Finally an Android adapted to large screens and folding smartphones. Through a simple blog post, Google unveiled 12L, an update for the latest version of its mobile OS for tablets and folding smartphones.
Android 12L retains the main design principles inaugurated with Material You. But introduces some interface innovations that should greatly simplify the use of large-screen Android terminals. The most visible and arguably most useful addition is a taskbar. It will allow you to access your favorite applications at the touch of a finger, a bit like what Apple offers on iPadOS. A real advantage for multitasking, since you can switch more easily from one application to another.
It will also be possible to drag and drop an app from the taskbar to immediately divide the screen into two distinct areas: one with the app displayed so far, the other with the new arrival. You can then resize the two windows as you wish.
Another big change from Android 12L: system applications are modified to take advantage of a larger display space. The home and lock screen, the notifications pane, the settings…
All the main apps of the OS will be updated to facilitate navigation, taking advantage of two components. In 12L, for example, Google has separated quick settings from the display of notifications, as can be seen in the screenshot below.
This new version of Android will land later in the year. Google didn’t provide a list of devices, of course, but said that Samsung, Microsoft and Lenovo are already preparing their updates.
We should therefore logically see Android 12L soon on tablets and some folding smartphones from Samsung, such as the Galaxy Z Fold 3. But also on the Surface Duo, Microsoft’s dual-screen terminal, which badly needs it.
Source : google