Google has released the first developer preview of Android 12 – the next Android version that will debut later this year as the successor to Android 11. The latest version comes out five months after the public release of Android 11 took place in September. Like previous developer previews, Android 12 Developer Preview 1 aims to prepare its apps for the next major Android update. It is initially available for download on Google Pixel phones. However, developers can also check out its new features and changes in Android 11 through the Android emulator available in Android Studio.
Android 12 Developer Preview Compatible
Google announced on its blog that Android 12 Developer Preview 1 can be installed on Google Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL, Pixel 4, Pixel 4XL, Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a 5G, and Pixel 5. Picture system for everyone these models are provided for download. Additionally, the first developer preview of Android 12 can be installed on the system via the Android emulator in Android Studio. Developers working on Android TV apps can also get the first Android 12 developer preview via the ADT-3 device.
Before manually downloading any of the system images, it is essential to note that Android 12 Developer Preview 1 is specifically for developers and not intended for end consumers. Thus, you may encounter some bugs or issues after installing the developer preview.
Android 12 release schedule
Along with the announcement of a new developer preview, Google has shared a timeline for the release of Android 12 to detail the milestones for reaching the recent update. You can check the graph below.
- 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 timeline mentioned above, Google has announced that Android 12 will reach the “platform stability” stage through beta 4 in August. This means that there will be no more changes for developers from now on.
New Android 12 features
The first Android 12 Developer Preview introduces UI-level notifications. In its blog post, Google also mentioned that it is also working on optimizing transitions and animations in the system to make them smoother. Apps targeting Android 12 will also be able to include notifications with customizable content views that will be based on a standard template
“This template ensures that custom notifications have the same look and feel as other notifications in all states, such as a notification icon and expandable (collapsed), and a notification icon, app name, and collapsed (expanded), Google in detail.
In addition to custom notification-focused updates, Android 12 is under development to provide more responsive notifications. You will notice changes in the first developer preview, which will likely be improved in future updates.
Android 12 Developer Preview 1 also provides compatible media transcoding to support HEVC format for video capture. Google also provided platform support for AV1 Image File Format (AVIF) using AV1. This is said to significantly improve the image for a file of the same size compared to older image formats such as JPEG.
The first developer preview of Android 11 also includes optimizations for front-end services with an accelerated job in JobScheduler and a new Jetpack WorkManager library release. A new unified API allows you to insert rich content and take rich content from sources, including the clipboard, keyboard, and even drag and drop gestures.
Apps developed for Android 12 will also offer audible haptic feedback through the phone’s vibrator. This means you will get more immersive audio in the next-generation Android update.
Besides, Google has simplified the immersive mode to smooth out gesture navigation and make it more consistent. Android 12 also comes with the Android Runtime (ART), allowing Google to download recent software updates to the main runtime and libraries available on devices. This will allow you to work more consistently with installed applications.
Android 12 will also be optimized for tablets, foldable devices, and TVs. Some of these optimizations can be noticed in the first boot.
The first Android 12 developer preview also includes the modern SameSite cookie behavior in WebView, Restricted Netlink MC, and safer component export to prevent applications from unintentionally exporting actions, services, and recipients. There will also be other internal privacy and security changes that Google has detailed on a dedicated web page.
In addition to Google’s changes, Android Police announced a list of new features that include one-handed operation, an SOS emergency call button, scrolling through screenshots, and improved snooze notifications. The first preview of Android 12 also includes an improved screenshot editor and an updated Nearby Share feature with Wi-Fi password sharing.
Google mainly provides the functionality required for development purposes. Nevertheless, we can expect some changes and improvements at the interface level in future previews and beta versions of Android 12 for developers.