Do you have an older Android? Then Google may have some good news for you. The company wants to bring some newer Android features to older devices. Something we, of course, greatly welcome.
While Apple gives its older devices a hefty update every year, it is different with Android phones. It just depends on what the manufacturer’s plans are. Nevertheless, Google now wants to bring some newer features to older devices.
Newer features on older Android devices
In a blog post on its site for Android developers, Google tells us that it is working on a new Extension SDK framework. That sounds very complicated, but with it the company wants to make it possible for newer features to be brought to older devices as well.
Android 10 and higher support modular system components that allow feature and security updates outside of major releases. These also support backward compatibility on older Android systems. This gives developers more flexibility to release updates.
The S20 and S10. (Image: Dominick Vietor /WANT)
Less reliance on manufacturers
And so that’s ideal for you. This way you are no longer dependent on a major update for new features. So app developers can just do this themselves. As an example, Google comes up with Photo Picker. This was an exclusive Android 13 feature, but with the new approach, it is now also available on 11 and 12.
Because this feature is now usable on older devices, app makers can implement this feature in their own app. So that makes it a little easier for more users to select the photos they want to use in the app.
Photo Picker is now the first feature that can be built into apps for older versions of Android. So it will be interesting to see what other features come to older devices. We will probably have to wait a while for that, because as mentioned, this new feature has only just been announced to developers.
