Android 12 Dev Preview released, contains some pretty nice changes

[Master Disaster]

Before proceeding I should point out, in the last 2 release of Android (10 & 11) the previews have contained features that didn't make it into the full release so assume that, at least one of these changes is probably not going to make it into the release version. As of right now not all the listed features are present in the preview either however they will all be added over the next few weeks.

 

Dropped yesterday, Android 12 is now available for developers to begin updating their apps with support. As with all the dev previews installation has to be done manually however support is provided for phones with both unlocked & locked bootloaders though the installation method is different for each.

 

As per usual the last 3 generation of Pixel devices are the only ones supported (3, 3XL, 3a, 4, 4XL, 4a & 5).

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Google is finally releasing the Android 12 Developer Preview today and finally giving users an initial taste of what the upcoming update will bring. While we have looked at some mock-ups recently, this is going to be your first official look into what Google has been planning all along.

 

It is also important to know that a lot of the features are not going to be available right away we have expected from Google and these Developer Previews.

On to the good stuff, here's the full list that Google wants to test in Android 12

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1. Notification UI Tweaks: Improving on the changes from Android 11, Android 12 is going to offer a notification design that is going to be more modern, easier to use, and more functional. In addition to that, you will also get better animations and transitions.
2. Faster Notifications: Google is also adjusting the way developers can call activities via notifications, and the user-facing difference should mean that the notifications will start opening much faster, though apps will need to target Android 12 before this is implemented.
3. Better Support for Content: With Android 12, a unified API will allow you to pull content from a clipboard, keyboard, or even drag and drop. There will be more to it in terms of functionality, but users will be able to move content like photos or videos between apps with great ease.
4. Audio Coupled Haptics: Android 12 is also going to allow for "audio-coupled haptic feedback". While the description is not as clear, but it sounds like that your phone will be able to play haptics that will be dynamically generated and will be based on sound in many instances.
5. Improved Gestures and Immersive Mode: With Android 12, a fully tweaked system for gesture navigation in full-screen view is also coming.
6. HEVC Transcoding: Android 12 will allow apps to work with a new format even if they don't directly support the. Converting between HEVC and AVC on the fly will be easy for the developers to implement. For users, this will mean that it will be a lot easier to play content, especially on older devices.
7. AVIF Image Support: Android 12 will also support a new container format, which can achieve a higher quality at smaller sizes than older formats.
8. New Mainline Modules: The Android Runtime is becoming the mainline module; in addition to that, the new transcoding functionality is also going to be a mainline module. This means that Google will be able to update even more system aspects through the Google Play Store.
9. Trust and Safety: Android 12 is also bringing features such as Modern SameSite cookie behaviors in WebView, restricted Netlink MAC, safer exporting of components, and safer handling of intents.

And for those who care, here's the DL links

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• Google Pixel 3: OTA | Factory Image 
• Google Pixel 3 XL: OTA | Factory Image 
• Google Pixel 3a: OTA | Factory Image
• Google Pixel 3a XL: OTA | Factory Image 
• Google Pixel 4: OTA | Factory Image 
• Google Pixel 4 XL: OTA | Factory Image 
• Google Pixel 4a: OTA | Factory Image 
• Google Pixel 4a 5G: OTA | Factory Image
• Google Pixel 5: OTA | Factory Image 

Source - https://wccftech.com/download-android-12-developer-preview-now-available-heres-what-is-new/

 

My thoughts

1) Its about damn time. Androids clunky notification system is the thing I hate the most about it. I don't think its really been overhauled since the very early days of Android so an update will be very welcomed by me.

2) Can't say I've ever noticed any appreciable lag on notifications but OK, again a nice change.

3) THIS IS AMAZING!!!! The amount of times I've been stuck trying to pull something out of an email into Firefox or out of Firefox into an email, thanks god they're finally implementing a full clipboard.

4) Nice for people with hearing difficulties I imagine (or as a gimmick when gaming/watching movies).

5) This one worries me, are they talking about revamping the new Gesture system they brought in with Android 10 or is this a new Gesture system for use with the camera? I love the way the A10 Gesture system works, it makes closing apps and moving between them MUCH faster than the old system, please don't fuck it up Google.

6) Pretty cool though my Pixel 3 XL supports HEVC anyway so doesn't affect me.

7) Pointless ATM but good futureproofing I guess. Its better to have it than not,

8 ) Excellent. Pushing updates on a per module basis over the Play Store will allow much older devices to still get OTA security patches.

9) Don't really understand this one but hey, improved web security is always good.

[BetteBalterZen]

You seem to know a lot OP

Do you know if the OnePlus 6T will get Android 12? 

[Master Disaster]

3 minutes ago, BetteBalterZen said:

You seem to know a lot OP

Do you know if the OnePlus 6T will get Android 12? 

That's unfortunately an impossible question. Half of the reason why Google are switching to a module system is because, currently update support is dependant on device manufacturers caring enough to bother updating their devices. Whether your phone gets updates or not depends on OnePlus and their motivation levels.

[BetteBalterZen]

1 minute ago, Master Disaster said:

That's unfortunately an impossible question. Half of the reason why Google are switching to a module system is because, currently update support is dependant on device manufacturers caring enough to bother updating their devices. Whether your phone gets updates or not depends on OnePlus and their motivation levels.

Oh okay, I understand. Thanks for the explanation

[Master Disaster]

Just now, BetteBalterZen said:

Oh okay, I understand. Thanks for the explanation

Also even if it does get support its usually months after Google releases the update and A12 is expected around Aug 21 so it will be 2022 at least before anything except Pixels gets support.

[BetteBalterZen]

Just now, Master Disaster said:

Also even if it does get support its usually months after Google releases the update and A12 is expected around Aug 21 so it will be 2022 at least before anything except Pixels gets support.

Ah okay. I just read that Android 11 will come but probably will be the last major Android update for the 6T. 

[DeScruff]

Will this fix the issue that I sometimes have where sometimes it takes me 10 min to 2 hours to recieve a notification?
... Or the problem where if my phone updates and restarts, It won't ring when I get a text message until I unlock my phone, at which point i will get inundated with a bunch of "WHERE R U!?" messages that apparently Ive been receiving all morning.

[Master Disaster]

41 minutes ago, DeScruff said:

Will this fix the issue that I sometimes have where sometimes it takes me 10 min to 2 hours to recieve a notification?

Sounds like it will.

41 minutes ago, DeScruff said:

... Or the problem where if my phone updates and restarts, It won't ring when I get a text message until I unlock my phone, at which point i will get inundated with a bunch of "WHERE R U!?" messages that apparently Ive been receiving all morning.

That's intentional, if someone steals your phone and it has no SIM pin then they would be able to see your messages without having to enter your unlock code which is a massive security risk since 2FA often uses text messaging to send authentication codes.

[circeseye]

43 minutes ago, DeScruff said:

Will this fix the issue that I sometimes have where sometimes it takes me 10 min to 2 hours to recieve a notification?
... Or the problem where if my phone updates and restarts, It won't ring when I get a text message until I unlock my phone, at which point i will get inundated with a bunch of "WHERE R U!?" messages that apparently Ive been receiving all morning.

that is a phone carrier issue not android. im on metro with android, friend is on att with apple, and weve had hours hell sometime next day before message goes through

[Master Disaster]

Just now, circeseye said:

that is a phone carrier issue not android. im on metro with android, friend is on att with apple, and weve had hours hell sometime next day before message goes through

Nah, my Pixel 3 XL is exactly the same. If the phone is waiting for the phone unlock code (even after you've entered a SIM PIN) after a reboot then it won't show any notifications at all, be it for calls, texts, emails or from apps on the device. Once you unlock the phone once it works as normal.

 

Its done to try and stop thieves from seeing messages without needing the code.

[circeseye]

3 minutes ago, Master Disaster said:

Nah, my Pixel 3 XL is exactly the same. If the phone is waiting for the phone unlock code (even after you've entered a SIM PIN) after a reboot then it won't show any notifications at all, be it for calls, texts, emails or from apps on the device. Once you unlock the phone once it works as normal.

 

Its done to try and stop thieves from seeing messages without needing the code.

ahh....weird mine doesnt do that (that ive noticed)

[Doobeedoo]

Overall solid, just funny to see notification changes every time. Better clipboard is great. Hopefully they won't mess up UI for no reason.

[DeScruff]

23 hours ago, Master Disaster said:

That's intentional, if someone steals your phone and it has no SIM pin then they would be able to see your messages without having to enter your unlock code which is a massive security risk since 2FA often uses text messaging to send authentication codes.

Im not talking about displaying the text. That could easily be hidden behind the lock screen.

Its the fact that the thing does not ring at all. Because its not ringing, I have 0 reason to look at it, because I don't look and unlock it that first time more messages will come in and I have no idea someone is trying to contact me.

Oh and its annoying that all those messages will then me marked at what time I finally unlocked my phone, rather then what time they were sent. Cause why would I need to know that someone was trying to contact me 5 hours ago, I need to know when I finally unlocked my phone!

[Master Disaster]

5 minutes ago, DeScruff said:

Im not talking about displaying the text. That could easily be hidden behind the lock screen.

Its the fact that the thing does not ring at all. Because its not ringing, I have 0 reason to look at it, because I don't look and unlock it that first time more messages will come in and I have no idea someone is trying to contact me.

Oh and its annoying that all those messages will then me marked at what time I finally unlocked my phone, rather then what time they were sent. Cause why would I need to know that someone was trying to contact me 5 hours ago, I need to know when I finally unlocked my phone!

Again, 2FA is often done with phone calls. In fact that's arguably worse than SMS 2FA since as you pointed out, SMS can be (and indeed is) hidden when the screen is locked but an automated phone call with a 2FA pin can be intercepted by anybody who has the phone.

[kvuj]

Seems like nice overall usability improvements. Also : 

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Android 12 further restricts access to a device's MAC address...

Awesome!

 

With Android 11, there was also a bunch of security improvements, most notably the new Scudo hardened memory allocator (was present in Android 10 but not enabled by default.) I really hope they keep pushing for better security/sandbox.

 

One way they could do this is by decoupling Android from Linux so that swapping it with a microkernel could be possible. This would allow isolating drivers and therefore prevent Qualcomm's incompetence to affect Android security (the majority of Android security vulnerabilities come from horrible Qualcomm drivers). One can dream.

 

Oh and expanded permission manager. I don't want to install third party apps for this .