Android 12 release date, features, supported devices and what to know

Android 12 acquittance date, features, supported devices and what to roll in the hay

An example of how Android 12 looks on smartphones (Image credit: Google)

Android 12 was confirmed back at Google IO 2021 in June, showcasing a revamped look up to and features that focus much happening privacy and interactivity.

We've since seen the public beta release show hit refreshed notifications, better screenshot support, one-one-handed mode and practically more.

And after the Pixel 6 launch event, Google launched the software update, and information technology's available now for experienced Pixel phones – though the company hasn't confirmed which phones are sympathetic (we suspected the Pel 3 might be the oldest phone to get the update given it was the brink for the Android 12 beta).

Android 12 is the 2021 update for Google's Android operational system, building on 2020's Android 11, which some phones still don't have. But this is more than just an repetitious update - Google describes it as the biggest design change in Android's history, and it sure as shooting shows.

Some users can download the Android 12 beta straight off, which Crataegus oxycantha shut up embody rich for not-Pixel owners of the Xiaomi Mi 11, OnePlus 9 and other beta-congenial phones. You'll find a full leaning below, while for instructions head to our how to get the Android 12 beta on your phone pathfinder.

As for the final variation, it's now live connected the Humanoid Open Source Imag (AOSP), but expect the recently-announced Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro to make out with Humanoid 12 sometime after the Launch Event.

The new Pixel phones bequeath most presumptive be one of the first to embark with the update. If you have some other (not-Pixel) Mechanical man earpiece you'll likely make to wait a trifle yearner, Eastern Samoa all company inevitably to make sure the latest update works with their existing phones.

We've traded all the formal Android 12 features that have been showcased at Google IO and in the subsequent betas, and we'll update this clause as soon as we discover more – and continue updating it as Android 12 rolls resolute phones and the subsequent beta releases.

Cut to the chase

What is it? The incoming big Humanoid update
When is it out? October 19
What's the biggest feature? Rested, unified UI
How much will it price? It's unconfined!

Android 12 issue date

Android 12 was announced at Google IO 2021, and is was launched connected the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) on October 4. Shortly after the Google Pixel 6 launched on October 19, Android 12 became purchasable for older Pel phones, though the company hasn't released an official compatibility list.

Then, devices from Samsung, OnePlus, Oppo, Realme, Tecno, Vivo, and Xiaomi are unmoving to get Android 12 later this year.

It will equal up to device manufacturers to bring Android 12 to your sound though, and that often takes months to fare, so don't be surprised if your specific handset isn't able to update to Android 12 until 2022.

Meanwhile, the new software is call at beta for select devices now, including phones from Oppo, Nokia, OnePlus, Xiaomi, ZTE, Asus, TCL and iQOO - as well as plenty of Pixel devices. You send away find the full list in the section below.

Google Pixel 6 event — (Image cite: Google)

Android 12 compatibility

Humanoid 12 will likely roll bent the majority of phones that came out in the last class or two, though some may equal waiting a long clock for information technology. IT's guaranteed to hit every modern Pixel handset though, probably from the Pixel 3 forward to the new Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, given that the Pixel 3 and 4a models support the beta.

Talking of the beta, we commode look at the list of compatible phones for that to get some clues as to which might be front in line of work for the finished Android 12. They are as follows:

Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Affirmative
Pixel 3 to Pel 5 (including XL and A-series phones)
Oppo Incu X3 Pro
Nokia X20
OnePlus 9 / 9 In favour of
Xiaomi Mi 11 / 11 Ultra
Xiaomi Mi 11i / 11X Professional
ZTE Axone 30 Ultra (only Chinese models)
TCL 20 In favou 5G
Asus Zenfone 8
Realme GT
Vivo iQOO 7 Fable
Sharp Aquos Sensory faculty 5G
Tecno Camon 17

We bear altogether of these would get the inalterable Mechanical man 12 release, and verisimilar quite quickly (with the Pixel phones getting it on day i). Major recent handsets similar the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 are sure to besides though, and even most get down end and less popular phones probably will, if they'ray recent.

Google itself has said that devices from Samsung, OnePlus, Oppo, Realme, Tecno, Vivo, and Xiaomi will get Android 12 this year.

In terms of the beta though it's worth noting that every of the phones enrolled above otherwise the Pixel phones are flying a developer preview, which is really but planned for developers, and is likely to be a lot to a lesser extent stable than the public Beta running on Pixel phones, sol we'd cogitate twice about downloading it. Even in the populace beta though you can expect bugs.

How to get the Android 12 genus Beta

Android 12: Refreshed UI

Google has announced a recently Material Design words for Android 12, called Material You, which is a second thought of the whole UI across the operating arrangement.

The current beta brings more rounded buttons, more varicoloured colours, smoother gesture and animations, and much more.

The companion calls it color extraction, where you terminate pick a wallpaper and the organization will automatically apply the dominant, complimentary and best looking colors from it to the rest of the UI, including the notification nuance, the lock block out, and volume controls.

Google made information technology a missionary work to make sure that Humanoid 12 is so along the new Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro phones, which sport an in-screen fingermark sensor, improved cameras and very much more.

Bodied You bequeath be best connected #Pixel6.The colors, the photographic camera, the form, and what's on the screen all work conjointly in a exclusive, fluid receive. (9/13) pic.twitter.com/K6BRF9ZKEYAugust 2, 2021

This time, information technology looks equally though Google let developed the phones and Android 12 in-tandem, subsequent in a eject that's going to show more unification than what came before in previous Picture element phones.

So everything is untold more unified this time, something which Google was keen to highlight. Before, the color strategy and even the fonts would look mismatched, but here, everything has been redesigned to look as unified As possible in Android 12.

This customizable idea is also future to Google's network apps by the death of the year.

Widgets see a redesign too, looking for much more than rounded this time. Due to iOS 14 showcasing widgets last year, and now iOS 15 bringing widgets to the iPad, it only made sense for Android 12 to see a redesign in this area too, where its appearance will oppose the color origin you've picked.

Android 12: Privacy and security

Google have successful information technology a point this year of making sure that privacy is at the center of Android 12. The company repeated the point of privacy being at the forefront this year, and that includes Android 12.

The Android Private Compute Marrow is the locomotive behindhand Android 12's privacy features, making sure that the apps and the earphone are following the concealment settings enabled past you.

To start with, the new secrecy splashboard gives you an overall view of apps using the phone's location, camera, contacts, and overmuch more.

However, a nice touch here is a naive overview in the form of a pie chart, of what has been accessed aside the apps over the last 24 hours.

The telling center also has a quick access to handicap any features of the phone that an app is using. E.g., if Facebook is using the microphone while you're using another app, this depart of presentment center leave show you explicitly that Facebook is victimization the mike. Pressing this wish disable the utilization of it to Facebook, and otherwise apps if you wishing.

Adding to this, Mechanical man 12 will also ask you for permission from an app to use a feature of the phone. You can select to allow it while running the app, only once, Oregon not at all.

You can also choose to only provide an guess fix to some apps, such as brave out apps which don't need to know exactly where you are.

And with features like Hold up Legend, Now Playing and Smart Answer, all of the audio and language processing happens on your gimmick, so the data isn't sent elsewhere.

There's also locked folders, available across apps, which allow you to shut away a specific folder with a fingermark.

And there's the ability to unlock a Chromebook using your phone. Similar to the Apple Watch unlock feature for an Malus pumila Mac, it will be a matter of having your Android 12 smartphone near to a Chromebook, and IT will bring you to the home screen.

Finally, when using an app such as the camera, there will be a elusive UI hint that predestinate features of the camera are being used, similar to how information technology shows in Malus pumila's iOS 15.

Other features of Android 12

Google has inveterate a multitude of smaller features, one to highlight is app hibernation. If there's an app that you don't use often, you hug dru to its settings in App info, and take off its permissions and space. However, you rear end restore it easily if you need to.

Beta 3 brings an interesting improvement when rotating the presentation. Front signal detection is now involved, where the front tv camera of your phone leave detect when it's prison term to get going either portrait or landscape. Google tout that the rotational latency has been reduced by 25% thanks to this.

When held down, the world power push button will now bring up Google Supporter, a much easier method of summoning the service for a query when needed.

A sunrise well-stacked-in far is also now touchstone in Humanoid 12, so if you have a TV that runs on Humanoid, or just a Chromecast, you can use your phone to browse through your favorite shows.

The media player that shows in your Quick Settings has also seen an improvement, where you can allow certain apps to use this. This can work fortunate if you'ray switching betwixt Spotify and YouTube, and you just want to keep using Spotify.

Alongside this, a parvenue feature called Car Key enables you to unlock your compatible cagey car with your headphone. This will allow you to unlock, mesh and even start the engine from your smartphone.

IT uses UWB (ultra-wideband) engineering, meaning that you can walk up to your car and it'll unlock, without you even having to take your phone out.

You'll also be able to part digital access to your vehicle with others – allowing you to lend your car to a friend without giving them a physical key and allowing them access for a period of time.

In a slight nod to its contender, Google is also touting better stomach for third-company app stores.

Google's password manager is also being redeveloped, with a scotch-chopine integration across your Google apps and devices.

And photo modes will bear out a refreshing format – AVIF, which promises similar compression to JPEG but at better quality, as seen in the examples the Android team gave (preceding) in an online developer session. Government note the divergence in cloud detail.

Android 12 also promises to ready your device faster and more responsive. Google claims that it reduces the CPU time needed for core system services by equal to 22% and reduces the role of plumping cores by the system server aside up to 15%, all of which should besides mean improved electric battery life history.

Quick exploit arrived with the first beta issue, mirroring an accessibility feature from the iPhones running iOS 14. By tapping the back of the phone, you bottom customize information technology to take a screenshot, control media, indicate notifications, or flatbottomed hospitable a specific app.

Downloading and playacting games look to equal more aboveboard in Android 12, where you can start a new courageous before the download has even finished. This harkens back to the features that the PlayStation consoles bring, saving you having to wait for few hours for a game to finish installing.

Android 12 beta screenshots — (Image credit: Google)

Google has too confirmed that it will be prepping Android 12 to be Sir Thomas More accommodating of third party app stores and installers like the Amazon App Store, APKUpdater and Samsung Galaxy Apps, to public figure a few.

Currently, third party app stores require free-spoken user permissions to manage and update apps on their chopine, but it looks same this change will allow third company stores to directly manage and update apps.

The mental process might not necessarily constitute a cakewalk for third party app storehouse developers, notwithstandin. They will first-class honours degree need to opt in to allow the have to be utilised, and a specific "update packages without user action" permission bequeath also need to follow held by the store. As such, some vetting may carry place happening Google's behalf first.

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Daryl had been freelancing for 3 years before joining TechRadar, at once coverage on everything software-related. In his spare time he's written a Koran, 'The Making of Grave Plunderer', alongside podcasting and usually found playing games anile and new on his PC and MacBook Pro. If you have a story about an updated app operating theater one that's about to launch, drop him a credit line.