A few days ago, Google released the first developer preview of the Android 12 operating system. The Android 12 is the successor of the Android 11 that was rolled out last year.
The release of Android 12 Developer Preview 1 comes more than five months after the arrival of the public release of Android 11. Just like with previous developer previews, the Android 12 Developer Preview 1 release is aimed at developers making their apps ready for the next big Android update.
It is currently available for download on Google Pixel series smartphones. Developers can also look at its new features and changes over Android 11 through the Android Emulator available in Android Studio.
While not everything is known about the upcoming Android 12 and it’s a long wait to know for sure which features are coming in the public release, here is a list of some of the features that are reportedly coming in the newer version of Android.
New Material NEXT UI
Google introduced the Material Design for its apps and services in 2014 and since then the company has been expanding it. Now, with the Android 12, the company will be using elements of the new Material NEXT design, which is expected to have some impressive improvements.
Redesigned Quick Settings
With the latest version of the Android operating system, Google has changed the look of the Quick Settings module. Apart from the look, the company has also updated some of toggles options, making it easier for users to see if the setting is enabled or not.
Updates via Google Play
Google is adding Android Runtime (ART) to Project Mainline for handling system updates. This means that users will now be able to get system updates through the Google Play Store. We expect more development in this direction in near future.
One-Hand Mode
In the leaked screenshots of the Android 12, a new One-Hand Mode has also been spotted. As the name itself indicates, it is aimed at improving the user experience when operating the smartphone using one hand. It shows larger spaces on the top of the screen with the interactive elements refocused to the bottom of the display.
Multipage Widgets
With the latest Android 12, users will be able to use widgets with multiple card pages in the same widget. The multiple cards can be accessed by scrolling sideways, making it easier to read more information as well as making widgets less cluttered.
Audio Source Selection
Users of Android 12 operating system will be able to change the mini music player control window that shows up in the Quick Settings panel. It will work with selected apps only and the user can configure it by long-pressing the player notification.
Improved Media Support
Android 12 Developer Preview 1 brings compatible media transcoding to support HEVC format for video capture. The company has also provided platform support for AV1 Image File Format (AVIF) using AV1. It could dramatically improve image for the same file size when compared to older image formats.
This is just a list of some of the noteworthy features and improvements coming with the latest Android 12 update. We will soon publish a list of all the new features, changes, and improvements coming with the latest version of Android operating system.
