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HTC One M9 users on one of Verizon’s plans will be happy to learn that their device should soon receive a major update if it hasn’t already. The update in question is, of course, Android 7.0 (Nougat) and should carry the build number 4.49.605.11 when it hits. Aside from the overall changes brought with the OS upgrade the update also brings the August 2017 Android security patch update. As with all other updates, this one may take some time to hit every HTC One M9 on the carrier. However, the announcement of the update comes directly from the service provider, so users shouldn’t get too concerned if it hasn’t hit them just yet.
Verizon is a bit late in getting this update out to users, as the unlocked version did see the update in December of last year. That was followed by other carriers, including Sprint, pushing the update in early to mid-spring. New Nougat features include the addition of multi-window and split-screen for supported apps, as well as a data saver mode, quick replies in notifications, and more. With multi-window support, users will be able to resize and have two apps sharing the HTC One M9’s 5-inch screen at the same time. That’s activated by a long-press on the recent apps capacitive button, followed by the user selecting the second application to occupy the screen. Double tapping the recent applications button will now also allow users to quickly switch between the last two apps they have used. Data saver mode allows users to restrict background data use from app to app. That will, of course, affect notifications and other aspects of an app, but by adjusting the settings through the device’s data usage settings menu, users will be able to save on some of the data they use while on mobile or metered networks.
Finally, the update to Nougat will allow users to respond to messages directly through the notification bar for any app that supports it, eliminating the need to go into the app itself just to reply. As mentioned above, OS updates do take some time to roll out. So it could take several days before Android Nougat hits everybody’s device. In the meantime, anybody feeling particularly impatient can navigate to their settings menu to perform a manual check. The update service can be found under the software updates section labeled “System Updates.”
