Android 7.0 Nougat arrives Today

Typically, Google releases new versions of Android alongside new Nexus hardware, but the company is breaking with tradition this year. Android 7.0 Nougat is rolling out as an over the air update starting today. The update is available to anyone using the Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X and Nexus 6 phones as well as the Nexus 9 and Pixel C tablets. It's also coming to the Nexus Player set-top box and the General Mobile 4G Android One smartphone.

If you've been using the Android 7.0 open beta, you won't notice a ton of differences here. Google rolled out a very stable version of that beta software back at I/O in May, and it has served as a solid template for the final version coming out today.

The new features of Android Nougat aren't exactly a surprise at this point, but they're worth reviewing as the OS rolls out more widely. Probably the two biggest user-facing changes are new notifications and a multi-tasking mode. Notifications are now grouped by app in the notification shade; you can pull down on any app's alerts to get the full list. You can also reply directly from notifications, something that iOS has actually had for longer than Android.

Multi-window multitasking lets you run two apps side-by-side, just like you can on the iPad when running iOS 9. This multitasking mode will probably be most useful on tablets like the Pixel C, but it works on smartphones as well -- and the experience is a lot better than we originally expected.

Nougat also has a bunch of small tweaks that make getting around the OS generally easier and more personalized to you. The quick settings menu can now be customized to include the things you access the most, and double-tapping the multitasking button switches you between the two more recent apps you've used.

Here's some new features you can expect in Android Nougat, including a screenshot gallery for your visual reference:

• Refined quick settings buttons: I'm a fan of having small key quick actions appear after a single pull down from the top. Android Nougat brings functionality we've seen in other smartphones to the core platform experience. Swipe down once to toggle on airplane mode, turn on the flashlight, or enable the Wi-Fi hotspot.

• Clear all option: While Android does a solid job of managing your running applications, some of us like to shut down apps and keep things running smoothly. A clear all option now appears at the top-right of the task switcher display.

• Multi-window support: This is one feature that Pixel C tablet owners will appreciate, but it's even useful on large screen smartphones like the Nexus 6P. Samsung has provided the ability to use two apps at the same time on a display, but it's great to see Google include support in Android. You can also view two Chrome tabs at the same time by choosing move to another window while browsing in Chrome. As we have also seen from Samsung, you will be able to drag and drop text and images between windows.

• Direct reply notifications: Android manufacturers have provided this capability previously, which is one reason I personally choose non-Nexus phones most of the time. It's efficient to stay within your current app and shoot a quick reply to someone without ever leaving your active application.

• Updated settings: You will now see more information on the first settings display, such as data usage, setting status, battery remaining, and more.

• Quick multi-tasking: Simply double tap on the recent apps button to toggle between your current app and the most recent app. This is another one of those efficiency improvements we see in Android Nougat.

• Grouped notifications: If you receive multiple notifications from the same application, then they will be grouped together in the notification shade. Use a two finger swipe to expand these into individual notifications.

Doze mode, a battery-saving measure introduced last year in Android Marshmallow, has also been tweaked. Previously, Doze would put your phone into a lower-energy mode when the screen was off and the phone wasn't moving, but now it's smart enough to stay in low-power mode even when you're moving around (say, if your phone is tucked in your pocket or backpack).

Perhaps less immediately useful but no less significant is how Android Nougat will handle software updates. If you're running a "new" Android device with Nougat, software updates will install in the background and be present when you reboot your phone -- there's no more waiting with your phone totally locked up while new software installs. But it looks like only devices released from this point forward will have this feature. Current Nexus devices will benefit from much faster software updates, but it'll still be in the old fashion where your phone reboots and is unable to be used during installation.

Most significantly, there are 72 new emoji available in Nougat. Get to texting. There are a lot more new features to be found in Nougat, but these are the ones that most users will want to use as soon as the update hits their phones. Unfortunately, it might be a little bit before that happens -- in classic Google fashion, the update will be rolling out "in the coming weeks."

There are plenty of other features and functions added to Android in Nougat, so when you get your Nexus or other Android updated, dive in and see what has been improved. For the most part, Android Nougat enhances efficiency of the platform and provides more information to users.