22 ANDROID ADVISOR • ISSUE 88ANDROID 12
Credit: Getty Images/Prostock-Studiocomponents of
Android to be
updated via Google
Play going forward,
without the need
for subsequent full
operating system
upgrades.Optimization for
tablets, foldables
and TVs
Android on tablets is
famously ‘meh’, filled
with incompatibilities
anduserinterface
issuesbornefrompoorappoptimization.
Newtoolsshouldhelpdevelopersbuild
betterAndroid12-basedexperiences
forAndroidtablets,foldablesandTVs
andincludesanew Android 12 forTV
preview to tinker withtoo.Smoother PIP (picturein picture)
Currently, apps that supportPIPusually
take a second to popuponyourhome
screen (or supported screensoutside
the app powering thePIPexperience),
particularly if you’re usinggesture
navigation (rather thanon-screenor
physical buttons) to movearound
your device. As part oftheDeveloper
Preview 2, Google’s madethetransition
far slicker, so the Twitchstreamyou’rewatchingshouldnowseamlesslyscale
downintothecornerofyourscreenas
youswipeuptoexitoutoftheapp,back
outofyourhomescreen.Improvedwearable
pairingandconnectivity
Android 12 shouldhelpimprovethe
responsivenessofconnecteddevices,
suchaswearableslikesmartwatchesand
fitness trackers,especiallythose on its
revampedWearOS.
Yourdevicewillhavea bettergrasp
onwhenyourwatchis in-rangeor
out-of-range/switched off so that it
knows it can pass data to and from said
connected device. The pairing process
and the permissions associated withAndroid 12 should help improve the responsiveness of connected
devices, including smartwatches.