Google has launched the primary developer preview of Android 12 — the subsequent model of Android that can debut later this 12 months as a successor to Android 11. The new launch comes over 5 months after the arrival of the general public launch of Android 11 that befell in September. Just like with earlier developer previews, the Android 12 Developer Preview 1 launch is aimed toward builders making their apps prepared for the subsequent large Android replace. It is initially accessible for obtain on Google Pixel telephones. However, builders may also have a look at its new options and adjustments over Android 11 via the Android Emulator accessible in Android Studio.
Android 12 Developer Preview compatibility
Google announced via a weblog submit that the Android 12 Developer Preview 1 might be put in on Google Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL, Pixel 4, Pixel 4XL, Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a 5G, and Pixel 5. System images for all these fashions have been offered for obtain. Alternatively, the primary developer preview of Android 12 might be put in on a system via the Android Emulator in Android Studio. Developers engaged on Android TV apps may also get the primary Android 12 developer preview through the ADT-Three system.
Before continuing to manually obtain any of the system photographs, you will need to observe that the Android 12 Developer Preview 1 is supposed particularly for builders and never supposed for finish customers. You could, thus, encounter some bugs or points after putting in the developer preview.
Android 12 launch timeline
Alongside saying the brand new developer preview, Google shared Android 12 launch timeline to element the milestones reaching the brand new replace. You can test the timeline under.
- Android 12 Developer Preview 1: February
- Android 12 Developer Preview 2: March
- Android 12 Developer Preview 3: April
- Android 12 Beta 1: May
- Android 12 Beta 2, 3: June-July
- Android 12 Beta 4: August
In addition to the aforementioned timeline, Google has stated that Android 12 will attain the ‘Platform Stability’ stage via the Beta Four stage in August. This means from that time, there will not be any additional adjustments for builders.
Android 12 new options
The first developer preview of Android 12 brings interface-level adjustments to notifications. Google has additionally talked about in its weblog submit that it was additionally engaged on optimising transitions and animations throughout the system to make them smoother. Apps concentrating on Android 12 will even be capable of embrace notifications with customized content material views that can be primarily based on a typical template.
“This template ensures that custom notifications have the same decoration as other notifications in all states, such as the notification’s icon and expansion affordances (in the collapsed state) and the notification’s icon, app name, and collapse affordance (in the expansion state),” Google detailed.
In addition to customized notifications-focussed updates, Android 12 is in growth to carry extra responsive notifications. You’ll discover the adjustments within the first developer preview which might be more likely to be additional polished in later updates.
Android 12 Developer Preview 1 additionally brings appropriate media transcoding to assist HEVC format for video seize. Google has additionally offered platform assist for AV1 Image File Format (AVIF) utilizing AV1. This is claimed to dramatically enhance picture for a similar file measurement when in comparison with older picture codecs, similar to JPEG.
The first developer preview of Android 11 additionally consists of foreground service optimisations via an expedited job in JobScheduler and a brand new launch of Jetpack WorkManager library. There can also be a brand new unified API to allow wealthy content material insertion and settle for wealthy content material from sources together with clipboard, keyboard, and even drag-and-drop gestures.
Apps designed for Android 12 will even be capable of supply audio-coupled haptic suggestions via the telephone’s vibrator. This signifies that you may get extra immersive audio experiences on the next-gen Android replace.
Further, Google has simplified immersive mode to smoothen gesture navigation and make it extra constant. Android 12 additionally comes with an Android Runtime (ART) module to let Google push new software program updates to the core runtime and libraries accessible on units. This will allow a extra constant expertise for put in apps.
Android 12 will even be about optimisations for tablets, foldables, and TVs. Some of these optimisations might be seen from the primary preview.
The first developer preview of Android 12 additionally consists of trendy SameSite cookie behaviours in WebView, Restricted Netlink MC, and safer exporting of elements to stop apps from inadvertently exporting actions, providers, and receivers. There will even be different under-the-hood privateness and safety adjustments that Google has detailed on a devoted webpage.
Apart from the adjustments talked about by Google, Android Police reported a listing of recent options that features a one-handed mode, emergency SOS button, scrolling screenshots, and higher notification snoozing. The first Android 12 preview additionally consists of an improved screenshot editor and an up to date Nearby Share characteristic with the power to share Wi-Fi passwords.
Google has primarily offered the options which might be important for growth functions. But nonetheless, we are able to count on some interface-level changes and enhancements sooner or later Android 12 developer preview and beta releases.
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