In supposed leaks from XDA Developers, we have our first look of what Android 12 will look like and new features we can expect. The new version of Google’s mobile software is expected to be released in the middle of the year.
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According to the developer’s forum, they have come across an “early draft” of a document that summarises changes for the operating system, which includes several screenshots.
There are some notable changes to be seen in the screenshots. The screenshot with the notification panel dropped down shows only four Quick Setting tiles instead of the current six. It also has a new privacy indicator at the top left of the interface showing whether the phone’s camera and mic are in use. When you tap the indicator, it opens up a view of the apps that are using the camera and mic, and a change in Privacy settings will allow you to toggle them off completely.
The authenticity of the screenshots cannot be confirmed by a second source, although they appear to follow the look and feel Google highlighted from a previous presentation. The source document has been confirmed as authentic, however.
According to this document, Google will make the privacy indicator a mandatory feature for all Android 12 devices. This means that OEMs aren’t allowed to remove that privacy indicator when they add their custom skins to the Android software.
The company is also expected to add “conversational widgets” to Android 12, which can be seen in the screenshot using the names of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. characters. This will likely also be a mandatory feature that needs to be included by all OEMs intending to use the new version of Android.
What do you think of the new look and feel of the software? Let us know in the comments below.
