Android 12L hands-on: Some big multitasking upgrades, but is that enough?

Regardless of Google being on the twelfth era of its ubiquitous cellular OS, lately it’s felt like Android has left tablets behind. Hell, even Google gave up making its personal tablets years in the past, whereas another gadget makers started favoring Chrome OS over Android on bigger gaadgets. However with Android 12L, Google is attempting to deal with a number of the OS’s shortcomings whereas additionally paving the best way for rising sorts of devices like foldables.

Why Android 12L?

In distinction to Google’s typical once-a-year launch cadence, Android 12L is a well timed callback to older variations of Android that acquired one (or extra) mid-cycle updates. One huge benefit of Android 12L is that as a result of Google doesn’t have to fret about together with bigger overarching adjustments because it does with its huge yearly replace, the corporate may be extra focused about what sort of options ought to (or mustn’t) be included.

Who’s it for?

Google says Android 12L is a particular replace primarily meant to help larger-screen gadgets, although all the brand new options will nonetheless make their method into Android as a complete. At present, Android 12L may be put in on a spread of Pixel telephones (the Pixel 3 and up, however not the Pixel 6 or 6 Professional but), Google’s Android Emulator, and critically, Lenovo’s P12 Professional pill–which is the one pill and third-party gadget that’s been formally accepted to run Android 12L to date. (It’s additionally the principle gadget I’ve been utilizing to check 12L.)

When will Android 12L be prepared for launch?

Proper now, Google is mid-way by means of its testing and improvement cycle. Android 12L has already gotten two beta releases so far (relying on the gadget), with a 3rd beta deliberate for someday later this month previous to an eventual launch someday by the tip of Q1 2022 (which ends in March).

The massive adjustments in Android 12L

A brand new taskbar and improved multitasking

Crucial addition in Android 12L is the brand new taskbar. Just like taskbars on desktop OSes, Android 12L’s taskbar sits on the backside of the display screen and holds a collection of apps for straightforward entry (although I ought to word that on smaller gadgets like telephones, the taskbar will not be there by default).

In contrast to many Android launchers, the taskbar is pinned in place, so it’ll all the time be there until you’re enjoying a fullscreen video or recreation. That mentioned, you can also make it disappear if you need by urgent and holding. However the place issues get actually fascinating is which you can additionally open up apps instantly into split-screen mode just by dragging the app icon up from the taskbar into the center of your display screen. From there, you possibly can simply alter the dimensions of the app’s window nevertheless you need.

This far into Android’s improvement cycle, the addition of a taskbar and the flexibility to tug and drop apps into split-screen mode is as near a “game-changer” as we’re going to get. It makes the method of multitasking a lot quicker and simpler—significantly for bigger gadgets like tablets and smartphones which regularly really feel like they’ve extra display screen actual property than they will really make the most of.

That mentioned, there are some essential limitations as a result of in contrast to Samsung’s One UI, there isn’t a simple method to open up three apps in split-screen on the identical time or create everlasting app pairs. However much more than that, the taskbar maxes out at 5 apps, which feels a bit restricted. I imply simply have a look at all the additional room on the left and proper the place extra apps may go. I’m actually hoping that for the ultimate construct, Google will increase the variety of apps that may dwell down there, particularly when current foldables just like the Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold3 have an identical taskbar that helps as much as eight icons (plus a launcher) with ease.

For individuals who like to look at movies, Google lately added a brand new split-screen icon to the second Android 12L beta’s picture-in-picture mode, so you possibly can extra simply go from the mini participant to multitasking with only a couple faucets.

UI enhancements

The opposite huge space of enchancment in Android 12L are adjustments to the OS’s UI for bigger screens. So as an alternative of the single-column notification tray we’re used to seeing on telephones, Android 12L includes a two-column format that places notifications on the proper alongside your normal fast settings icons on the left. It’s a simple change, nevertheless it actually does make the additional show space on greater gadgets really feel extra worthwhile. And it’s an identical scenario for the Settings menu, although as soon as once more I ought to level out that Samsung’s OneUI has had this for a while on bigger foldables. Sadly on the P12 Professional, I observed that the two-column notification format solely works in panorama mode, which hopefully Google can tackle in a future replace.

One other intelligent quality-of-life replace is the flexibility for Android 12L to maneuver the PIN or pattern-entry menu on a tool’s lock display screen to left or proper, based mostly on the place you most lately touched the display screen. It makes moving into your gadget only a bit quicker and simpler. Although as soon as once more, Google nonetheless must tweak issues a bit. On the P12 Professional, the sphere exhibiting your pin seems on the prime of the display screen, which appears to be like a bit awkward (and likewise fairly hilarious) in portrait mode. Google additionally up to date the Latest Apps display screen with a brand new format that retains the prevailing card-based system whereas higher using the house on the perimeters of your show.

Lastly, whereas it’s not out there on the P12 Professional simply but, Google additionally added a brand new “double line” clock choice to the lock display screen. So as an alternative of getting a large clock smack dab in the midst of your show, you possibly can select a extra compact timepiece that’s tucked up within the prime left nook.

Much more under-the-hood huge display screen optimizations

Elsewhere, Android 12L has much more delicate enhancements designed to make apps look higher on greater screens, even when these apps haven’t been up to date shortly. For apps that haven’t been already optimized by their builders, Google upgraded Android 12L’s compatibility mode to make apps routinely look and reply higher throughout varied display screen resolutions and orientations. And for apps that don’t take up your complete display screen, Google added new letterboxing choices together with new overlays and background settings. There’s even a brand new software to use rounded corners to app home windows, although as you possibly can see by the squared-off apps from our Android 12L take a look at gadget, it’s as much as gadget makers to implement them as they see match.

Sooner or later, Google can even add scores to Play Retailer to assist level out which apps have been optimized for giant display screen gadgets and help issues like adaptive layouts and scaling choices, which is very essential for foldables that may change between varied display screen resolutions and facet ratios on the fly.

Then there are extra area of interest adjustments like up to date M3 buttons (those that seem like little capsules) that ought to assist name consideration to essential permissions, some new animations (just like the one for energy in fast settings) and extra intuitive labels for essential multitasking capabilities (like renaming “pin to prime” to “break up prime”).

What Android 12L means for future gadgets

Google has been very clear up to now saying Android 12L is meant to help “the subsequent wave of Android 12 tablets, Chromebooks and foldables.” So whereas you may even see some enhancements on telephones, Android 12L is absolutely setting the desk for the subsequent batch of big-screen cellular gadgets. Nevertheless, if we’re studying between the strains, maybe the larger takeaway is that Android 12L may herald the arrival of the long-rumored Pixel Fold or probably the return of a first-party Google pill. Google hasn’t executed a mid-cycle Android replace since Android 8.1 in late 2017, which suggests Google may need some upcoming {hardware} designed to essentially showcase all the brand new options in Android 12L.

However has it labored? In comparison with vanilla Android 12, the brand new taskbar in Android 12L makes a direct influence on how you employ and multitask on a pill or different huge display screen gadget. With so many individuals working and studying from residence, the times when a pill may very well be a easy video watching or social media machine are over, and with Android 12L is Google acknowledging that shift.

Nevertheless, it isn’t a transparent win, as a result of when in comparison with Chrome OS which already has a devoted taskbar and the flexibility to run Android apps, Chrome OS-based gadgets usually really feel like they’re higher suited to deal with on a regular basis productiveness or training wants, significantly on devices with built-in or non-obligatory keyboards. However for mobile-first hybrid gadgets like foldables, Android 12L makes a number of sense, even when many of those new options are already out there in different variations of Android like One UI.