Google announced the launch of Android 12 Developer Preview. This Android developer preview version comes with a host of new features aimed at improving robustness, user experience, and overall privacy and security. Developer preview version provides a glimpse of what the Android 12 Developer preview scheduled for release this year looks like.
If you are planning to develop an app or upgrade an existing app with new features of Android 12, get in touch with a leading Android application development company. Throughout the year, there will be updates that will impact the performance of the Android app.
Android 12: Timeline to Release
The Android 12 Developer Preview program runs from February 2021 right to the final public release to AOSP and OEMs, which is planned later in the year. Key development milestones, Google will deliver updates for development and testing environments which will include SDK tools, system images, emulators, API reference, and API diffs.
Image Source: Android
Android 12 Key Features
Android 12 continues to put security & privacy at the center point. The focus is now towards providing users transparency and control while keeping data on the device secure. In the developer preview version, new controls and identifiers can be used for tracking, safer defaults for app components, and more. These changes can have direct implications for apps. As a result, it is essential to ensure consistent testing.
Modern SameSite cookie behaviors in WebView: Improve security and privacy to provide users with greater transparency and a high level of control over how cookies can be used across sites.
Safer exporting of components: Prevent apps from inadvertently exporting activities, services, and receivers.
Safer handling of Intents: To increase handling Pending Intents and make it more secure, Android 12 needs apps to explicitly declare a mutability flag, either FLAG_MUTABLE or the new FLAG_IMMUTABLE, for each PendingIntent.
Media Transcoding: Allows apps to work with the latest video formats if it is not already supported. It makes it easier to copy/paste rich content into your apps, like images and videos. Android 12 includes support for AV1 Image File Format (AVIF), especially for higher quality images with efficient compression.
Unified API: To accept content from any source: clipboard, keyboard, or drag and drop. This will help to insert and move images, videos, and other expressive content in apps.
Notifications: The notification design is modern and easy to use. It makes notifications look and feel intuitive with custom content and expanding affordances to match all other notifications. There are several adjustments, such as a change in transparency and adjustment of the layout of the text and visuals.
An easy-to-use and all-new snooze control require a simple tap to snooze rather than swiping on the notification. Then you can snooze specific notifications for a set amount of time. Android 12 will block intermediary broadcast receivers, trampolines, from launching their target activities as it requests Android developers to make a shift away from this pattern.
Audio Updates: Android 12 includes support for MPEG-H H playback in both passthrough and offload mode. There is optimization for the audio mixers, and effects for up to 24 channels, increasing from 8 previously.
Emergency SOS: Press the power button on your Android phone five times to call for help. A countdown alarm will play and inform you that your phone is about to call for help, and finally, it will call directly local emergency services number. Quickly view the settings by opening the Settings app and going to Safety & Emergency > Emergency SOS.
Foreground Service Optimizations: Foreground services allow apps to manage user-facing tasks. To ensure optimum user experience, foreground service starts will be blocked from the background for apps targeting the new platform.
Audio-coupled haptic effect: In the new 12 version, apps can provide Audio-coupled haptic feedback through the phone’s vibrator. This allows creating an immersive game and audio experiences as vibration strength and frequency are derived from an audio session.
How to install Android 12 developer preview on your smartphone?
Set up your smartphone before you start downloading and installing the developer preview on your Pixel device.
Here are simple steps to set up your smartphone:
- Open the Settings panel and go to the About Phone tab.
- Find the “Build Number” option and repeatedly tap it, until you get a pop-up stating that “You’re now a developer.”
- Go again to the Settings panel and go to System > Advanced > Developer Options.
- Enable USB debugging and OEM Unlocking.
Android 12 Compatible Devices
The Developer Preview provides all the essentials required to try the Android 12 features, test your apps, and provide feedback for improvements.
It is easy to get started today by flashing a device system image to
- Pixel 3 / 3 XL
- Pixel 3a / 3a XL
- Pixel 4 / 4 XL
- Pixel 4a / 4a 5G
- Pixel 5
If you don’t have a Pixel device, you can use the 64-bit system images with Android Studio’s Android Emulator.
Finally
Get ready to embrace Android 12 this year. Partner with a top Android app development company to leverage changes of the version.
Originally published at https://www.hiddenbrains.com on March 5, 2021.
