Android M knows what it means to empower users; new era of features include 'Voice Access', 'Nearby', and many more

By Staff Writer

May 12 2015, 10:07 AM EDT

Android M is rumored to give users more control over what information an app can access once its released on various Android devices starts. This would empower more users to make detailed choices. Other features of Android M include Voice Access, Nearby, Material Design, and others.

According to sources, Google is reportedly planning to give mobile owners more control over what information an application can access, empowering more users to make "detailed choices." This would include photos, contacts or location.

The search-engine company also simplified last year how people are informed about what an app is accessing, and users can decide whether the app could be downloaded or not. The option to control private settings is featured already in Android phones through the installation of custom ROMs, which are based on Android OS. One such example is the Cyanogen custom ROMs.

Besides giving device owners the control over information, Android M is also rumored to empower users to manage the whole operating system by just using the voice. This is called "Voice Access," which allows developers to integrate voice control apps.

"Nearby" is also another feature that enables Android users to detect and communicate with other Android users. To enable it, users will have to update "Play Services." This feature will be tackled under the "proximity-based communication" session as seen in the recently leaked Google I/O session.

The "Material Design" of the Android M would also be tackled in the I/O event, where a certain talk was called "Bringing Material Design to life on Android." A big chance that VR could also be part of the Android M since a session that aims to "explore virtual reality and how it may change our lives" was in the I/O event schedule.

Besides sessions in connection to Android M, Google's I/O event will also have schedules for Google's Advanced Technology and Projects team, which will show wearables that would reportedly "blow your socks off," which the company added "We mean this more literally than you might think."

The Google I/O even will take place on May 28-29 at Moscone Center West in San Francisco.