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The 3 best new features Google added in the latest Android N preview

Updated Dec 19th, 2018 9:16PM EST
BGR

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Google released its second preview for Android N this week and it comes with a bunch of new features that all Android users should love. Below we’ll go through three of the coolest features that Google added to the latest Android N developer preview, although most Android users should know that it will still be many months before they’ll actually be able to get the software on their devices.

RELATED: Apple’s best iPhone 6s feature is coming to Android N

1.) Quick replies from the lock screen. If you want to be able to do replies to texts and emails on your device’s lock screen, you’ll now be able to do so, as you can see from this image posted at Imgur:

All you have to do is uncheck the option in your lock screen notifications that blocks sending replies from the lock screen.

2.) A “Clear All” option for your recent apps list. When looking at all the apps that you have open, you’ll now be given an option to press a “Clear All” button that will in most cases end processes for the apps that you’re running. Here’s a video from Android Police that shows this in action:

Android Police notes that “swiping an app away in the recent apps list isn’t the same as going in and force closing a process, but it signals to the system that it can kill the process.”

3.) A calculator in the Quick Settings menu. Finally, this is a small but useful little update that adds a calculator icon to your Quick Settings menu options, right in between your Wi-Fi connectivity and battery power icons:

Android Police notes that this icon does nothing more than open up your phone’s calculator, but this could still be a cool addition so you don’t have to waste space on your phone’s home screen by keeping the calculator app on it.

Brad Reed
Brad Reed Staff Writer

Brad Reed has written about technology for over eight years at BGR.com and Network World. Prior to that, he wrote freelance stories for political publications such as AlterNet and the American Prospect. He has a Master's Degree in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University.