For all the Tech enthusiasts out there, especially Android lovers Google is ready to arrive in the Smartphone market with a next-generation version of Android; that is ‘Android 12’. They have not yet announced anything particular regarding their new software or when they will launch this new software but information regarding the ‘next-generation version of Android’ have been floating in the Internet as there have been several leaked Screenshots of the design of the new update. These leaked screenshots were shared by the ‘XDA Developers’ and thanks to them as these screenshots have given us some basic glimpse of Google’s new plans for their next Android update and what we can expect from them. The information we can get by looking at these screenshots is that there is a new design which has been developed and some new Privacy features that Google have come-up with, like new widgets, a revamped and redesigned UI which seems vastly similar to Samsung’s one UI and an iOS 14 inspired privacy feature.
Samsung’s One UI 3.1 have seemed to inspire the new design of Google’s Android 12 as they seek major resemblance for almost all their UI elements and their Widgets. The menu is having a cream-colour theme with opaque backgrounds and icons having new minimalistic theme. By the look of it, it seems that widgets will be redesigned and that there will only be one small-sized widget with a widely spaced out layout. The quick toggles menu will now show only 4 app icons while other apps being another swipe away. The other inactive apps will be in sqaure icons.
In this current time, where protecting privacy has become a serious issue for smartphone users, Google have taken several steps in improving and redefining their privacy framework and have taken some Apple-like privacy policies and thus, are making some important changes and improving their handling of the privacy matter. One of the basic idea that we get from looking at the leaked screenshots of Android 12 is that, In Google’s Android 12, there appears a ‘Green bar’ on the Status bar of the phone as they tell you which app has accessed and is now currently using the Camera and Microphone or location which is very similar to the iOS 14’s feature in which a ‘little dot’ appears on the Status bar shows which app is using your camera or microphone or your location but google have worked on its asthetics and made it more intuitive. Additional to that, Android 12 has a feature which allows users to switch off those hardware components in one single place that means, the user can completely disable their camera or microphone or even their location, which access the other devices, entirely.
Another privacy change inspired by iOS 14 is their ‘App Tracking Transparency’ as many reports have suggested that Google is having plans for a “less stringent” version of this feature which requires user’s permission before tracking them through apps and websites. Google spokesperson supported this statement by saying, “We’re always looking for ways to work with developers to raise the bar on privacy while enabling a healthy, ad-supported ecosystem.”
Reports from XDA Developers have said that although these Screenshots have come through a reputable source, it’s still not completely accurate as it’s still very early to predict anything and there might be more changes made by google as to changing some features or even removing some features in Android 12 before it even gets released in the market.
