You might be interested in learning more about all of the new Android 12 features that could be added to your smartphone (or tablet) as part of a future operating system update. However, while Google had already released the first Developer Beta version of Android 12 a few months prior, the entire set of Android 12 features were officially revealed on May 19 during the company’s Google I/O 2021 event.
These enhancements were made available with the Android 12 Developer Beta 2 upgrade, published later in the day. In this comprehensive article, we have documented all of the Android 12 features, including design changes, new functionality, and updates to existing functions that have been compared.
Mobile App Development: Best Android 12 Features to have in your Smartphone
Prior to this year’s release of Android 5.0, there weren’t many new user-facing features to be found in new versions of the operating system. This year, however, things are a little different. This is one of the most significant Android updates ever released.
Consequently, there are several noteworthy innovations in Android 12 worth mentioning in this article. Listed here are the most notable Android 12 features that will be available on your smartphone later this year.
1. New camera and microphone indicators have been added
In keeping with its privacy-focused approach, Google has also included new signs in Mobile App Development that indicate when the camera and microphone are being used in conjunction. The indicator will be shown in the upper right-hand corner of the display screen.
This is similar to the functionality found on Apple’s iOS platform. When the camera or microphone is activated, a green (for the camera) or an orange (for the microphone) light will appear in the corner of the screen. And if you tap on it, it will tell you which app has lately made use of it.
As an additional option to this, you can scroll down the Quick Settings menu, where you’ll find toggles for both the camera and microphone permissions. The authorization can be revoked by tapping on either (or both) of the buttons. It may be found without having to exit the program and search through the settings.
2. Dashboard for Personal Data Protection in Mobile App Development
Throughout the last few Android releases, Google has emphasized privacy. However, with Android 12, you’ll have access to a slew of new privacy features. This includes the new Privacy Dashboard, which you can see below.
The Privacy Dashboard will make its debut in the second beta, which will be released in June. However, it will serve as a centralized location where you can view which apps are utilizing which permissions.
In addition, how frequently and when exactly they are utilized are important considerations. As you can see in the screenshot above, it will display the rights that you use the most, such as Location, Camera, and Microphone. And how many different apps have made use of them in the last 24 hours. It will also display the others, which may be found under “See Other Permissions.”
When you tap on one of these permissions, a list of the apps that used it and when they used it will appear. You’ll see a button at the bottom of that screen that allows you to manage that permission and withdraw it from certain apps if necessary. Click on that button to proceed. This will make it easier for users to keep track of which apps are using certain permissions as a result of this change.
3. The long-awaited double-tap gesture has finally arrived.
Throughout the developer previews of Android 12, we have seen a lot of allusions to a double-tap gesture that could be implemented in the final version of the operating system. And now it has arrived. The Back Tap gesture can be modified by navigating to Settings > Gestures > Back Tap.
Taping your phone’s back twice will allow you to perform various actions, including taking a screenshot, accessing Google Assistant, playing or pausing media, viewing recent apps, showing alerts, and opening a specific app. You can choose from virtually any app that is already loaded on your phone.
4. The Quick Settings and Notifications sections have been given the standard makeover.
If Google didn’t make changes to the Quick Settings and Notification panel, it wouldn’t be a new version of Android. The way the Quick Settings and Notifications function in Android 12 is very similar to how they worked in Android 11.
However, the Quick Settings have been redesigned to be more pill-shaped. As a result, instead of receiving three across, you will receive two across. As a result, these toggles are larger than previously, but they can also provide you with more information in that region.
The brightness toggle has also been made a little thicker, making it easier to maneuver around. The media controls are located directly beneath the Quick Settings. When you are listening to music or watching YouTube, this message appears on your screen.
Next, the notifications are the same as before, albeit with a few cosmetic changes. There’s a little more white space around the content in the notification, and it takes advantage of rounded corners, which is a perfect match for the displays found on most modern smartphones.
You can still make changes to them if you so desire. The notification shade is also no longer translucent, which is a nice touch. Whether you are using dark mode or not, the background is either white or black.
5. Material You
As of right now, this is arguably the most significant change that you’ll notice when you upgrade to Android 12. The new design, which Google refers to as “Material You,” is based on this concept.
Material You will eventually be implemented across all Google’s products, but it will first appear on Android devices. To put it another way, it is Google’s new customized design language.
6. Themes that coordinate with your wallpaper
Along with the debut of Material You, Google is also releasing some new customizable themes to the Google Search interface. Even though it is not included in the initial beta, Google has stated that it will be accessible this fall. In other words, it’ll probably emerge in the final stable version of Android 12.
Essentially, the colors of these themes will correspond to the colors of your wallpaper. Through color science, Google can match your wallpaper by changing the accent colors of the clock, widgets, and quick settings to match your background.
However, unlike conventional themes, this is not only available for the home screen, quick settings, and the settings app but also the entire system. However, it will be system-wide. This includes third-party applications. Of course, developers will have to make changes to their apps to operate with Material You. On the other hand, Google apps are expected to support it by the fall of this year. We’ll believe it when we see it, believe it or not.
7. You have complete control over which media apps appear in Quick Settings.
Google added media controls to the Quick Settings in Android 11, making it easier to modify playback depending on what you’re listening to or watching. With Android 12, you can now choose which apps appear in the app drawer.
Go to Settings > Sound & Vibration > Media and pick or de-select the media apps you wish to remove from the list of those available.
8. Increasing the brightness of the display at night
Dark Mode (also known as “night mode”) allows you to use your phone more comfortably at night without straining your vision. That said, Google has incorporated a new Android 12 that will improve the experience even further. It’s referred to as “Extra Dim.”
It is currently not included in the Quick Settings by default, but you can include it if you choose. And it performs precisely as you would expect. The display becomes significantly dimmer as a result of this. And it’s a noticeable difference, to boot.
9. The power button has been integrated with Google Assistant.
Google is following in the footsteps of Samsung and Apple by letting you activate Google Assistant by holding down the power button for a long period. However, there is a significant distinction in this case. This is not the default action. To accomplish this, you’ll need to navigate to the Gestures settings.
As a result, you may now access Google Assistant by holding down the power button for an extended period. Alternatively, you can continue to swipe up from the bottom corners to attract the Assistant’s attention as before.
Bringing everything together to make it better for Mobile App Development
Google is also concentrating on making Android devices operate better together with one another and even with items from competitors. For example, it will include a new built-in Android TV remote control in the future. This will allow you to operate your Android TV devices and make it easier to log into your apps on your television.
Google is also working on Mobile App Development for making your smartphone become a car key. It is now collaborating with BMW and will collaborate with other automobile manufacturers shortly to make this a reality. It will be compatible with both NFC and UWB, albeit only Samsung devices currently support UWB.
Google is also making it easy for Mobile App Development to access images taken with your Android smartphone on your Chromebook, thanks to the introduction of Chromebooks in 2015. You will have immediate access to them. Akin to capturing images with your iPhone and accessing them immediately on your Mac or iPad.
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