Xiaomi to launch only one flagship in India this year

On the eve of the Redmi Note 4 launch, Xiaomi has made a big announcement with regards to its plans for the Indian markets. According to the Chinese giant, there will only be one flagship launching in India this year. Luckily, the Redmi Note 4 isn’t a flagship, so the company hasn’t quite finished its quota yet. 

Speaking to the Indian Express, Xiaomi’s Donovan Sung said “We think carefully about what products we will bring to India, and when it comes to flagship products our current thought is that we are still a pretty small team in India, given the scale of operations. We will launch one flagship in India per year, and are looking very carefully at what that flagship will be for 2017.” 

Devices like the Mi 5s and the Mi Note series come under the company’s flagship lineup. So with the company still uncertain about what the flagship will be, we might be in for quite the surprise. While the company’s reasoning makes some sense, it has historically been behind when it comes to launching flagships in India. 

For example, phones like the Mi MIX will not be making its way to India anytime soon. A handset like this has the potential to be a game changer in the country, especially since there are no other rival offerings to compete with it. By the looks of it, we could only see either the Mi 5s or its next gen model in the country. This is slightly disappointing for the customers who were expecting to see Xiaomi’s innovative phones in the country. 

Android Nougat release date: when you'll get it and everything you need to know

Update: The Android Nougat update is finally coming to the Samsung Galaxy S7, S7 Edge and a bunch of older Galaxy phones and tablets.

The Nexus 6 is now getting the upgrade to Android 7.1.1 despite a slight delay. Honor has also confirmed it will update the Honor 8, a phone which only just missed Android 7 software when it came out, by the end of February 2017.

LG G5 is the latest with the software update, along with Moto Z and Moto Z Force and the budget-friendly Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus devices. We're also seeing Nougat starting to land on the Sony Xperia X and Xperia X Compact.

Lastly, good news for OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T owners, as the software is finally starting to roll out.

When does your phone get the Android Nougat update? Here's everything we know about the latest version of Android.

Android Nougat is Google's big refresh of its phone and tablet operating system – an OS that's been so thoroughly refined that the company is now more than halfway through the alphabet with names, at letter 14 of 26.

It won't stop at Android 7.0, either. Android 7.1 launched on Nexus devices in October and Android 7.1.1 came to Google phones and tablets on December 5, while a possible Android O is now being discussed ahead of 2017.

To prepare you for the Nougat updates, here's everything we know about the new Android 7.0 and Android 7.1 Nougat release date and features. 

• Check out our guide on how to download Android 7.0 Nougat right now

Cut to the chase

• What is it? The next version of Google's mobile OS
• When is it out? Right now, but you'll need to wait for some devices
• When will I get it? It's rolling out slowly, dependent on your phone and tablet maker
• What will it cost? Free

Check out our video walkthrough of Android Nougat

Android Nougat release date

Android Nougat is out right now, but when you'll get the upgrade is going to depend on your device. The release date is rather staggered.

Good news, it's pre-loaded on the new Google Pixel and Google Pixel XL and it's available to download on Google-made devices like the Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6, Nexus 9, Google Pixel C, and the Nexus Player.

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Sadly, if you have a Nexus 5, you're going to miss out on Android Nougat upgrade altogether. It misses Google's two-year cut off by a year.

Samsung, LG, HTC and other phone makers, meanwhile, have to rework their own version of the software and push it out to users, and that can take months. 

This hasn't stopped Google from moving on to the Google Daydream VR-ready Android 7.1 and even Android 7.1.1, which it started rolling out to the Nexus 6, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus 9, Pixel, Pixel XL, Nexus Player and Pixel C on December 5.

Samsung phones with Android Nougat

Android Nougat is now available for Samsung phones and tablets, and we don't mean the rinky-dink beta that launched on November 9. It's real update.

Of course, if you're phone is locked to a network, like AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile or Sprint in the US, you're going to have to wait for them to sign-off of the update.

For unlocked phones, this means Android 7.0 Nougat is now available for the Samsung Galaxy S7, S7 Edge – all the way back to the Note 5, S6, S6 Edge and S6 Edge+. Sorry, Samsung Galaxy S5 owners. Your time is up. 

But newer budget options like the Samsung Galaxy A3 Samsung Galaxy A8 can download the new Android firmware.

Samsung tablets getting Android Nougat consist of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A with S Pen and Samsung Galaxy Tab S2. The Tab S2 needs needs to be the LTE unlocked version for this to happen, not one tied down to a carrier.

All of these software updates prepare us for what Samsung really in store for us: the Samsung Galaxy S8, which should put a new spin on Android Nougat and maybe even retire TouchWiz for something better.

LG phones with Android Nougat

LG technically launched the first Android Nougat phone in early September with the LG V20. But that was a "world's first" title from which only South Korea benefited initially. The dual-lens camera phone didn't launch in the US until October 28, and it's not even coming to the UK.

LG G5 owners yearning for the same Android Nougat update need to check the Software Update menu right now. It's available for most G5 phones. It's come to the UK on SIM-free versions of the handset and, in the US, on Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile devices. We're still waiting to find it on the AT&T LG G5.

We don't know the exact Android Nougat release date for the LG V10 and LG G4. Both phones are less than two years old, so we'll keep a watch out and update this page when the official news happens.

Sony Xperia phones with Android Nougat

The Sony Xperia X Performance and Xperia XZ have both started to get Android Nougat, with the update currently live for the unlocked US model and global dual-SIM variant according to XperiaBlog. Expect to see other regions and versions get Nougat soon.

The Sony Xperia X and Xperia X Compact are also starting to get Nougat, with the update already rolled out to Australia, Latin America, the Middle East, Russia, Turkey, Thailand and Vietnam. Users in the US and UK should be able to download it now, too.

Google and Sony surprised us when Sony announced that the Sony Xperia Z3 would receive the developer edition of the Android Nougat software, but oddly the phone won't be getting the full Nougat upgrade.

Android Nougat

Shocker: The Sony Xperia Z3 was included in the beta

There's good news: many, many of the other Sony phones will get it, including the Xperia Z3+, Xperia Z4 Tablet, Xperia Z5, Xperia Z5 Compact, Xperia Z5 Premium,Xperia XA and Xperia XA Ultra. Phew. No specific time frame has been announced, but stay tuned.

HTC phones with Android Nougat

If you've bought an HTC phone launched in the past year or two, you may have access to Android Nougat soon enough.

In fact, it's already rolling out to unlocked HTC 10, One A9 and HTC One M9 handsets in the US, while European models are likely to get it soon.

HTC had previously confirmed it would bring the Google update to the HTC 10, One A9 and One M9 by the end of the 2016. That deadline is over and not every phone has received it.

If you have a HTC One M8, however, you're out of luck. HTC told TechRadar that it will not get the latest upgrade. You're going to have to buy a new phone for this update.

Motorola phones with Android Nougat

Motorola has now confirmed which phones it will upgrade to Android 7, and its list of phones is rather long.

Android Nougat is already available for the Moto Z and Moto Z Force, while X-series phones like the Moto X Style, Moto X Play and Moto X Force should be getting it soon.

Motorola's most recently mid-range G entries line, The Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus, are now being served Nougat, but stay tuned for it to arrive on the Droid Turbo 2 and Droid Maxx 2.

Oddly enough, when Motorola confirmed that the Moto G4 Plus was getting Android 7 software, it also acknowledged that the phone will update to Android O well. 

That's software Google hasn't even announced yet, and there's no guarantee Android 8 will be named after the letter O. It is, however, a good first sign.

Huawei phones with Android Nougat

So far only the Huawei Mate 9 has Android 7 software onboard. Huawei has announced it will be releasing updated software for the Huawei Mate 8 and Huawei P9 by the end of March 2017.

But you might not even have to wait that long, as TheAndroidSoul reports that Nougat has now arrived for both the P9 and Mate 8 in China. Of course, that won't help most of you, but it suggests the update could be hitting the rest of the world soon.

The manufacturer will also apparently update the Huawei P9 Plus, P9 Lite, Huawei Nova and the Huawei Nova Plus later in 2017. 

There's no word on whether the Huawei P8 or Mate S will be getting the upgrade to EMUI 5.0 (which comes with Android 7 features). It looks like both of those phones are set to be left behind, despite being quite recent devices.

Honor phones with Android Nougat

So far, no Honor devices have Android 7 software on board. The Honor 8 is now confirmed to get the update to Android Nougat in February 2017, but an exact release date is still unclear.

It will come in the form of Emotion UI 5.0 software, an overlay we previously saw on the Huawei Mate 9.

OnePlus 3 with Android Nougat

Android Nougat is now rolling out to the OnePlus 3. After a few months, the beta is finally being replaced by the official version of the software, which is also known as OxygenOS 4.0.

The new OnePlus 3T launched with Android Marshmallow, and now, it is also being fed the Nougat update. Like the OP3, the roll-out has begun, but it might take some time for it to arrive on your device.

We also expect to see Android Nougat come to OnePlus 2, but it makes sense that OnePlus would prioritize its latest phones.

Just don't wait around for a software upgrade to the old OnePlus One and OnePlus X. OnePlus One is  more than two years old now and is likely beyond the company's update threshold. OnePlus X uses an older Snapdragon 801 chip and also has a slim chance of seeing the update.

ZTE Axon 7 with Android Nougat

We liked the ZTE Axon 7 because it's looks and plays like a high-end phone with a mid-range price. Now for the true test: how quickly will it get Android updates.

Android Nougat is coming to the Chinese phone, according to an obvious tease from an official ZTE news announcement. 

There are no Android Nougat release date details attached to this blog post tease, but the team at ZTE promised Axon 7 to be a Daydream VR-ready device.

That means the ZTE Axon 7 jump from Android Marshmallow to Android Nougat may happen soon after the VR-focused Android 7.1 update is ready in December.

The company released a Nougat preview in early December, so if all goes well, expect to see the update coming soon.

Other phones with Android Nougat

Even the little-known Nextbit Robin is confirmed to be getting the Android Nougat update. 

Stay tuned, as we're going to continue prodding each manufacturer for information until they fess up to their Android Nougat plans. And if you're wondering why you should care about Nougat, read on below for information on its key features.

Android Nougat VR

We've tested out a bunch of existing Android Nougat features below, but there's one exciting new tool that isn't part of the regular Android 7.0 update: Google Daydream.

Android Nougat

A buried menu for VR helper services in the Android N Developer Preview 4, and an equally buried release note for "Android VR" in Unreal Engine 4.12 beta, hinted at a big push for a Google Cardboard successor – sure enough, Google confirmed its VR intentions during IO.

The Play Store, StreetView, Photos, YouTube and Play Movies will all support VR, allowing you to jump into games, locations and videos, all via Google's Daydream VR platform. Google Daydream View is expected to launch in November, but will require even further updated Android Nougat software.

Google Daydream is part of the Android 7.1 maintenance update for Android Nougat, and it's only compatible with the Google Pixel and Google Pixel XL, though other phones like ZTE Axon 7 (the first, non-Pixel Google Daydream phone) will eventually work with the headset and are available to buy right now.

• 5 things I already like about Android Nougat Developer Preview

Multi-window support

True multitasking support has finally arrived as expected, and Split Screen is deservedly the highlight of Android Nougat on phones and tablets. You're going to be able to open up two apps at once on your Nexus phone or tablet.

Android Nougat

It's a popular feature that Samsung and LG phones have incorporated into their Android skins years ago, so it's nice (and about time) Google is including the same functionality in its own software. It's easy to launch too - just long press on the recent (multi-tasking) button in the nav bar.

Multi-window support could increase enterprise interest in Android tablets and the Pixel C. It's a bet that Apple recently made when it launched similar split-screen and picture-in-picture features for iOS 9.

Meanwhile Android TV gets picture-in-picture mode, allowing you to continue watching your show in a smaller screen while performing another task.

There's also a Clear All button at the top of the multi-tasking menu on your phone to make it simple to close all your apps. Then there's a new feature called Quick Switch, which lets you jump back to the previous application with a double tap of the recent (multi-tasking) button in the navigation bar.

Direct Reply Notifications

You won't have to navigate away from your current window (or, now, windows) just to answer an incoming message. You can just reply within the notification that appears at the top of the screen.

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It worked well enough for the iPhone and iPad when the same idea made its debut with iOS 8 under the name Quick Reply. But Apple's approach to messages worked strictly with its iMessage app.

Google is opening up Direct Reply Notifications beyond Hangouts, and that could mean popular apps like WhatsApp could take advantage of this convenient inline messaging feature.

New quick settings menu

Google is adding a new quick settings menu to the notifications shade you pull down from the top. It's a lot like the one Samsung, LG and every other Android manufacturer seems to use.

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Sure, Google stock Android software has had switches for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Airplane mode and so forth, but it required pulling the notifications bar down a second time to reveal the quick settings menu.

Now the quick settings toggles are here as soon as you gesture downward once to see notifications. The best news is that all of the buttons are small and unobstructive, leaving plenty of room for notifications.

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Longtime Nexus users will also be happy to hear that the quick settings switches can be sorted to your liking, much like they can on other Android phones - you won't need the System UI Tuner to meddle.

For example, we often use MiFi more than Airplane Mode, so Mobile Hotspot icon gets promoted to be one of the five icons along the top of the initial quick settings on our Nexus 6P.

That little airplane icon is still there for our takeoff and landing needs, but it got the bump to the second swipe menu. Sorting is finally up to you, which is really what Android is all about.

Bundled notifications

Google hasn't done with the way Android N changes notifications. It also announced that notification cards will be grouped together if they're from the same app.

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All messages from a specific messaging app, for example, are bundled together in the notification shade. These grouped alerts can then be expanded into individual notifications using a two-finger gesture or tapping the all-new expansion button.

This is basically the opposite of what Apple did in the jump from iOS 8 to iOS 9, switching from grouping them by app to lining them up chronologically. We'll see which method works best this autumn.

There's more control over your notifications in Android Nougat too, as  you can now long-press on a notification to either silence future notifications, or turn them off completely.

Doze Mode 2.0

One of the (literal) sleeper hits of Android Marshmallow has been Doze Mode, Google's crafty way of saving battery life whenever your device is stationary. It's basically a deep standby mode.

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Android Nougat is going to step up the company's energy-saving software efforts by expanding Doze Mode so that it thoroughly limits background tasks whenever the screen is turned off.

That's ideal for throwing a phone in your pocket or your tablet in a backpack, and then retrieving it the next day or next week without having to recharge it right away. Your "I can't even" face when you pick up your dead Nexus phone the next morning could be a thing of the past.

Android Nougat performance

Google says Android Nougat will deliver its biggest leap forward in graphics performance with the introduction of Vulkan, giving game developers much-needed control of the GPU.

That in turn will result in even better graphics and smoother, faster performance.

If you've downloaded apps from other sources that aren't the Google Play Store, you'll now be able to identify where the app came from by going into your Settings, App Info and then Package Installer.

There have also been a number of Android runtime improvements, including optimizations to the JIT compiler, which has seen task speeds increase between 30% and 600% compared to the previous version.

Updates are also more seamless, with security updates automatically downloaded, and a simple fresh boot-up of your device will see you run the latest offering. It's also got rid of that annoying 'Android is updating' pop up when you restart after an update.

Other features

Google Assistant launched with Android 7 on the Pixel and Pixel XL phones. It's a new voice activated Assistant which replaces Google Now.

Previously you couldn't input information into Google Assistant without speaking to your phone, but a new APK breakdown has suggested Google will soon update the Pixel and Pixel XL so you can just write into Assistant directly.

It means you'll be able to use all the useful features of Google Assistant without having to embarrassingly talk to your phone.

Google has confirmed the new 'Launcher Shortcuts' feature that debuted in the second beta for Android Nougat is ready for pressure-sensitive display technology.

This will make it easier for Android manufacturers to bring 3D Touch-like technology to Android handsets, as it's baked directly into the operating system.

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Then there are extra security features, such as file-based encryption and Direct boot, which help your device start up faster while running your apps securely.

Last, and by no means least, Android Nougat bring support for Unicode 9, which among other things, will bring with it the introduction of 72 new emoji.