Android 4.3 as well as the new Nexus 7 second generation were finally presented by Google at the “breakfast in San Francisco”. The live stream of the presentation of Android 4.3 and the new Nexus 7 tablet pc is over and the update for the mobile operating system Android by Google is already rolling out to many Nexus devices around the globe – although the users should not expect the update to Android 4.3 to arrive at their Nexus devices within the next minutes or hours. But Android 4.3 is rolling out and the update will sure make a lot of Nexus owners happy.
Restricted Profiles: New user management in Android 4.3
With the new Android 4.3 version, every administrator (owner) of the device will be able to restrict the access of other users on this smartphone or tablet pc with Android.
For example, the administrator under Android 4.3 can block other users from individual apps installed on the devices, but the admin is also able to prohibit in-app purchases or the installation of apps by these users.
This new feature of the “restricted profiles” in Android 4.3 can be very useful, especially for parents. This is certainly a welcomed way for parents to have a better control about what their kids are really doing on the phone or tablet.
There is already a new video by Google that explains the new “restricted profiles” feature(s) of Android 4.3.
Android 4.3: Integration of Bluetooth Smart
Also new in the next version of Googles mobile operating system Android is the integration of Bluetooth Smart, which is probably better known as Bluetooth Low Energy.
By this Bluetooth standard, it is possible to connect devices with a low power consumption – for example, pulse sensors or fitness tracker. The integration of Bluetooth Smart gives the possibility to connect more of these low power consumption devices with the smartphone or tablet running Android 4.3
Previously, the Bluetooth Smart (Bluetooth Low Energy) standard was only supported by a few smartphones with Android and some manufactures even have integrated their own solutions due to the lack of this useful standard in the source code of Android (up to Android 4.2.2).
With Android 4.3, everything about Bluetooth is now easier for all sides and there is also a new video by Google that explains the Bluetooth Smart standard and the new possibilities to connect low energy devices with the mobile device running Android 4.3.
Android 4.3 brings OpenGL ES 3.0 support for Gamers
Gaming on Android seems to be an important topic for Google this year. The Google Play Games app is finally available at the Google Play Store since some hours and according to the presentation of the Nexus 7 second generation and Android 4.3, the new version of Android even delivers the support for OpenGL ES 3.0.
This means, that not only the new demos shown on a device running Android 4.3 are impressive, but also upcoming games that support or even need OpenGL ES 3.0 will be great for all the mobile gamers using a devices with Android 4.3.
There is sadly no published video by Google about the integration of OpenGL ES 3.0 in Android 4.3 or to present what OpenGL ES 3.0 is able to deliver to the displays of smartphones and tablets.
Android 4.3: DRM-API for the streaming providers (Chromecast)
When Google showed the new developer interface for the streaming providers at its presentation of the new Android version 4.3 as well as the Nexus 7 second generation today, nobody really knew what this developer interface would be finally able to do.
But then, Google showed its new Chromecast feature in Android 4.3 and it was finally very clear that the new API has something to do with the streaming of content to Android devices.
Netflix is the first partner company of Google in terms of Chromecast. So, Americans are now able, if they own a device with Android 4.3, to directly stream content (movies) from Netflix on their google devices by the use of this DRM-API and Chromecast. Of course, there is much more behind the DRM API for the streaming providers such as Netflix and the newly integrated feature called Chromecast.
The new Nexus 7 will be the first Android device that runs directly from the factory with the new Android 4.3. Furthermore, the new Android OS version is already rolling out to the Nexus 4, Nexus 7, Nexus 10 and the Galaxy Nexus, as stated. Such devices as the both Google Editions of the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the HTC One should receive Android 4.3 very soon, too. The other, normal Android devices as the Galaxy S4 by Samsung or the HTC One (non-GE) will have to wait a bit longer as well as many other smartphones and tablets, and especially, their owners.
