The Most Important Features Coming To Your Android Phone That Google Didn't Show On Stage
At this year's Google I/O, the company showcased the most important features coming to Android smartphones and tablets in the near future, including a revamped design, improved battery life, and enhanced notifications.
While Google hit all the key points during its near three-hour keynote Wednesday, there are a handful of features the company didn't have time to dive into.
Here are some of the most noteworthy additions that didn't make it to the stage.
Burst mode for cameras
This isn't necessarily a new or revolutionary feature, but it's a useful one. Most Android manufacturers like Samsung and HTC load their own camera software over Android, which is why you're already able to access burst mode on many Android devices. Now with Android L, however, the stock version of Android will support that feature as well. This means you'll be able to fire off multiple shots simultaneously on Nexus and Google Play Edition smartphones.
New quick settings
Like burst mode for cameras, many companies have already included additional Quick Settings to their phones already. On certain Samsung and LG phones, you could even find up to 15 Quick Settings options. Google is now adding even more Quick Settings to its standard mobile software, which also means if you're interested in clean Android you can still get more settings options without dealing with more clutter.
Improved game controller support
Google is introducing improved support for Android gaming controllers in L, which should pair nicely with the enhanced graphics Google showed off on stage.
Phone rotation lock
You no longer have to deal with the annoyance of having your phone switch between landscape and protrait mode with every little move you make. In Android L, you can tap the Auto Rotate option in the Quick Settings menu to easily lock your phone in either orientation. This feature was already available in stock Android for KitKat tablets, but soon enough you'll get it on your phone, too.
USB audio support
The next version of Android will support headphones that work through USB ports rather than your standard headphone jack. This means USB headsets that are usually used for gaming will be able to work with your Android device. Most USB headphones you'll find today are only Mac and Windows compatible, but now that Android supports USB audio that'll likely change.
Improved text rendering
It's a small addition, but one that could potentially make a huge difference. Along with the other physical enhancements Google is adding to Android, text is expected to look clearer and crisper in L. Considering how most people use their phones for sending text messages, reading short news articles, and browsing social networks, this feature could be more useful than it sounds.
Google claims Android L comes with thousands of new features and tools for developers, so this is just a quick look at some of the features we can expect to see when Google rolls out version L later this year. Check out the image above for Google's full list of Android L features.