Android Nougat may be coming on August 5
That’s because Android Nougat could arrive on Aug. 5. The word comes from Evan Blass, who has a secret network of elves that feed him (usually accurate) leaks and rumors.
If this goes forth, it means Nexus owners will be the first ones to sample the latest flavor of Android (except for the Nexus 5, of course). Expect over-the-air updates to come to the Nexus 6P, 5X, 6, Pixel C, and 9. Even though it’s no longer for sale, the Nexus Player should score it as well since it’s an eligible testing device for the Android Nougat beta.
Of course, the August 5th security update might not land on the 5th. It's possible we'll see it a few days later, early the following week.
As for the rest of you, well, you probably know the drill. It may conceivably be months before Nougat lands on your phone or tablet, especially since some devices are just now getting Marshmallow (we chronicle them every week in our update roundup). The only glimmer of hope is that Google released the Nougat preview much earlier this cycle in the hopes that some manufacturers could put that additional time to use for getting the software ready.
The impact on you: If you’re tired of months-long wait for the latest version of Android, then you’ll definitely want to check out a Nexus 6P, 5X, or new Nexus phone that should come in a couple of months. Otherwise you can read up on what Nougat offers and decide if those software enhancements should impact your hardware-buying decision.