In an interview, Google's SVP has confirmed that Pixel 6 Pro and Pixel 6 will be priced in "expensive" and "upper segment"
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Google teased us with the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro devices’ design and revealed that both phones will come with their own Tensor chipset coming later this fall.
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Android 12 has brought a number of new design changes and a…
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Google is restricting third-party apps in Android 12 from replacing the default Sharesheet, which is dynamic on Android 11.
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Android 12 introduces API support for Bluetooth LE Audio that offers benefits such as longer playtime, audio sharing, and more.
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According to the changes mentioned in the XDA report, an app store will no longer require user interaction to install or update apps.
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The preview phase is targeted at early adopters and developers and is not intended for the general public.
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Android phones will soon act as a digital key to lock, unlock or even start your car courtesy of NFC and Ultra Wideband (UWB) tech.
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The company is also tipped to announce a cheaper variant of its Pixel Buds in the form of Pixel Buds A.
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There are a lot of small changes as we could get a new volume slider, redesigned notifications, a new clock widget, and even a new weather widget.
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Android is hailed to be a ‘mature’ OS when compared to its iOS counterpart. However, even the most mature have space to grow and improve. And, it looks like Google will enable a new trick to free up space on your smartphone. There is rumored to be a new feature ‘app hibernation’ that will free up storage space by deleting temporary files from unused apps. However, the feature hasn’t made an appearance in either of the two publicly available Developer Previews.
According to the folks over at XDA-Developers app hibernation feature is present in a leaked build that they obtained. It will free up storage space on your phone by deleting temporary files from unused apps. Notably, an APK teardown can predict upcoming features but it does not confirm their existence. These features are currently unimplemented in the live build and may be pulled at any time by the developers in a future build.
Google introduced “auto revoke permissions” with the release of Android 11 Developer Preview 3 that revokes an app’s permission if the app hasn’t been used for a couple of months. App hibernation is said to be building on that feature. The company seems to be expanding the “unused apps” concept with the new feature. It will not only be revoking permissions for unused apps but will also clear up temporary files to free up storage space.
The publication says it activated a new “Unused apps” section on the “App info” page for every application, and it contains a new “remove permissions and free up space” toggle. After hibernating a few apps, the “unused apps” page appeared under Settings > Apps. This page will show apps that haven’t been opened in a few months with a description that will say permissions are revoked, notifications are stopped, and temporary files are removed if an app hasn’t been used for a few months.
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So, earlier today, LG officially announced that it is shutting down its smartphone division. While the news saddened many fans and sent others down the nostalgia lane, existing LG phone users were left in the dark about the software update situation in the foreseeable future. And given the fact that the company doesn’t have a particularly stellar record with Android updates even for its existing slate of flagships, the chances of Android 12 upgrade are even slimmer. However, there is still some hope, as the South Korean electronics giant has promised to roll out Android 12 update for at least some of its phones.
LG hopes to keep buyers of its high-end phones happy, but the chances are slim
As per a support page spotted on the LG Korea website by the folks over at XDA-Developers, the company has Android 12 update currently in development for a few of its phones. While the company has not revealed what those few phones are, they will most likely be high-end devices such as the LG Wing, Velvet, and a few others in the ‘V ThinQ’ and ‘G ThinQ’ flagship lineup. However, the rollout of Android 12 update depends on Google’s own distribution schedule.
But more importantly, the Android 12 update’s wider rollout will depend on how well it runs on the target devices. And in case there are any major performance issues, the company will not proceed ahead. In simple terms, LG will not release the Android 12 update at all if there are any major issues. LG has already started the process of relocating its phone division employees to other departments, so it is likely that the software development will be running low on manpower and resources, which also means the chances of existing bugs getting dealt with are also low.
It would be a shame if relatively new and expensive devices such as the LG Wing with a swiveling screen, LG Velvet, and LG V50 ThinQ don’t receive the Android 12 upgrade at all. Of course, LG won’t have anything to lose from a bad PR if it is unable to deliver on its Android 12 promise, but it would be awesome to see the company run its last lap in the smartphone arena on a victorious note.
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As expected, the news today begin with deals, and I gotta hand it to Samsung cause the company continues to be aggressive about them. They’re currently running a “Discover Spring Event” which brings some good deals for their smartphones but of course, you need to have a device to trade-in. Starting with the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra which is available for 750 bucks, along with 50 dollars in instant credit. Now, probably the best deal is that the Galaxy S21 and the S21+ are both available for 100 bucks and you will also get the 100 dollars in instant credit for add-ons. If you’re looking for the Ultra, that one is available for 299 and you also get the credit. Finally, if you’re looking for a foldable, the Z Fold 2 is available for 1449 and again, all of these prices are if you have an eligible device to trade-in. Moving on from Sammy, You can grab the iPhone 11 Pro for 120 dollars off on Woot, leaving it at 880. Finally, the Google Pixel 4 is available for 317 dollars off its original price leaving it at 482. We have more deals on MacBooks, headphones, the Apple Watch and more.
Let’s move on to Intel just for a quick second as it looks like their marketing team doesn’t talk to their other teams. If you remember, last week they launched those ads with Justin Long, aka the Mac himself, on how PCs are better since they’re still powered by Intel. Well, now their CEO just went on to basically say that they want to become a major provider of products that include x86 and ARM chips, with one of the companies they want to serve being Apple. I know, hilarious considering that they sold their ARM business years ago, and about Apple we know why. But alright, speaking of Apple and chips, let’s talk about the upcoming iPad Pros. The guys over at 9to5Mac have found references of an A14X chip in the iOS 14.5 Source Code which we are still waiting on. And apparently, the report mentions that the A14X is based on the T8103, which is the codename for the M1 Chip. This goes along with a previous Bloomberg report where they claimed we could expect an updated and faster processor that was on par with the M1. So yeah, we should be getting close to those iPad Pros with better processors, mini-LED displays and more, hopefully some time in April. If only they ran macOS..
Let’s move the spotlight on to some rather sad news, when it comes to LG. Last week some reports came out that LG’s Rollable was back in play, even with the rumors that LG might sell their smartphone business. Well, now we have a new report from a Korean news agency that claims that LG’s plans to sell their phone business have fallen through, for real this time. Apparently local sources claim that LG is now planning to shutter their smartphone division altogether after their negotiations didn’t work out. So apparently, not only the plans for the Rollable but for other phones like the LG “Rainbow” concept have been put on Ice at the moment. So of course, these are just reports but nothing to not be worried about given the amount of innovation LG meant to the market. We have heard from previous reports that the employees would be shifted on to other positions within LG, we hope that’s true but of course, we should wait until we get official statements.
Now, let’s talk about Qualcomm and the Nintendo Switch.. Yeah, completely unrelated since the Switch runs on NVIDIA, but you’ll get where I’m going. According to a new report from Android Police, Qualcomm is taking a Snapdragon chip and putting it into an Android-powered game console that has detachable controllers and the ability to connect to televisions. So yeah it’s not really a Nintendo Switch but.. Qualcomm wants to do a Switch. The report claims that the core of the device would be thicker and bulkier than a smartphone. And we could expect this chip to be the next generation of Snapdragon Silicon which should be released some time in Q1 of 2022, meaning it’s most likely the 888s successor. It would also bring a 6,000 mAh battery with Quick Charge, 5G, dual-zone haptics, an SD card Slot, Bluetooth and more with the controllers being sourced by a third party. Now, this console would be running a “customized launcher” of Android 12, and besides the Play Store, it could also brings the Epic Games store pre-installed which makes it pretty interesting considering their catalog. The target price is reportedly set at 300 dollars but, we don’t know exactly what that will get you. We’ll see how the reports evolve as, well we already saw the NVIDIA Shield flop.. That said, it may have been ahead of its time as Android games are far better now.
But finally, for the hottest news today let’s talk iPhone 13 as, the reports have kinda slowed down but it looks like they’re picking up again. Over the past couple of months, most of the iPhone 13 reports have kept mentioning 2 things: 120Hz refresh rate and a shorter notch. Well, now we have a new report and even some hands on leaks for these 2 things. Starting with a new report from the Elec which says that Samsung Display will convert their OLED line-up dedicated to Apple into LTPO Displays within the first half of 2021 as, we’re expecting both Pro models to feature this technology that also allows them to run at 120Hz. But, moving on to hotter leaks, we have some new images recovered by MacRumors that show the front glass cover for 3 of the iPhone 13 variants. You can see the significantly smaller notch, and they do show how apple has rearranged Face ID and slimmed down some of the components to achieve this smaller notch. Another thing to notice is how the ear piece on this notch would be next to the phone’s frame, pretty much the design Android Phones have followed for about two years. We will apparently have this for a year as Ming Chi Kuo claims that we could be seeing some punch holes next year.
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So, the first developer preview of Android 12 is already out. Yes, it is far from the final shape of Android 12 and is very much a work in progress, but there are a lot of meaningful changes that have been spotted so far. From minor tweaks to the notification panel to a native scrolling screenshot tool (finally!), there is a lot that has been unearthed so far. In this article, we will log all the major new Android 12 tools and tricks as they are spotted, and will continue to add more over the upcoming weeks. Have a look:
Android 12 introduces a new theming system that allows users to select a wallpaper and let the software automatically pick an appropriate color for the notification panel, darker accent color for the quick setting tiles (on the lock screen as well as in the unlocked state), and some sections of the Settings app as well.
This is one feature that I’ve been waiting forever to arrive as a native tool on the Pixel smartphones. Even though it is said to be a bit erratic at the moment, but it will likely be polished before the final stable release of Android 12.
SystemUI didn’t crash when I did this without screen recording
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) February 18, 2021
The screenshot markup menu in Android adds an option to add emojis to the images, in addition to drawing or adding notes to them.
Yet another feature that is still a work in progress, Android 12 will let you adjust the size of picture-in-picture windows using pinch-to-zoom gestures. Additionally, you can stash the window on one side of the screen without fully closing it.
Here it is in action. Feat. @Dave2D pic.twitter.com/Im6u0QOFdt
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) February 18, 2021
In Android 12, the Share Sheet now has a distinct edit button sitting alongside the Nearby Share button and gives access to the same set of tools as the screenshot editor.
This one is a new accessibility feature in Android 12 targeted at folks with visual impairments. As the name makes it abundantly clear, lowers the screen brightness and color output by a value (ranging between 0 and 100) when enabled. Users can also choose to create a quick settings tile for enabling this feature in a jiffy.
As I mentioned before, there’s a new Reduce Bright Colors accessibility feature. pic.twitter.com/jVa22IKB50
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) February 18, 2021
In Android 11, you had to half-swipe a notification to access the snooze button. In Android 12, the snooze button sits in the bottom-right corner of the notification tile.
In Android 12, users can now share their Wi-Fi network password with others via the Nearby Share feature. Just head over to the Settings menu and then open the Wi-Fi option. Once there, hit the share button, tap on the Nearby Share logo at the bottom, and tap on the contact that you want to share it with.
In Android 12, the Languages and input section in the Settings app adds a new option called ‘Redirect vibration’ that allows you to extend the vibration feedback to a gaming controller while playing games.
Android 12 makes the Safety & emergency option more easily accessible by placing it on the front page of the Settings page. Additionally, you can now press the power button five times in quick succession to call an emergency number.
As spotted by the folks over at XDA-Developers, Google is experimenting with using Machine Learning to identify is a swipe made on the screen was intended as a back gesture or to navigate an app’s UI such as opening the sidebar.
This feature is currently in the testing phase and not enabled by default in the first Developer Preview of Android 12. Called Block Camera and Mute Microphone, activating these quick setting tiles will block the camera and mic usage across all apps.
Reported last month, this feature is hidden in Android 12 Developer Preview 1. Once live, this feature will allow you to create app pairs and make a dedicated icon for it, which can be tapped to launch the two apps simultaneously in split screen mode.
Exclusive to the Pixel 5, Android 12 allows to set and customize the double-tap gesture on the rear panel to perform one of these five tasks – launch Google Assistant, capture a screenshot, control media playback, open the recent apps menu, and access notifications.
Android 12 is testing new sensor privacy options for camera and microphone, as I previously reported. pic.twitter.com/AtNbu5kyEM
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) February 18, 2021
In Android 12, an app will show a warning message when the camera and mic are being used.
Peeping into the code, XDA-Developers Editor-in-Chief Mishaal Rahman also spotted the addition of native support for in-display fingerprint sensors. Now, this is not a functional Android 12 change, at least for now, it does hint that the upcoming Pixels might use a fingerprint sensor fitted under the display.
Oh, but it’s good to know that Android 12 finally adds native support for under-display fingerprint scanners. @phhusson will be happy.
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) February 18, 2021
Again, this feature is experimental and had to be manually enabled via hidden flags. Two separate implementations of the At a Glance widget in the Pixel launcher called “enhanced” and “expanded” have been spotted so far. However, it is evident that the final product might look similar to stacked widgets in iOS 14.
Is…is this the beginnings of a widget stack? This is an “enhanced” and “expanded” smart space. pic.twitter.com/9tnfK2kA5a
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) February 18, 2021
As you can see in the tweet below, you can now swipe down on any screen to bring down the notifications shade. All you have to do is perform a swipe-down gesture just above the navigation bar.
I found another gesture – swipe down for notifications. You know how the Pixel Launcher lets you swipe down on the home screen to pull down the notification shade? Yeah, this does that – but in any app. pic.twitter.com/VpmRESJkkM
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) February 19, 2021
Google has also baked the code of a one-handed mode in Android 12. But instead of an option to allowing users to downsize the UI preview in both X and Y axes in some third-party skins, Android 12’s take appears to a just vertical downsizing.
Here’s Android 12’s one-handed mode – fully working. Sadly, it’s like Apple’s Reachability (vertically downsizing) rather than OHM on most OEM software (both horizontal and vertical downsizing). pic.twitter.com/IznRVHTgPu
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) February 18, 2021
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Google has released the first Developer Beta of Android 12, and as the name makes it clear, it is intended for developers to test the new APIs and accordingly tweak their apps in accordance with Google’s new vision for its mobile operating system. This is far from what the stable version looks like, but the first developer-centric build of Android 12 has already given us a glimpse of the changes that will greet users, both major and minor. Here’s our pick for the top Android 12 features we’ve seen so far:
| NOTE: Some of the Android 12 features mentioned have to be enabled manually, or are still in the development phase in the first Developer Preview released by Google. |
Personally, no other convenience tops it for me than a native scrolling screenshot feature. I am heavily reliant on this feature on my secondary phones running skins such as OnePlus’ Oxygen OS and Xiaomi’s MIUI, but my daily-driver Pixels haven’t had a native solution for it. Thankfully, Android 12 finally adds this convenience, and I can’t wait for it to roll out widely with the stable Android 12 update for all Pixel users at some point in August.
Scrolling screenshots are still a bit janky/broken, but it actually works! (It's not enabled by default so you won't see it when you update.) pic.twitter.com/7ih2zQgvZk
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) February 18, 2021
Google released Nearby Share – its wireless file transfer tool for Android phones – back in August last year, and has kept improving it ever since. With Android 12, Nearby Share gets yet another useful trick – the ability to share Wi-Fi passwords. All you have to do is hit the Nearby button on the Share Wi-Fi screen, let it scan, and find the device that you want to share the password with.
Android 12 now lets you share Wi-Fi passwords with anyone nearby through Nearby Share. pic.twitter.com/fAA0nzKvlL
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) February 18, 2021
For folks like me with smaller than average fingers, using a large phone such as the Pixel 3 XL was nothing short of a daily struggle. Thankfully, Android 12 is introducing a native one-handed mode that will solve the reachability issue. Though it currently doesn’t look as polished as its implementation by other OEMs, it is definitely good to see this convenience arrive with the first developer preview of Android 12.
Here's Android 12's one-handed mode – fully working. Sadly, it's like Apple's Reachability (vertically downsizing) rather than OHM on most OEM software (both horizontal and vertical downsizing). pic.twitter.com/IznRVHTgPu
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) February 18, 2021
In Android 12, you’ll get deeper customization controls with a fresh approach to theming. For example, UI elements such as accent colors and notification backgrounds change their hue based on the wallpaper you have set on the home and lock screen. This approach also extends to the settings menu where the background and slider colors are also tweaked accordingly.
Android 11 introduced a nifty feature called one-time permission that allowed users to grant an app temporary access to their device’s sensor (or any other data-related parameter) as long as the session lasts. In Android 12, Google is taking a more proactive approach in that direction, showing warnings even in system apps if they are using the mic or camera. Additionally, you will able to shut off access to your phone’s camera and mic for all apps using dedicated quick action tiles.
Hidden Quick Settings tiles to mute the microphone and block the camera. pic.twitter.com/JhVXm5XHzq
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) February 19, 2021
On Pixels, you have to reach all the way to the top and perform a swipe-down gesture to access the notifications tray, or you can customize the fingerprint sensor at the back to do so. But in Android 12, you will be able to do the same by just swiping down alongside the bottom edge of the screen.
I found another gesture – swipe down for notifications. You know how the Pixel Launcher lets you swipe down on the home screen to pull down the notification shade? Yeah, this does that – but in any app. pic.twitter.com/VpmRESJkkM
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) February 19, 2021
The picture-in-picture (PiP) mode experience on Android has been a barebones affair so far. Thankfully, Android 12 Developer Preview 1 introduces the ability to resize a picture-in-picture window, and also adds the ability to stash it on the side of the screen without actually closing it.
Take two, this time with taps showing. pic.twitter.com/Rawtccag05
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) February 18, 2021
Vibration feedback on a gaming controller plays a key role at enhancing the whole feel of playing a game. In Android 12, if you are playing a game on your phone or tablet, you will be able to channel the vibration feedback to your connected gamepad, which is quite cool.
In Languages & Input, there's a new "redirect vibration" setting that will let you pass through vibrations to connected game controllers. pic.twitter.com/vXAm9sDnT7
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) February 18, 2021
Imagine a scenario where you have to share a photo, but quickly have to crop the sides and add some annotations to it. Ideally, you would do it first-hand before hitting the share button, or you will rely on the in-app solution, the likes of which you see on WhatsApp. In Android 12, the native editor now appears on the share sheet to save you the hassle.
If you want a more in-depth look at everything that the first Developer Preview of Android 12 brings and the features that are currently in the pipeline, check out this comprehensive and constantly updated Android 12 guide over at XDA-Developers.
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