It's always admirable when a developer supports older operating systems; but there comes a time of diminishing returns when the effort to keep software working on old versions becomes disproportionately expensive compared to the ever-dwindling number of decrepit devices that still use an app. Such is the situation with Dropbox, which just declared the end of support for Android 5.x and older.
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Android Messages just hit version 3.0. While hitting a new major version number might be an occasion for big things in some apps, this one appears to be a simple incremental step up from version 2.9. While there aren't any immediately obvious changes on the surface of this update, there are some things happening under the hood. It looks like support for KitKat has been dropped with this update, leaving behind about 12% of previously supported Android devices. There are also clues about changes to notifications about pictures and videos, enhanced chat features, and making purchases.
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The Google Assistant listing on the Play Store might only be a glorified shortcut, but it's still one avenue for accessing the Assistant on supported devices. And, as of a few days ago, it was officially updated to support devices running Lollipop 5.0. Explicit Android tablet support was also added, which brings parity to today's announcement that the Google Assistant is now supported on the iPad, too.
Read MoreGoogle launched Assistant over a year ago with the original Pixel phones, but it expanded to more devices just a few months later. However, only phones with new-ish software were included. Starting now, Assistant is coming to more phones and (finally) tablets.
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For anyone tied into Google's ecosystem, storing and managing contacts is best done with the official Contacts app. The Android version recently saw some minor cosmetic changes, improving its already eye-pleasing material look, and the web interface has also employed the same consistent design language since the start of the year. Until recently, the app was only available on Google branded phones, but now compatibility has been extended.
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The odds are pretty good that if you're using a still-supported Nexus device, it's probably running August's security update by now. The factory images became available on Monday of last week and OTAs have been intermittently rolling out since then. The push to AOSP took a little longer and finally included a couple of other tags that were behind schedule. All of the changes have been compiled into their respective lists and the changelogs are ready for perusal.
Google's Android Security Bulletin details the potential vulnerabilities addressed by the August updates, but it's not too rare to see other small bug fixes and adjustments hidden among the changes.
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Feeling Nvious? I Nderstand. But I have to warn you: with Google I/O kicking off in a few hours, you'll bet that we'll hear more about N than we have in the past months and your situation is only going to get more Nsufferable.
If you're rooted though and you have flashed Xposed onto your device, there's something Nteresting for you to try. Android N-ify is a module you can grab for your Lollipop and Marshmallow device to make it look and feel a little more like N. The module has been available since March, and has been getting different updates to add more features with time.
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We're a few days into a new month, which means it's time for a fresh set of security updates for the Nexus family and the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). Factory images are available for most of the actively maintained devices, though it looks like the Pixel C is still waiting its turn. OTAs should also begin rolling out shortly, if they haven't already.
Google has already posted the associated security bulletin for April's update. The list of documented issues is unusually long at 29, including several vulnerabilities that could allow for remote code execution and privilege elevation.
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OnePlus has been hounded pretty regularly in recent months by anxious OP2 owners wondering when Marshmallow is coming. Well, there's an OTA starting to roll out today and... it's not Marshmallow. Still Android 5.1, sorry. It does, however, bring RAW support to the camera, new security patches, and other little fixes.
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Remember when Motorola promised that its 2013 phone lineup would be getting over-the-air updates to Android 5.0, almost a year and a half ago? Pepperidge Farm DROID Ultra, DROID Maxx, and DROID Mini owners remember: they've been waiting that long to get their much-needed upgrade, watching with envy while the Verizon-specific phones were passed over and Moto's more general X and G lines got their updates. Not that any of those neglected customers are particularly surprised at this point, but Motorola has finally recanted on its promise: there will be no Lollipop for the Ultra, Maxx, or Mini.
Motorola product manager David Schuster took to Google+ with the news.
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