiet trend among user interface augmentations as of late: the swipe-out app and menu bar. SwipePad is probably the progenitor (and still my go-to app), and we've featured a handful of interesting alternatives, but Edge: Quick Actions deserves special attention. This little app has managed to outdo Google itself by making the Recents function (the right-most button on the default navigation configuration) obsolete.
[New App] GMD Hide Soft Keys Banishes The Navigation Bar For Root Users, Nexus Only For Now
Soft navigation keys are desirable in post-4.0 Android device... at least for some users. Some people love 'em (and curse the likes of Samsung and HTC
Soft navigation keys are desirable in post-4.0 Android device... at least for some users. Some people love 'em (and curse the likes of Samsung and HTC every time a new flagship with hardware keys comes out) and some don't. For those who don't, Good Mood Droid (whom we've featured before) has created GMD Hide Soft Keys root. It's a root-only application that gets rid of the navigation bar in all areas of the device.
[New App] SoftKeyZ Lets Rooted Users Easily Change Android's On-Screen Navigation Buttons
Android's navigation soft keys have proven to be a hit with many users, despite the fact that some manufacturers refuse to utilize them. As nifty as they
Android's navigation soft keys have proven to be a hit with many users, despite the fact that some manufacturers refuse to utilize them. As nifty as they may be, however, they get kind of boring to look at after a while. And, of course, most Android users love to tinker with things to make them look however they want. Up until now, though, there hasn't been an easy way to add a little flare to them.
[Rumor] HTC Reportedly Working On A Massive 5" 1080p Phone To Be Launched In September-October
According to a new report from DigiTimes (hang on!) this morning, HTC is preparing a new monster flagship phone for launch this fall. The Taiwanese publication
According to a new report from DigiTimes (hang on!) this morning, HTC is preparing a new monster flagship phone for launch this fall. The Taiwanese publication says the device will come with a 5" display and a resolution of 1794x1080. If that number sounds a little off to you, it's because those dimensions probably exclude 126 lines to make room for the navigation buttons.