Google announced Android M last week, the newest version of its operating system for mobile. What will the “M” stand for? Must be something delicious, especially after Lollipop. But I guess that's not so important. Although a lot of thew new OS looks like what we're used to in Android 5.0, apparently there is plenty of new features buried inside. One thing to note, though, this rough cut is aimed at developers for now. It's not in the most stable of states.

Developer previews are important for getting the content out there and in the hands of those who understand it. That way, improvements can be made and taken seriously. In fact, Cnet reports difficulty in installing the actual update, saying “Its not for your average Joe. It's complicated”. Anyhow, here's some of what we can expect from new Android software: Android Pay mobile payments system, Google Photos with unlimited storage, Google Maps offline support, HBO Now coming to Google Play, and something I recently reported on called Project Brillo.

There will also be multi-window functionality, a new interface for app icons, Custom Chrome Tabs, better control of “heads up notifications” (permissions now on a “per-app basis”), better battery life, and USB Type-C (Ars Technica). Many of these details seem like important ones, improvements that will benefit the ease-of-use of the Android smartphone experience. Android's engineering VP Dave Burke says “M is all about the little things”, but I don't know, Project Brillo, Android Pay, and USB Type-C all sure sound like big deals to me.