Google reveals Android 12L for larger screens, tablets – Android – News

exist Android Development SummitGoogle released Android 12L, an operating system built for larger screens. Additionally, Google is providing developers with new APIs, tools, and guidance to make it easier to build for the big screen.

While Google Android looks great on phones and has a special version of the OS for TVs/remote controls, it’s clear that middle platforms like tablets and foldables aren’t as well received in terms of OS/apps optimization. Hence the need for something like Android 12L – which one might think of as similar to Apple’s iPadOS (currently v15, like iOS).

Google says “More than 250 million large-screen devices run Android, including tablets, foldables, and ChromeOS devices,” which leaves many with a poor experience. So it’s great to see Google “continue to invest in making Android a better operating system for users and developers on these devices,” and one hopes Android 12L is an important step forward.

It’s easy to talk about this change, but what is Google actually doing/proposing? First, in the initial developer preview, Google said it had “improved the UI on the big screen in notifications, quick settings, lock screen, overview, home screen, and more.” If you’re using the fledgling “L” suffix operating system, one specific change you’ll see is a new two-column layout for the notification shade, lock screen, and other system interfaces on screens above 600dpi. System applications in 12L are also optimized in this way.

Android doesn’t just need to be compatible with larger, static screens. According to Google, the form factor of foldable phones appears to be taking advantage, with year-over-year growth of 265%. One of the appealing features of Android 12L will be the ability to neatly blend the UI of your foldable device as you switch its form factor. I’ve recently seen people still complaining about the (stupid) dual-screen usage on devices like the Surface Duo 2, so smart tweaks like this will be welcomed by many Android partners and users. Google claims that in 12L, split screen mode will be available for all apps, “regardless of whether the app is resizable or not.” Another easily noticeable change in Android 12L is the presence of the taskbar, just like Windows, MacOS, and ChromeOS.

You might think that Google must be doing something behind the scenes (from a device perspective) to ensure extra focus on tablets and foldables, and hopefully that’s true as first-party devices from companies developing operating system software can Shine a delightful light.

Google says it expects “a wave of Android 12 tablets and foldables” in early 2022…will we see the long-rumored Pixel Foldable or a new Google-branded tablet? Regardless, Google is already busy working with companies like Samsung on Android 12L operating system tweaks and installations. It also requires all developers to pick up Android 12L and check whether their apps are compatible with the adaptive UI mode in the Material Design guidelines.

To provide a better app experience on devices like tablets and foldables, Google will highlight apps optimized for these devices in search and introduce large-screen specific app ratings (next year). In addition, for apps that are not optimized for large screens, “we will begin issuing a notification on the app’s Play Store listing page to warn large screen users.”