According to an Android issue tracker update, Google is all set to bring multiuser support to Android smartphones with Android L.
The feature, which is already available on tablets, will land on a smartphone ‘as a part of the next public build’ wrote Google in a closure note on one of the issue titled “Enable multi-user on phone type devices” . Google hasn’t specifically mentioned Android L here, but we can assume that the next public build will be Android L.
If we look at the history of multiuser support on Android, Google implemented it first in Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. The feature was however limited to tablets only. With Android 4.3 it brought in restricted profile mode – something like a guest user sort of account which can be used by companies to provide temporary portable device to their guests.
Android Authority speculates that Google is bringing in “sandboxed user profile system for their Knox-based Android for Work platform” and support for multiple users on a smartphone is the next logical step – both of which are likely to be present in Android L.
There are those who believe that enterprise level Knox-based security isn’t for everyone and small and medium sized businesses and companies may rather go for password protected multiuser setup instead.
Google has already introduced Android L at its I/O 2014, but it is yet to be released publicly thereby strengthening the belief that multiuser support will land on smartphones with Android L.
