In the weeks to come, the Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Pixel, Pixel XL, Nexus Player, Pixel C and General Mobile 4G (Android One) will be on the receiving end of the over the air (OTA) software update in order to bump it up to Android 7.1.1 Nougat. If you happen to be using any device that has been enrolled in the Android Beta Program, you too, will be on the receiving end of this particular version.

Android 7.1.1 Nougat will not only ensure that the cool features that can be found on the Google Pixel and Pixel XL are available to the masses, it will also be a push by Google to promote the idea of gender equality. This particular push will be achieved through the addition of new emoji which will showcase the kind of important roles that women play globally, every single day. These new emojis will have more professions to choose from, including gender counterparts for emoji that were only available for the male gender in the past. With female welders thrown into the mix this time around, not to mention female astronauts, it is going to be a fun time composing instant messages to friends and family.

Not only that, Android 7.1.1 Nougat will allow one to send GIFs straight from the keyboard. This is achieved through supported apps in the vein of Google Allo, Google Messenger and Hangouts, of course. In addition, the Android 7.1.1 Nougat update will also allow one to enjoy app shortcuts straight from the home screen without any worries. You will be able to go ahead and launch actions on your favorite apps (Twitter and Google Maps will be part of the deal) through the simple act of pressing the app icon for a long time. From there, you can also engage in an existing conversation on Google Messenger right away, or to kick off a totally new conversation directly from the app icon itself. How about that for convenience?

Google did announce that Android 7.1.2 Nougat will be a small sized update, although one thing that should be noted is the fact that both the Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 will be left out of this particular update. This means the Android buck stops at Android 7.1.1. Nougat for the Nexus 6 and Nexus 9. If it is of any consolation, both the Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 will still continue to receive security patches -- at least until November 2017 rolls around. That would be the time where you ought to make changes to your smartphone usage habit as it would signal the moment you upgrade your device to something newer if you want to remain protected against any threats or malware. After all, the Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 are already a couple of years old and will be pushing three by the time the end of the year arrives. Google has a guarantee for system updates to be pushed out for two years, which means Android 7.1.1 Nougat would be the end of the road for these two devices. Perhaps it is time to take a closer look at the Pixel and Pixel XL, right?