There's little worse than going to pick up your phone when you need it, only to find out that it's not charged. And even when we're making our best efforts to keep our batteries topped-up, all it takes is a loose cable, or someone accidentally unplugging a power strip, for those good intentions to go to waste. Thankfully, Android P is introducing a new audio confirmation to give you a little peace of mind that your phone is charging as intended.
Read More[Update: New sound in DP2] Android P feature spotlight: Charging sounds finally work with wired USB chargers
Android P feature spotlight: Here’s how to bring back System UI Tuner
Sometimes Google takes features away, but sometimes they're just hiding. Turns out, Android P still does have the System UI Tuner that we previously thought was removed. It's just not user-facing anymore. Interested parties can still access that hidden list of UI modifications, you just have to do it the long way, and we've got two methods here.
Read MoreWeekend poll: What are your favorite new features so far in Android P?
Google just released its developer previews for Android P, the upcoming and as-yet-unnamed version of Android. Since this is DP1, it's too early to tell which changes will stick: some missing features are likely to return, and some new changes could still be reverted. But, we've had four days to play around with the new images and develop our own opinions. What's yours?
Read MoreAndroid P feature spotlight: New autofill APIs improve compatibility with password managers (Updated)
With the release of Android Oreo, Google included an autofill API to allow for system-wide filling in of details such as account and credit card info. The framework manages communication between Google's autofill service and other apps, and it's great for both saving time and avoiding errors.
The first developer preview of Android P has just arrived and it brings a number of new APIs to the autofill framework, as well as some bugfixes. Specifically, there will be improvements to dataset filtering, input sanitization, and compatibility mode.
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[Update: Not new] Android P feature spotlight: Bug reports can now be accessed in the Files app
Tons of interesting little morsels have been uncovered in the first developer preview of Android P, and there are probably a few more surprises waiting to be found. Bug reporting can now be added to the list of improved areas. As before, you can report a bug from the developer options settings menu or with the power button shortcut if you enable it. Now, you should be able to view reports you've made via the Files app on your Pixel phone.
Read More[Update: Still there, just hiding] Android P feature spotlight: System UI Tuner is nowhere to be seen
The System UI Tuner has never really been a feature for the masses. It was a way of hiding experimental features from the majority of users — you had to long press the quick settings cog to activate it — while still letting the more inquisitive of us play around if we wished. In the early Oreo developer previews there were quite a few interesting things in there, but by DP3 it was reduced to just a couple of status bar and DND settings. In Android P, it appears to have been removed entirely.
Read MoreAndroid P feature spotlight: Adaptive brightness animates the quick settings slider as it changes
Adaptive brightness has long been a feature of Android smartphones. It uses an ambient light sensor, usually placed above the display, to measure the amount of light in the environment and change the brightness of the screen to best suit the conditions. It's often noticeable when changes occur, particularly right after you unlock your device, but now the quick settings brightness slider moves in tandem to further demonstrate this.
Read MoreAndroid P feature spotlight: Google introduces support for display cutouts and notches [sigh]
If the design of the iPhone X is notcha cup of tea (sorry), a slew of incoming copy-cat designs from Android OEMs is sure to get your blood boiling. Google's opinion on this is unknown, but it knows Android devices with notches are on their way and appreciates the need to accommodate such hardware designs with its next OS version.
Android P will support screen cutouts natively, with APIs to manage how content is displayed on panels with various bites taken out of them. The system will manage status bar height so that it matches any notch, allowing app content to be separated out easily.
Read MoreThe first Android P developer preview will apparently arrive in mid-March
Android O developer previews began rolling out in March last year, and if a tweet from famed leaker Evan Blass is to be trusted, we should be getting the first Android P developer preview at approximately the same time. That means that we've only got one or two weeks to wait.
Read MoreAndroid 7.1 Developer Preview 1 (NPF10C) is now available for the Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, and Pixel C
Google promised a developer preview of Android 7.1 before the end of the month, and here it is sooner than you might have expected. Android 7.1 ships on the Pixel, but now you can try it on the Nexus 5X, 6P, and Pixel C. If you want in, head to the Android beta program page.
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