While we’re still waiting for the bigger redesign of Android 12, Google is also working on numerous other minor visual changes, and this includes this latest adaptation. In Developer Preview 2, the media player now picks up accent color directions from the system, rather than trying to match album art, as before.
Left: Android 12 DP1 (which usually matches Android 11’s appearance). Regs: Android 12 DP2.
In the examples above, preset “styles” with font and color combinations show that Android 12 DP2’s media player responds to the color conditions to adjust the background, while Android 12 DP1 (and Android 11) rather inherit a color inherited from the album art be determined.
This is also not the first accent color-related change in Android 12. The new and thicker pattern unlock that debuts with DP2 also follows the indication. An internal project called “monet” could also bring dynamic background-based accent colors in the future – or at least Google is working on the feature, although it has not yet been activated in a public preview.
Various colors, visible on the lock screen.
The previous album artwork-based color behavior dates all the way back to Android 8.0 Oreo, long before we get Android 11’s further tweaks to the media player. As usual, this change could be adjusted in the future or even be a reversal before Android 12’s final, stable release, but given how closely it aligns with Google’s apparent vision for Android 12, I doubt it will happen.
For more information on Android 12, check out our ongoing series coverage here, or bookmark our regularly updated changelog and come back later. If you want to install the developer preview on your own device, you can find it in our Android 12 download guide.