Android 11 by Google: A first look at the new developer preview

Tekato Longkumer

Google rolled out the first Android 11 developer preview on February 19 and here are some of the interesting changes that might potentially be seen on the consumer version.

Dimapur, Feb. 20 (EMN): Google usually releases early developer builds of its next Android iteration in March but this time around it rolled out the first Android 11 developer preview quite earlier than expected. Android 11 is the next major update of the Android operating system and the successor to Android 10 or Android Q. Google has confirmed that the developer builds of the new Android 11 developer preview is now available for download for the Pixel 4, Pixel 3a, Pixel 3 and Pixel 2 phones. Google has cautioned that the release is strictly for developers only and that beta testing for regular users will be available soon. The installation of the new update can only be done with a full flash of your phone and it will wipe out all the data in your phone.

So what is new on Android 11?

The new update is called Android R—at least internally in the settings. Google still uses the letter and dessert nomenclature internally but the official name has not been confirmed by Google as of yet.

• The first major noticeable feature in the new update is the screen recording function that can be seen in the quick settings. XDA developers have taken this a step further and found that there could be an extended feature whereby scrolling screenshots could be enabled.
• One major change in the new update is the “Bubbles” feature. Originally meant for Android 10, the new UI for messaging apps lets you keep several conversations easily accessible anywhere through a floating bubble. We could potentially see messaging apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger take advantage of this new Android feature.

• There is a new dedicated conversations section that lets users instantly find their ongoing conversations with people in their favourite apps.
• Another major change is that you can now use Bluetooth headphones during flight mode. Previously, enabling the flight mode restricted all connectivity but Android 11 brings in a new smart feature that disables both the Wi-Fi and mobile connections but keeps only the Bluetooth connection open.
• You can now insert images directly through the notification replies if the app supports copy/paste feature. This new feature is—in Google’s own words—“to enable richer communication”.
• Google is introducing a new one-time permission feature that lets users grant temporary permission to apps for accessing the microphone, camera and location. Android 11 also restricts background location access to apps. This makes the new Android update more secure than its predecessors and could also save a lot of battery life which is always a plus in our opinion.

• Android 11 has expanded biometric compatibility with different levels of granularity—strong, weak, and device credential.
• Google has added native platform support to Android 11 for “secure storage and retrieval of verifiable identification documents, such as ISO 18013-5 compliant Mobile Driving Licenses”.
• Similar to iOS, apps will now be limited in their ability to look at storage outside their own quota. This new feature is called “Scoped Storage” by Google.
• Improved compatibility with new screen types (including pinhole screens and waterfall screens etc.) and form factors. “Apps can now manage pinhole screens and waterfall screens using the existing display cutout APIs,” Google confirmed in their website.
• Better low latency video decoding for streaming game services like Google Stadia and Nvidia Geforce Now.

• Apps can now use new API’s to mute incoming notifications, alarms and ringtones while the user is taking a photo or video. This was an annoying issue in previous Android iterations and we are glad Google is finally rectifying it.
• The dark theme settings are also improved in the new Android 11 update. It can now enable or disable the dark theme depending on the time of day.
• There is also a feature to pin apps to the share menu which could be very useful.
• Improved Neural Networks API 1.3 designed to run computationally intensive operations for machine learning.
• Better call screening support for SHAKEN/STIR call screen authentication.
• Better awareness of 5G bandwidth and metering and improved Wi-Fi API.
• Android 11 has a new feature that enables a neat overlay showing the refresh rate of your phone.

Final thoughts

The new update certainly doesn’t feel like a completely revamped Android OS but it rather feels like an improved version of Android 10. The update finally removes annoying bugs and makes incremental enhancements to the user experience. But the biggest change can be seen in terms of security and Android 11 does seem to have finally taken a page out of iOS’s book. Android 11 might be the most secure version of Android ever. But we can’t be 100 per cent sure as this is just the first sneak-peek into what Google may offer come May when Android 11 will be released officially.