Android Nougat is the latest version of Android from Google and is being offered not too much after its Marshmallow predecessor.
The Nougat has many hidden gems under its bonnet that may not actually be visible when you install the operating system. Most of these features work behind the scenes for improved functionality while some of them are very easily noticeable. Even as Android 6.0 Marshmallow brought with it many crucial updates over the previous versions, Android 7.0 promises to be even better. As can be expected, the first set of smartphones to have these updates rolled over are Google’s very own Nexus handsets and the Pixel devices. Most smartphones have started receiving OTA updates for Android 7.0 Nougat. However, if you are one of those impatient folks who cannot wait, you can resort to following a few simple steps to get the update up and running on your handset if it is one of those from Google that supports the update.
As stated above, it is ideal to wait for OTA updates. To check if your smartphone is ready for updates, tap the About section under the Settings menu. Click on System updates followed by Check for updates. You will be notified of any update available. If the update is indicated here, you can go ahead and follow the steps given to download Android Nougat on your device. Remember to be connected to a Wi-Fi network when you do this for uninterrupted connection. Also, take care that your smartphone is fully charged to avoid chances of it dying out while the update takes place. Last but not the least, do bear in mind that you will not be able to use your handset during the update process. So, opt for doing the update only when you think that you will not really need access to your handset.
If there is no indication, it is better to wait for the notification rather than attempt the download and installation yourself. However if you must do so, remember to first take a few precautions. Take a complete backup of your Android device before you begin the update with full excitement. This is to avoid loss of your precious data or improper functioning of your favorite apps.
One of the best ways to go about the Android update is through the Android Beta program. You can use your Google account associated with the handset to register for this program which is undergoing auto updates to the official release. You can check if your device is eligible for the update by pressing on Your eligible devices. If your smartphone is available in the list, select it and press Enroll device. When your smartphone is loaded with the Beta release, it will get all updates associated with it. This will not affect the data on your handset in any way. But, if you decide to revert to the earlier Android version and do away with the Beta version, this can come at a price of losing your data.
The other method, which is in even better, is to download the Android 7.0 Nougat Factory Image. This requires you to have the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) and Fastboot installed on your laptop irrespective of the operating system it works on. These can be accessed through the command terminal of your computer.After the installation process, add the location where you have installed the files to the Path. To do this, do a right click on the My Computer icon and select Properties. Now choose Advanced System Settings followed by System Properties. Select Advanced and then Environment Variables. When you do the above, a new window opens up, choose the Path option and click on Edit. Type the location of the installed SDK files. (If you have to make other entries for any other reason, then you must separate each entry by a semicolon.)
Now, you have to enable USB debugging on your Nexus device. To do this, tap on Settings and scroll down to About Phone. Click on this and select Software Information. The build number gets displayed. Tap on this quite a few times till you get a Settings option. Press on Settings followed by a tap on Developer options. Click on the USB debugging checkbox. Choose the matching OTA binary for your smartphone and download it. When the download is over, establish a USB connection between your computer and handset. Reconfirm that the USB debugging option is activated.
Through the ADB tool, access the command line of your computer and execute the adb reboot recovery command. Your device gets set to the recovery mode automatically. This is indicated by the Android logo with a red exclamation mark on the display screen. Holding the power button, move the volume control button upwards to display a menu. Opt for Apply update from ADB and carry out the adb sideload (ota file.zip)on the ADB tool through the command prompt of your computer. You must replace the parameter given in brackets with the actual name of the OTA file that you downloaded.
Once the update is done, remember to reboot your smartphone for the changes to take effect.