9to5Google
By Andrew Romero & Damien Wilde
December 8, 2021
Android 12L is a version of Android 12 fit for devices with larger screens. Though this OS is in the first phases of its life, there are plenty of tweaks and improvements so far in the beta. You can check out the full list by hitting the link below.
Here are the top features...
Enhanced haptic feedback
Google is giving the Pixel even more reasons to vibrate, adding system haptics across the board. With Android 12L, you'll notice that different parts of the UI now have a slight haptic feedback. For example, when sliding up into the app drawer, Google's Pixel will now vibrate to let you know you're in the app library.
Refined animations
Though UI animations in Android 12 were pretty spot on already, Android 12L tweaks these just a bit. Certain UI elements animate a little more gracefully than before. Quick Settings toggles and lock screen toggles like Google Pay and Home controls will do a sort of slide before popping in, which is an admittedly much nicer animation, albeit a subtle one.
New "Clear all" button in Recents
Another example of a small tweak would be the new "Clear All" button in the recent menu. Now, that button has a background and a distinct "button" look to it. This design takes cues from the Quick Settings toggles for a more uniform UI look.
Refined and reachable UI portions
Certain UI elements are also getting some tweaking in the size department. For example, some Quick Settings toggles will appear in a floating box, with every interactable element easy to reach. Google has also added a new and easier way of changing users. Now, users can select their profile photo from the lock screen's upper right corner to change profiles quickly. This especially comes in handy with shared tablets.
Cast volume controls in sound and Vibration panel
Something that truly stands out and may make a lot of users happy is the added Cast volume slider. This lets you change any cast audio from your device to Google Home, Nest, or Chromecast-enabled speakers and devices. This feature was available in previous versions of Android but is making a comeback in Android 12L Beta 1.
Enhanced Quick Settings for larger displays
The last big feature would be improved layouts for Quick Settings on larger devices. By tweaking the layout of our Pixel in Developer Mode we can see exactly what the new layout would look like in landscape mode. This layout gives you more room for up to eight Quick Settings toggles on the left. the right will hold all of your notifications. Be sure to follow us as more Android 12L news unfolds!