After months of teasers and hints, Google has finally announced the official name for Android N. The next major update to the company's mobile operating system will be called Android Nougat. 

For the longest time, the common consensus has been that Google would name it Android Nutella, and the company regularly teased us with that suggestion. At Google I/O however, the company launched a website allowing consumers across the globe to submit their name suggestions, jokingly telling us that Namey McNameface would not be used, before including that moniker in the latest developer preview as the hidden easter egg. 

Google kicked off the developer preview program a little earlier than usual this year, releasing the first version in May, before officially announcing it the next month at its I/O conference.

Key features of the new software include a redesigned notification user interface, and better actionable notifications and quick-reply options from the lock screen and more control of notification priority. More importantly, Android Nougat is the first version of Android to have baked-in support for split-screen multitasking, meaning you'll be able to launch two apps side-by-side on one screen. Split screen has been available from the likes of Samsung and LG before now, but it was never an official Android feature, it was built in the the manufacturers' custom software. 

There's also a completely revamped settings menu, which makes it much easier to get back to the main settings screen. This includes smart suggestions on top of the main settings screen to let you know when things like Do Not Disturb are activated. There's Data Saver - which restricts how much of your cellular data apps can use in the background - as well as a system-wide Night Mode. Of course, it also has built-in support for Google's brand new Daydream VR service too. 

It's expected that Android Nougat will be available officially whenever the next Nexus smartphones arrive. Usually that's towards the end of the year in October/November time. When it does arrive, it should be immediately available for current Nexus phones as well. Other devices will follow as manufacturers and network operators test and approve the software. 

Read everything you need to know about Android Nougat in our extensive in-depth feature