After three developer previews, Google has finally announced the latest iteration of the Android OS – the Android 12 at its annual developer conference (Google I/O 2021) that was held three days ago. Following the announcement of the latest Android OS, Google also released the first beta of the OS – Android 12 beta 1 for Pixels devices and a few others from other manufacturers.
Google has brought more simplicity to Android with the release of Android 12. The new OS version not only bring a lot of personalization options but there is also improvement in performance and privacy is also now a lot stricter. Google also announced a new UI language for Android 12 called, Material You, which is a revamp of the original material design that Google has used for years.
Aside from the improved personalization options, privacy and security and performance, Google has also introduced a couple of new features to Android which a lot of fans will be excited about. Read on to learn more about the all new Android 12 OS.
Android 12 Design: Material You
The biggest and most noticeable change on Android 12 is the refreshing design. The ‘Material You’ language delivers a playful and vibrant UI that is consistent across the operating system. With a new feature dubbed Color Extraction Android will automatically pick a colour accent and set it across the entire UI based on the wallpaper.
Of course, Android 12 is not all about colours, it brings more rounded buttons and Google has also added tons of new animation to give smoother motion and animations. You’ll also get several new widgets to add to your home screen and a new fancy big clock on your lockscreen.
Google has reduced the number of icons on the quick settings tiles from six to just four when the notification shade isn’t fully expanded, making for a clean appearance. Swipe down again and you’ll get additional four tiles that sum the number to eight.
Yes, the Now Playing music widget is still present on the quick settings tiles, giving you quick access to your music or podcasts. Google Pay and Home Controls are the two latest arrivals to the notification pane.
Android 12 privacy and security
You can say one of the things iOS does better than Android is security, however, Google is catching up fast. Security and privacy have been greatly improved on Android over the past few years. With Android 12, Google has made it even better by introducing a new iOS-like privacy indicator in the upper right corner of your screen. This will notify you when an app is actively using your camera or microphone. Tapping on these icons will tell you the exact apps using your microphone and camera which you can then turn off and not have to worry about an app secretly watching or capturing what you’re saying.
Google has introduced is the new Privacy dashboard. This will display the data that is being accessed on your device, how often and by what apps. You can also easily revoke granted app permissions right from the dashboard in order to prevent apps from tracking you.
Apart from that, users will be given the option to grant apps precise or approximate location when asked for permission.
Another big addition in the privacy and security department is the new Android Private Computer Core. This feature will let your device even less dependent on Google by letting your device handle things on its own. Features like Live Caption, Now Playing and Smart Reply will be processed on your own phone and won’t need Google’s (cloud) helping hand.
Android 12 performance
With every new OS release, Android becomes faster and more efficient, and Android 12 is no different. The OS is much faster and more responsive with better power efficiency compared to its predecessor – the Android 11. According to Google, the CPU time needed for core system services has been reduced by up to 22% while simultaneously reducing big cores CPU usage by the system server by up to 15%. This improvement will definitely deliver better battery life in the long run.
Android 12 Release Date
Android 12 will be coming to smartphones later this year and as we all know, Pixel devices will be the first to receive this big update. However, if you can’t wait and want to be one of the first to try the new Android OS, you can download the first beta for your device, if supported.
List Of Android 12 Supported Device (beta)
Here is a list of all devices that can install the Android 12 beta 1 now —
- Pixel 3/XL
- Pixel 3a/XL
- Pixel 4/XL
- Pixel 4a/5G
- Pixel 5
- OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro
- ASUS ZenFone 8
- Xiaomi Mi 11, Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, Mi 11i, and Mi 11 Pro
- OPPO Find X3 Pro
- iQOO 7 Legend
- Realme GT (China only)
- Tecno Camon 17
- TCL 20 Pro 5G
- ZTE Axon 30 5G Ultra
Before we can answer the question every Android user is asking that when will Android 12 be available for my device? we need to understand the Android release timeline.
Android 12 Timeline
Before the final release of Android 12, Google would have release three developer previews and four beta version. So far, so good Google has released the first three developer previews and has just released the first beta of the OS.
- February 18, 2021: Developer Preview 1
- March 3, 2021: Developer Preview 1.1
- March 17, 2021: Developer Preview 2
- April 7, 2021: Developer Preview 2.2
- April 21, 2021: Developer Preview 3
- May 18, 2021: Android 12 Beta 1
The second beta of Android 12 is expected to be available in June. Since the beta version doesn’t always come with all the features announced ready the use, the second beta is expected to open more features to use and bring fixes to bugs. It is important you know that beta release should not be used as a daily driver, as it may not deliver 100% functionality.
The final Android release date will be easy to narrow down after the fourth beta. Depending on how the goes, we may see the final release rollout in August or in early September.
How to install Android 12 beta 1 on your device?
If you own a Pixel Android 12 beta supported device, head over to the Google beta program to signup for the Android 12 beta build.
On the Beta page, you will find an Opt-in option under your Pixel device name. Tap on it and then select Join Beta. After a few minutes, you will receive a notification of a new Android update available for your device. Tap on the notification to confirm it is the Android 12 beta OTA notification. Download on your device and install.
Make sure you have more than 50% battery on your device before attempting the update so that it doesn’t crash your device.
As for non-pixel devices, visit your manufacturers Android 12 beta device website to get instructions on how to install the new OS.