Android 12: Material You introduces a completely new design language

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4 years ago

Google has announced further details on Android 12 for the I/O and is making the first public beta version available for Pixel smartphones and other manufacturers. With Android 12, Google is introducing a new design language under the name “Material You”, which is supposed to represent the biggest redesign in the history of the operating system.

Material You extracts colors from wallpapers

Colors, shapes, light and movements should play an important role in Android 12 and Material You and contribute to the new possibilities of personalization. Initially only planned for pixel smartphones, the operating system should be able to be individually designed with an adapted color palette and newly designed widgets. This can also be done automatically by using a new background image as the starting point for the “Color Extraction” function. Android 12 automatically determines which colors are dominant and complementary and which result in an appealing overall picture. These colors are then used across the entire operating system, for example in the notification bar, on the lock screen, in the volume control, for the new widgets and other areas.

New design for software and hardware

Today, Google also anticipated the fact that the new Material-You design is not only intended for software, without, however, promising any specific new products such as the next Pixel smartphones. According to the company, the redesign will be done in close collaboration between the software, hardware and material design teams. Google wants to unite the software and hardware ecosystems under the new design language in the future. Leaks around the Pixel 6 (Pro) have recently shown what that could mean for the hardware sector.

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Color Extraction for new possibilities of personalization (Image: Google)

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Flowing motions and new animations

Android 12 and Material You should also set themselves apart from previous versions of the operating system through flowing movements and animations. However, the user experience can vary depending on which Android smartphone is used, explains Google. In any case, it is certain that pixel smartphones will offer the full experience of the new Material You. Android 12 should respond to touch with smooth movements and animations. Google gives an example: For example, if notifications on the lock screen are discarded, the time is displayed larger. Android 12 should make it clear that the user is now up to date again.

Lower system load through optimizations

As the company explains, the system has been optimized so that the overall user experience is smoother and smoother. The operating system should generally feel faster and more responsive and at the same time work more efficiently in order to extend the battery life. Basic system services should require up to 22 percent less CPU time and the use of main services by the system server has been reduced by up to 15 percent, explains Dave Burke on the Android Developers Blog.

New notification bar and quick settings

Google has completely redesigned important and frequently used areas of the operating system, including the notification bar, quick settings and the power button menu. The new notification bar should score with a clearer view of the current app notifications and prominently places which music is currently being listened to or which video is currently being watched. In the future, “practically the entire operating system can be controlled with one swipe and one tap” in the quick settings. This time, the focus was also on the integration of Google Pay and smart home control. Personal adjustments by the user are still possible, however, so that frequently required functions can be placed in the desired location. The Google Assistant can now also be started via the on/off button by holding it down.

The new quick settings (Image: Google)

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The new quick settings

New animations for notifications

< h2 class = "text-width text-h2" id = "section_ein_privatsphaeredashboard_fuer_android_12"> A privacy dashboard for Android 12

Android 12 should better visualize what happens to the personal data on the smartphone and give the user more control over it. Users should be able to decide for themselves how much private information apps can access. There is a new privacy dashboard in Android 12, which gives an overview of the authorization settings and shows which data is accessed, how often and by which apps. All app authorizations can be deactivated directly from the dashboard instead of having to call them up individually.

The new privacy dashboard (image: Google)

Instructions for an active microphone or camera

When it comes to visualizing the use of sensitive hardware such as a microphone or camera with Android 12, Google has been following the same path as Apple has for a long time in iOS and now shows in the status bar at the top right when an app is accessing this hardware. If app access is to be deactivated for the entire system, this will be possible in the future using two new on/off buttons in the new quick settings.

Indicators for microphone and camera in the status bar (Image: Google)

Only share the approximate location

For sharing the location, there is also an intermediate stage in Android 12 between the complete refusal and the release of the exact location. In Android 12, users with the new permissions can only share the approximate location for apps. For example, a weather app doesn't need the exact location of the user to provide a precise forecast of the weather, explains Google.

Users can share their approximate instead of their exact location (Image: Google)

Isolated Android Private Compute Core

Google also wants to protect privacy more closely in Android 12 by processing certain functions of the operating system via the new Android Private Compute Core. Above all, Google names AI-supported functions such as Live Caption, Now Playing and Smart Reply, which are now paired with stronger data protection. The Android Private Compute Core enables Google to introduce new technologies that have been developed in such a way that they pay special attention to privacy. Personal data should be stored securely, privately and only locally on the smartphone. All audio and speech processing takes place on the device, isolated from the network. In the course of the year, Google plans to move further functions of its own AI-supported services to the specially secured Android Private Compute Core.

The smartphone becomes a car key

Android 12 also comes with other minor optimizations, including improved accessibility features for people with impaired vision, scrolling screenshots and conversation widgets that bring chats with important people to the home screen. Google also kept its promise to simplify the use of third-party app stores. Android 12 also supports digital car keys in smartphones via NFC and ultra broadband. Google named BMW as the first partner who was already the first supporter of a comparable function in iOS (test).

Not only Android 12 Beta 1 for pixel smartphones

Android 12 is now available for download as Beta 1 after three developer previews. Google itself supports all smartphones from the current Pixel 5 to the Pixel 3. Registration is possible via the Android 12 beta program page. Beta 1 is not limited to pixel smartphones, however, as partners such as Asus, OnePlus, Oppo, Realme, Sharp, TCL, Transsion, Vivo, Xiaomi and ZTE are also included. Which smartphones can be used by which partner for Android 12 Beta 1 can be seen on a separate page.