docs/html/preview/overview.jd

page.title=Program Overview
page.metaDescription=Welcome to the Android M Developer Preview, a program that gives you everything you need to test and optimize your apps for the next version of Android.
page.image=images/cards/card-preview_16-9_2x.png
page.tags="preview", "developer", "android"

@jd:body

<p>
  Welcome to the <strong>Android M Developer Preview</strong>, a program that gives you
  everything you need to test and optimize your apps for the next version of
  Android. It's free, and you can get started right away just by downloading
  the M Developer Preview tools.
</p>

<div style="background-color:#eceff1;padding:1em;">
<div class="wrap">
  <div class="cols">
    <div class="col-4of12">
      <h5>
        Hardware and emulator system images
      </h5>

      <p>
        Run and test your apps on Nexus 5, 6, 9, and Player (for TV), as well
        as emulator.
      </p>
    </div>

    <div class="col-4of12">
      <h5>
        Latest platform code
      </h5>

      <p>
        We’ll provide multiple updates during the Preview, so you’ll be testing
        against the latest platform changes.
      </p>
    </div>

    <div class="col-4of12">
      <h5>
        Updates delivered by OTA
      </h5>

      <p>
        You  can get updates over the air, once you’ve flashed a
        device to the initial preview.
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>

  <div class="cols">

<!--<div class="col-4of12">
<h5>Early access to new  APIs</h5>
<p>Explore the new capabilities and APIs offered in the new platform and give us
feedback. Note that APIs and capabilities may change during the Preview
program.</p>
</div>-->

    <div class="col-4of12">
      <h5>
        New behaviors and capabilities
      </h5>

      <p>
        Start work early to support new platform behaviors such as
        the new runtime permissions model and power-saving features.
      </p>
    </div>

    <div class="col-4of12">
      <h5>
        Priority window for developer-reported issues
      </h5>

      <p>
        During the first several weeks we’ll give priority to developer-reported
        issues, so test and give feedback as soon as possible.
      </p>
    </div>

    <div class="col-4of12">
      <h5>
        Feedback and support channels
      </h5>

      <p>
        Report issues and give us feedback using our <a href=
        "https://code.google.com/p/android-developer-preview/">issue tracker</a>.
        Connect with other developers in the <a
        href="http://g.co/dev/AndroidMDevPreview">M&nbsp;Developer Community</a>.
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>
</div>

<!--
<p>
  With the M Developer Preview, you'll get an early start on testing your apps,
  with enough time to make adjustments before the public platform release later
  in the year. We'll provide several updates to the Preview tools in the weeks
  ahead, so you can keep in sync with the latest changes as the platform moves
  toward launch.
</p>
<img src="{@docRoot}preview/images/m-preview-timeline.png" alt=
"Preview program timeline" id="timeline">
<p>
  You can help us improve the platform by <a href=
  "https://code.google.com/p/android-developer-preview/">reporting issues</a>
  through our feedback channels. This is especially
  critical in the first month of the preview, when we’ll be giving priority to
  developer-reported issues and feedback.
</p> -->


<h2 id="timeline">
  Timeline and updates
</h2>
<img src="{@docRoot}preview/images/m-preview-timeline-crop.png" alt=
"Preview program timeline" id="timeline">
<p>
  The M Developer Preview runs from May 27 until the final Android M SDK, which
  we’ll release shortly before the public release during Q3
  2015. 
</p>

<p>
  At key development milestones, we’ll deliver updates for your test devices.
  The tentative milestones are
</p>

<ul>
  <li>
    <strong>Preview&nbsp;1</strong> (initial Preview release, late May),
  </li>

  <li>
    <strong>Preview&nbsp;2</strong> (late June/early July), and
  </li>

  <li>
    <strong>Preview&nbsp;3</strong> (near final, late July)
  </li>
</ul>

<p>
  These updates culminate in the <strong>final SDK</strong> (later in Q3),
  which delivers the official APIs for the new version of Android, as well
  as the final system behaviors and features.
</p>

<p>
  As you test and develop on Android M, we strongly recommend <strong>keeping
  your development environment up-to-date</strong> as Preview updates are released.
  To make the process easier, we'll deliver <strong>updates over the air
  (OTA)</strong> to devices already flashed to a Preview build, as well as
  providing system images that you can download and flash manually.
</p>
<p class="note">
  <strong>Note:</strong> The final SDK and system images can not be delivered
  by OTA, but will instead need to be <strong>flashed manually</strong> to
  your test devices.</strong>
</p>

<p>
  We’ll notify you when Preview updates are available via the <a href=
  "http://android-developers.blogspot.com/">Android Developers Blog</a>, as
  well as this site and the
  <a href="http://g.co/dev/AndroidMDevPreview">Android M Developer Community</a>.
</p>

<h2 id="preview_tools">
  What’s in the Preview?
</h2>

<p>
  The M Developer Preview includes everything you need to test your existing
  apps on a variety of screen sizes, network technologies, CPU/GPU chipsets,
  and hardware architectures.
</p>

<h4>
  SDK tools
</h4>

<p>
  You can download these components through the SDK Manager in <a href=
  "{@docRoot}sdk/installing/adding-packages.html">Android Studio</a>:
</p>

<ul>
  <li>M Developer Preview <strong>SDK tools</strong>
  </li>

  <li>M Developer Preview <strong>emulator system image</strong> (32-bit &amp;
  64-bit)
  </li>

  <li>M Developer Preview <strong>emulator system Image for Android TV</strong>
  (32-bit)
  </li>
</ul>

<h4>
  Hardware system images
</h4>

<p>
  You can download these hardware system images for Nexus devices from the
  <a href="downloads.html">Downloads page</a>:
</p>

<ul>
  <li>
    <strong>Nexus 5</strong> (GSM/LTE) “hammerhead” device system image
  </li>

  <li>
    <strong>Nexus 6</strong> “shamu” device system image
  </li>

  <li>
    <strong>Nexus 9</strong> (Wi-Fi) “volantis” device system image
  </li>

  <li>
    <strong>Nexus Player</strong> (Android TV) “fugu” device system image
  </li>
</ul>

<h4>
  Documentation and sample code
</h4>

<p>
  These documentation resources help you learn about the Preview:
</p>

<ul>
  <li>
    <a href="setup-sdk.html">Set Up the SDK</a> has step-by-step instructions
    for getting started.
  </li>

  <li>
    <a href="testing.html">Testing Guide</a> and <a href=
    "api-changes.html">Behavior Changes</a> point you to key areas to test.
  </li>

  <li>Documentation of new APIs, including an <a href="api-overview.html">API Overview</a>,
  downloadable <a href="">API Reference</a>, and detailed developer guides on
  key features such as <a href="">permissions</a>, <a href="">app backup</a>,
  and others.
  </li>

  <li>
    <a href="">Sample code</a> that demonstrates how support
    permissions and other new features.
  </li>

  <li>
    <a href="">Release notes</a> for the current version of the M Developer
    Preview, including change notes and diff reports.
  </li>
</ul>

<h4>
  Support resources
</h4>

<p>
  Use these support resources as you test and develop on the M
  Developer Preview:
</p>

<ul>
  <li><a href="https://code.google.com/p/android-developer-preview/">M
  Developer Preview Issue Tracker</a> is your <strong>primary feedback
  channel.</strong> You can report bugs, performance issues, and general
  feedback through the issue tracker. You can also check for known issues
  and find workaround steps, if available.
  </li>

  <li>The <a href="http://g.co/dev/AndroidMDevPreview">Android M Developer
  Community</a> is a Google+ community where you can <strong>connect with
  other developers</strong> working with Android M. You can share
  observations or ideas or find answers to questions about Android M.
  </li>
</ul>


<h2 id="preview_apis_and_publishing">
  Targeting, preview APIs, and publishing
</h2>

<p>
  The Android M Developer Preview is a development-only release and
  <strong>does not have a standard API level</strong>. If you want to opt out
  of compatibility behaviors to test your app (which is strongly recommended),
  you can target the M Developer Preview by setting your app's <code><a href=
  "/guide/topics/manifest/uses-sdk-element.html">targetSdkVersion</a></code>
  to <code>“MNC”</code>.
</p>

<p>
  The Android M Developer Preview delivers <strong>preview APIs</strong>
  &mdash; the APIs will not be official until the final SDK is released,
  currently planned for the third quarter of 2015. This means that you can
  <strong>expect minor API changes</strong> over time, especially during
  initial weeks of the program. We’ll provide a summary of changes to you with
  each update of the Android M Developer Preview.
</p>

<p class="note">
  Note that although preview APIs may change, underlying system behaviors such
  as runtime permissions and power-saving features are stable and ready for
  testing right away.
</p>

<p>
  In terms of publishing, Google Play <strong>prevents publishing of apps
  targeting the M Developer Preview</strong>. When the Android M final SDK is
  available, you’ll be able to target the official Android M API level and
  publish your app to Google Play. Meanwhile, if you want to distribute an app
  targeting Android M to testers, you can do so via email or by direct download
  from your site.
</p>

<h2 id="get_started">
  How to get started?
</h2>

<p>
  To get started testing your app:
</p>

<ol>
  <li>Review the <a href="{@docRoot}preview/api-overview.html">API Overview</a>
    and <a href="{@docRoot}preview/behavior.html">Behavior Changes</a> to get an
    idea of what's new and how it affects your apps.
  </li>

  <li>Setup for testing and development by following the instructions for
    <a href="{@docRoot}preview/setup-sdk.html">Setting up the Preview SDK</a>
    and configuring test devices.
  </li>

  <li>Follow the <a href="https://developers.google.com/android/nexus/images">
    flashing instructions</a> to flash the latest M developer preview system image
    for Nexus 5, 6, 9, and Player. Once you've flashed your development device,
    Preview updates will be delivered through over-the-air (OTA) updates.</a>
  </li>

  <li>Download the <a href="{@docRoot}preview/reference.html">M Preview API
  Reference</a> and <a href="{@docRoot}preview/samples.html">M Preview
  samples</a> to gain more insight into new API features and how to use them in
  your app.
  </li>

  <li>Join the <a href="http://g.co/dev/AndroidMDevPreview">Android M
  Developer Community</a> to get the latest news and connect with other
  developers working with the new platform.
  </li>
</ol>

<p>
  Thank you for your participation in the Android M Developer Preview program!
</p>