If you have an extra Pixel phone, you can now install Android 12.
Juan Garzon / CNET
Google has the first developer preview of Android 12, giving developers and early adopters the chance to check out the search giant’s latest mobile operating system. Installing the Android 12 developer beta is not for everyone – probably full of bugs and issues – but we installed it on a test device and are looking for any significant changes.
Read more: 3 things Android 12 can do that Android 11 cannot
The first preview does not have many user-oriented features – these are mainly improvements under the hood – but there are a few notable items worth pointing out. For example, there is a new double-tap gesture that you cause by tapping on the back of the phone to perform a task, such as taking a screenshot. Google is always adding more features to the release as we get closer to the public beta in May and the final version later this year, so expect more improvements and new goodies to come.
Following this, we will highlight some of the new features we can find in the current version and keep updating the list as Google releases more updates and enables more features. I recommend at least waiting until the first public beta is released by Google before taking the plunge and installing Android 12, but here’s what you can look forward to.
Look at this:
Our first look at Android 12
6:27
A gesture with double tap to get things done
Apple’s iPhone has a handy feature that lets you tap on the back of the phone a number of times to activate an action of your choice. It looks like Google is going to borrow the idea with a new Double-Tap gesture.
On my Pixel 5 I am after Institutions > System > Gestures > Double bitch where I turned on the new feature. Once activated, you will see a list of actions you can activate. Tasks include taking a screenshot, playing and interrupting media, or opening Google Assistant.
That said, I have not been able to activate the gesture successfully yet. I even turned off the setting at the bottom of the screen that requires a hard tap without doing any luck. Clearly, this is a feature coming on Android 12, but it does not appear to be fully integrated yet.
Another sign that Google’s work here is not complete: the animation playing at the top of the screen shows the person double-pressing the on / off button instead of tapping the phone.
Press the on / off button five times to call for help.
Screenshots by Jason Cipriani / CNET
Call for help with Emergency SOS
You can now quickly ask for help by quickly pressing the on / off button on your phone five times. A countdown alert will let you know that your phone is about to call for help, and then dial your local emergency number.
Emergency SOS was turned on by default after I installed the beta, but you can see the settings through the Institutions app and go to Safety and emergencies > SOS for emergencies.
Interface changes are coming.
Screenshots by Jason Cipriani / CNET
Notifications have a slightly new look
This is a minor change, and it will definitely be expanded in future updates. The notification panel has a new look that is very subtle. If you use the light theme, there is a blue tint on the notification screen and the app icons are more pronounced.
This is a small change, but it does take a look at the new approach to the interface that we expect to see more in future versions.
Media control is no longer an ‘every app’ business.
Screenshots by Jason Cipriani / CNET
Determine which programs appear in media settings
Instead of any app that plays audio or video using the media control panel in your Quick Settings panel, Android 12 adds the option to disable individual apps. For example, if you want to control Spotify playback in the Quick Settings panel window, but you do not really want YouTube to take up space, you can turn it off.
Open up Institutions > Sound and vibration > Media and disable all programs that you want to ban.
The developer preview is only now available for the Pixel series of phones.
Andrew Hoyle / CNET
What else?
We know that Google has a lot more in store for Android 12, based on what people find buried in the current preview. Features and settings that require technological skill to enable. Check out this Twitter thread to see a list of features that are currently disabled, but XDA Developers Editor-in-Chief Mishaal Rahman found and displayed them.
Yes, there is a lot to be excited about.
We will update this story with new features as it is officially added to Android 12. Until then, make sure you bookmark this page and check back regularly. In the meantime, check out our favorite Android 11 features. And if you insist, you can now install the Android 12 Developer Preview.