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| Pic Credit: Google |
Google decided to rip up the script with Android 12, entirely reworking some of the visual elements to make it look, feel, and react differently to your onscreen gestures and button presses. Everything you need to know about the new operating system is right here.
1. The stunning new 'Material You'
design
Material You, a new design approach introduced with
Android 12, will be seen throughout all of Google's products, but it will begin
with Android. It's Google's new tailored design language, in a nutshell. It is
centered around you, as the name suggests.
It has a lot of rounded corners and flowing motions.
It also implies that if you choose, you may have icons, typefaces, and menus
that match the colors of your device wallpaper: To begin making changes, go to
the main Android 12 Settings page and select Wallpaper & design.
2. Scrolling Screenshots
Scrolling screenshots have finally arrived on
Android, allowing you to capture entire menus or webpages rather than just the
current screen. It's incredible that Google has taken so long to offer this feature,
but it's very welcomed. This functionality first appeared in the third beta
build and has been present ever since. It's a simple assignment to complete.
Take a screenshot as usual with Power + Volume Down, then hit the Capture More
option to get a full scrolling screenshot. You can crop from there if you want.
Furthermore, the screenshot editing portion has been improved with new features
such as text adding and other improvements.
3. Improved auto-rotate
For most of us, auto-rotation is a crucial phone
feature, and for years, auto-rotation was determined by our phone's
accelerometer. When your phone is flipped on its side, it detects it, and the
screen follows suit. With Android 12, Google promises that screen auto-rotation
will be smoother, faster, and more accurate than it has ever been. It will even
detect which way your face is aligned to assist you to determine whether or not
to rotate the display, albeit that feature is only available on Pixel.
4. Nearby Share - Wi-Fi passwords
We've all been in that situation. You're having
visitors over and need to share your WiFi with them, but you don't know the
password. That problem has been resolved in Android 12.
So, in the past, you could share your WiFi password
with a QR code. However, Android 12 adds the option to share it with those who
are in close proximity. Simply tap the Nearby button beneath the code to
activate the Nearby Share function. This looks for nearby devices, and you can
tap on the one with which you want to share your WiFi credentials wirelessly.
And then all of a while, they're connected. This is
effective since not simply anyone in the vicinity will receive the QR code
containing the information. Only those with whom you choose to share it which
is a useful security feature.
5. Quick Settings and Notifications
panel redesignPic Credit: Google
Without modifying the Quick Settings and
Notification panel, there wouldn't be a new version of Android.
The Quick Settings pane, which you can access by
swiping down from the top of the screen with two fingers, now has even more
features and settings to control. Smart home devices, Google Pay, improved
accessibility options, and more are all available in Android 12. Choose which
buttons appear in the Quick Settings list by tapping the pen icon (bottom
left).
The Quick Settings are now more pill-shaped. As a
result, instead of three across, you'll only get two across. These toggles will
be larger than before, but they will also provide you with additional
information in that region.
The brightness toggle has also been thickened to
make it easier to manage. The media controls are located beneath the Quick
Settings. This shows up when you're listening to music or watching YouTube
videos.
Then there are the notifications, which are
basically unchanged but are receiving a makeover. The notification has a little
more white space around the message and uses rounded corners, which goes well
with most phones these days. Finally, the notification shade isn't translucent
any longer. Depending on whether you're using dark mode or not, the background
is either white or black.
6. Pixel phones - Quick Tap gesture.
For Pixel phones running Android 12, there's a
double-tap gesture.
We saw a number of references to a double-tap
gesture in the Android 12 developer previews, so it's possible it'll be
included in Android 12. And now it has arrived. Go to Settings > Gestures
> Back Tap to change it.
Back Tap allows you to capture a screenshot, access
Google Assistant, play or pause media, browse recent apps, show alerts, or
start a specific app by tapping the back of your phone twice, which you may
select from almost any app on your phone.
7. Make Your Phone Game-Ready
With Android 12, Google follows the footsteps of
other smartphone manufacturers by adding a specialized gaming mode that disables
notifications while playing, improves hardware performance, and so on. You can
set the dashboard shortcut to appear when you're gaming by going to
Notifications, Do Not Disturb, and Schedules, then tapping the cog next to
Gaming.
Pic Credit: Google
8. Privacy dashboard
Android 12 brings new security and privacy features
to the table, as it does with every new version of Android. You can check at a
glance which permissions have been used in the last 24 hours by going to the
main Settings menu and selecting the Privacy and Privacy dashboard. To check
which apps have used it recently, tap permission. Furthermore, when you first
run an app and it asks for your location, you can choose to give it simply an
approximate position rather than an exact location.
In the fast shade menu, Android 12 has also added
quick on/off toggles that disable the microphone, location, and camera so that
no one can use them. When the camera or microphone is turned on, a small green
dot appears in the top right corner of the screen. If you swipe down, you'll
see a full icon, which you can press to check which app is taking pictures or
recording sound.
9. Emphasis on the widget
In comparison to earlier Android versions, Android
12 places a greater emphasis on widgets. The widget selector has been totally
redesigned to make scrolling and viewing easier. Widgets also feature a few new
APIs to increase efficiency, interact with Material You theming, and even come
with new widgets in Android 12. The new APIs assist developers in improving the
appearance and functionality of widgets. Hopefully, it will motivate developers
to update their widgets, as many of them still look the same as they did years
ago. Plus, with Material You theming, personalizing widgets and making them
blend in with your home screen will be a breeze.
10. Working together to make everything
better
Google is also concentrating on making Android
operate better with other Android devices, including those from competitors. It
includes a new built-in Android TV remote, for example. This will allow you to
operate your Android TV devices as well as log in to your apps on your TV.
Your smartphone will also serve as your auto key,
thanks to Google. It is now collaborating with BMW and will be collaborating
with other car manufacturers in the near future to achieve this goal. It will
enable NFC and UWB, albeit UWB is currently supported solely by Samsung
devices.
Fast Pairing will also be available for Beats
headphones, which is surprising given that Beats is owned by Apple.
Finally, Google has made it easier to access images
taken with an Android smartphone on a Chromebook. You have immediate access to
them. It's similar to capturing images with your iPhone and quickly accessing
them on your Mac or iPad.
