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Android 12 will run your new phones in Nepal from now onwards. What’s the revolution it’s bringing?

Photo: Android

Android 12 is not only a simple update in the version of the operating system but in fact a revolution for the operation of your phones because the latest version of the operating system will change your phone experience in scores of ways. Currently available in the Google Pixel 6 series only among the phones available in Nepal, it will soon be available on all the Android phones coming to Nepal that are compatible with this version.

Android provides a rich application framework that allows building innovative apps and games for mobile devices. Android 12 meanwhile has brought a lot of interesting features for the users. It is said to have provided the biggest visual redesign yet from Google. This is the biggest upgrade from one generation to another. It has introduced ‘Material You’ and is focused on three major things: personal, safe and effortless experience. Let’s get into the details about what they mean, in the context of the Nepali users.

For personal experience

Photo: Android

There are lots of upgrades on the personal features on Android 12, allowing the users to transform their smartphone according to their preferences.

Some of the most notable personal features include:

Dynamic colours
Android 12 color reimagined
Photo: Android

Android 12 is said to be the most personal OS from Google ever. It features dynamic colour capabilities, which means it can transform your experience based on your wallpaper. It can extract colours from your wallpaper and use them to theme your OS. The colour changes take place all over the OS, including the settings, quick settings tiles, and any app with the Material You support. On Pixel devices, the examples include the dialer, contacts app, and even calculator. It even works with widgets as well. Users can override the colour extraction and choose a colour if they want to.

Responsive UI

The UI now is said to be more responsive and expressive. With improved system performance, the swipe and scrolls will be responding quickly and expressively with new motion and animations.

Conversation widgets
Android 12 widgets
Photo: Android

With Android 12, the users will have the option to give their favourite people a new home on their smartphones. The new conversation widget will put the conversations with your favourite people at front-and-centre on your home screen. You can see missed calls, messages and even birthdays at a glance.

Accessibility improvements

Android 12 has been designed to be even more accessible with new visibility features, including:

  • Area magnification– This is a feature that allows the user to zoom in on a part of the screen without having to lose context on the rest of the screen content.
  • Extra dim – The user now will have the option to make their display extra dim for nighttime use.
  • Bold text– This option allows the users to switch the font to bold across the whole phone.
  • Grayscale– This option will allow the users to adjust the colours displayed on the device and you can even switch to grayscale.

For safe experience

Photo: Android

Safety has always been an issue while using different apps and games. The users are always in constant dilemma about the use of third-party apps over safety issues. The users are more likely to be unaware of the use of cameras and microphones by the apps they are using. Keeping this in mind, Android 12 has been designed for the safety of the users. The new easy-to-use, powerful privacy features will allow the users to have more control over who can see their data and when.

Some of the notable safety features include:

Mic and camera access controls
Photo: Android

Android 12 will allow the users to know when an app is using microphones or cameras. A new indicator will be displayed on the phone’s status bar if the app is using the camera or a microphone. The users will have an easy way to disable the use of their camera or a microphone using two new toggles in quick settings. The users can simply flip the switch which will deny access to the app.

Approximate location permissions
Photo: Android

Most of the users are already familiar with apps requesting their location for use. The user had no option but to provide their exact location in order to use the app. But, with Android 12, the user can choose between giving apps access to their precise location or an approximate location instead.

Privacy dashboard
Photo: Android

This feature will provide the users with a clear and comprehensive view of when apps have accessed their location, camera or mic over the past 24 hours. The users will now have the option to manage permission right from the dashboard if they are uncomfortable with any apps using their information.

Private compute core

This is a first-of-its-kind secure mobile environment that is isolated from the rest of the operating systems and user apps. Any information processed in the private compute core requires explicit user action before it can be shared with Google or any app or service, making the use more secure.

For effortless experience

Photo: Android

Android 12 will make the use of the smartphone easier and effortless. Not only the users can have their own design and have control over their security, but the users can also have hassle-free gaming and data transfer.

Some of the notable features include:

Enhanced gaming
Photo: Android

This is a new and unique feature of Android 12. Gone are the days when you would have to wait for the games to be fully downloaded to be able to play. With Android 12, the users can jump straight to gaming without needing to wait for the full download to finish. This feature will also provide a game mode for the users in which they can choose between richer gaming experiences and longer gaming sessions.

Scrolling screenshot

The users will have the option to extend their screenshots. Scrolling screenshots will allow the users to capture all the content on the page in one image.  

Easy switch

With the new version of Android, the user can transfer all their data by connecting their old phone to a new one with a cable or shared WiFi connection. The user can even transfer their data from an iPhone.

So these are the major upgrades in the new Android 12. Other than this, there are also many other handy and updates like:

  • Widget emphasis: The widget selector on this version has been completely overhauled for easier scrolling and viewing. The widgets also have improved performance and work with Material You theming. This means the users can easily personalise their widgets.
  • Quick setting tiles: The quick settings also has received a large overhaul as the smaller toggles are now replaced by larger rounded rectangular buttons. Though the larger tiles are easier to read and house more information, it comes with the cost of more space.
  • Notification and other changes: The notification has got a subtle design from Google this time that fit better with Android 12’s aesthetics and it helps to launch the apps faster when opening from a notification. Other smaller changes include smoother animation, an –always-on display that changes based on whether or not you have notifications.
  • AppSearch: This is a new and handy feature on Android 12. This feature lets the user search for stuff within apps. The search is able to see inside of the user’s apps and return search results from them. If the users are searching for something that they wrote in a note, the search will direct them to that note without even entering the app. This feature works offline and the users can even search for music and the search will return results from their streaming app of choice.
  • Improved auto-rotate: The auto-rotate feature has been improved a lot in the latest version of Android. Previously, auto-rotate was decided by the phone’s accelerometer. It used to detect when the phone was flipped and the screen would do the same. Android 12 has introduced face detection for auto-rotate. This means the phone will look at your face and only rotate if it notices the change in orientation. This is an optional feature and you can disable it if you do not feel like sharing your face to the Android (they see you anyhow).
  • Audio selection: This is another handy feature of the new update. The media player in the quick settings will allow the user to easily change the audio source. The user can simply switch their audio preference from a simple click button. This will allow the users to switch from one connected device to another with just a click.

Other minor updates on the new version of Android includes one-handed mode, easier wifi sharing, rich content interstation, overview suggestions, app hibernation and gaming modes. The new update seems to have been heavily inspired by Samsung’s UI as Samsung users have already enjoyed most of the updates that are offered by the latest Android.

The smartphones that are compatible with the latest Android version should soon get the update. While Google has highly emphasised its own smartphone Pixel series and they already have the latest version on their smartphone, other smartphones will only get the latest update according to their build year. Since most Android phones only get an update up to three years from their build year, you can check the official Google site to know whether or not your phone will receive the latest update.

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Subba was a tech and auto writer at Onlinekhabar until December 2022.

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