Android N, which we have heard may end up being Android 7.0 in its final form, will be the first version of the mobile operating system to deeply integrate several virtual reality functions that allow apps more access.
A deep dive of the second Android N Developer Preview by technology site Ars Technica reveals that apps will now be able to access special permissions by plugging into an application interface meant for virtual reality apps.
Virtual reality is tipped to grow exponentially in 2016 and beyond thanks to VR products finally entering the mass market. Global consumer electronics research firm GfK places virtual reality on the same page of technology products and services whose adoption is expected to shoot through the roof in coming years as connected audio devices, connected cars, unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), 3D printing, the smart home, mobile payments and smart healthcare kits.
Huawei, Samsung, LG, HTC, Google and Facebook are some of the big names in tech that have already invested heavily in virtual reality products of their own. Since Android is the largest mobile platform on the planet and the main operating system on devices targeting mobile VR users by Samsung, LG and Huawei, anything that enhances virtual reality functionality on those devices is a step in the right direction. We’re likely to hear about more virtual reality-related functions being natively baked into Android by the time the next version is paraded at Google I/O in a month.
