Welcoming Android 7.1.1 Nougat

Posted by Dave Burke, VP of Engineering

Android 7.1.1 Nougat!

Today we're rolling out an update to Nougat -- Android 7.1.1 for Pixel and Pixel
XL devices and the full lineup of supported Nexus devices. We're also pushing
the Android 7.1.1 source code to the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) so
that device makers can get their hands on the latest version of Android.

With Android 7.1.1 officially on it's way to users, it's a good time to make
sure your apps are ready.

What's in Android 7.1.1?

Android 7.1.1 is an incremental release that builds on the features already
available on Pixel and Pixel XL devices, adding a handful of new features for
consumers as well as optimizations and bug fixes on top of the base Android 7.1
platform (API level 25).

If you haven't explored the developer features, you'll want to take a look at app shortcuts,
round
icon resources, and image keyboard
support, among others -- you can see the full list of
developer features here. For details on API Level 25, check out the API
diffs and the API
reference.

You can find an overview of all of the Android
Nougat developer resources here, including details on the core Android 7.0
Nougat behavior changes and developer features.

Coming to consumer devices soon

We're starting the Android 7.1.1 rollout today, and we expect it to reach all
eligible devices over the next several weeks. Pixel and Pixel XL devices will
get the over-the-air (OTA) update, as will Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus 6, Nexus 9,
Nexus Player, Pixel C, and General Mobile 4G (Android One) devices. Devices
enrolled in the Android Beta
Program will receive the final version as well. As always, you can also
download and flash this
update manually.

We've also been working with our device manufacturer partners to bring Android 7.1.1
to their devices in the months ahead.

Make sure your apps are ready

Take this opportunity to test your apps for compatibility and optimize them to
look their best on Android 7.1.1, such as by providing round
icons and adding app shortcuts.
We recommend compiling your app with, and ideally targeting, API 25. See our recent
post for details.

With the final platform we’re updating the platform and build tools in Android Studio, as well as the
API Level 25 emulator system images. The latest
version of the support library (25.0.1)
is also available for you to add
image keyboard support, bottom
navigation, and other features for devices running API Level 25 or earlier.

We're also providing downloadable factory and OTA images on the Nexus Images page to
help you do final testing on your Pixel and Nexus devices. To help scale your
testing, make sure to take advantage of Firebase
Test Lab for Android and run your tests in the cloud at no charge through
the end of December.

After your final testing, publish your apps to your alpha, beta,
or production channels in the Google Play Developer Console.

What's next?

We'll soon be closing open bugs logged against Developer Preview builds, but
please keep the feedback coming! If you still see an issue that you filed in the
preview tracker, just file a new issue
against Android 7.1 in the AOSP issue tracker. You can also continue to give us
feedback or ask questions in the developer community.

As mentioned
back in August, we've moved Android Nougat into a regular maintenance cycle
and we're already started work on refinements and bug fixes for the next
incremental update. If you have an eligible device that's currently enrolled in
the Android Beta Program, your
device will automatically receive preview updates of upcoming Android Nougat
releases as soon as they are available. If you don't want to receive those
updates, just visit the Beta
site and unenroll the device.

Thanks for being part of the developer preview. Let us know how this year's
preview met your needs by taking a short
survey. Your feedback helps to shape our future releases.