The developer preview of Android 12 is unavailable, and the internet is looking to find new features or tips for the future of the operating system. So far, some interesting things have been discovered, such as an emergency SOS feature, some redesigns and other useful, if minor, findings:
As pointed out by Android Police, the Emergency SOS feature is also now much more easily accessible. Before making an emergency call, press and hold the power key, the emergency key, and then the Call 911 key twice. In Android 12, however, it can be activated by pressing the on / off button five times quickly, which will cause a countdown that will tell you that an emergency call will be placed soon.
Android Police note that it defaults to 911. You can set to dial another number, but if the number is not an emergency line, your phone must be unlocked to make the call.
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There are a few minor redesigns of the Search Bar Settings app and the lock screen and media player for notifications, but Mishaal Rahman has found a feature flag that changes the settings UI “dramatically” to make it easier to use with one hand.
BIG CHANGE: if you enable the “Silky home” feature flag I mentioned earlier, you get a DRAMATICALLY changed settings user interface that is MUCH more handy. Here are some screenshots: pic.twitter.com/EcwqnU0LlB
– Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) 18 February 2021
9to5Google also found that some screens in the settings app have backgrounds with blue colors. It speculates that it may be part of a rumor-themed system, but at the moment it seems very unfinished.
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Image: 9to5Google
Of course, Notices also got a redesign with 9to5Google note that there is now a dedicated snooze button, and that the icon bubbles are now much larger. It seems like it’s reducing the density of notifications, but it’s still very early days for Android 12, so changes may need to be made or conversions added to determine if you want to see the larger app icon.
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There are also some features that indicate whether or not settings are present but currently do not appear or have not been activated, including:
Given the early state of the developer preview, it is not really intended for daily use on your headphones. And as with all betas, these features and designs can be changed into new versions. Still, it’s a tantalizing look at the future of Android and the features Google is adding to an already functional mature operating system.