Google released the first Android N Developer Preview on 9 March 2016, two months before Google I/O, where earlier previews had debuted. Dave Burke gave the reason: an earlier build leaves more time for developer feedback and lets Google hand the final release to device makers in the summer.
| Release date | 9 March 2016 |
| Builds | NPC56P, NPC56R; updated later to NPC56W, NPC56X |
| Devices | Nexus 6, 5X, 6P, 9, Nexus Player, Pixel C, General Mobile 4G (Android One), and the SDK emulator |
| Status | Developers only; not CTS approved, so apps that check for it (Android Pay) did not run |
The same day Google opened the Android Beta Program at g.co/androidbeta.
Enrolling a supported device installed the preview over the air and kept it
updated, with no manual flashing.
What the first preview opened up
- Multi-window. Apps targeting N set
android:resizableActivityto run in split screen. A resize behaves like a rotation: the activity handles the configuration change or is recreated. TV apps get picture-in-picture withandroid:supportsPictureInPicture. - Notifications. The
RemoteInputAPI from Android Wear now works on phones and tablets, so users reply from the shade.Notification.Builder.setGroup()bundles an app’s notifications. - Doze now also saves battery whenever the screen is off, not only when the
device is still.
JobSchedulercan react to content provider changes. - Java 8. The Jack compiler brings lambdas to Android back to Gingerbread; default and static interface methods and streams need N.
- JIT compiler. Google’s I/O post later named the new JIT compiler as a first-preview change: faster installs and less storage than compiling everything ahead of time.
Google’s release notes called the build unfit for daily use: slow at times, with worse battery life and some apps, Google’s included, not working.