Last updated on March 9, 2021
Google has just started rolling out Android 11, but that doesn’t stop the company from planning the next major operating system version. Android 12 will appear in 2021 and – unsurprisingly – will bring some new features again. Google has already given an insight into the new features of Android 12.
Since Android 10, Google has deleted the name affix from its firmware. Before that, the company named every version of the system after candy – in alphabetical order from cupcake to pie. Android 12 also has to do without the dessert additive and instead has a clear, numerical name.
The innovations in Android 12
Traditionally, the manufacturer gives a first impression of the upcoming new Android version at Google I / O in May. It will then be officially rolled out mostly from September. This sequence seems very likely in 2021 as well, until Android 12 is officially announced, there is still some time. Time that Google already sweetened us with the first announcements. These give an insight into what Android 12 has to offer.
Better integration of alternative app stores
Android includes the Google Play Store. Unlike competitor Apple, however, Google is already allowing alternative app stores to be used. A prominent example is the Amazon app shop or Samsung Galaxy app shop, but also the platform for third-party apps F-Droid.
With Android 12, Google plans to further loosen up the use of alternative app stores, which should make it easier for developers and Android users to access the platforms. The company has already described the project in detail in the Google Developers Blog . Android has always been an open source software that is open to all developers. However, they recently had complaints about Google’s billing model. If developers market their apps in the Play Store, Google retains part of the income from app purchases and in-app purchases. By continuing to open up alternative app stores, Google wants to give developers the ability to more easily find alternative marketing opportunities if they don’t agree with the company’s guidelines. This allows users to access apps even if they are not offered in the Play Store.
Smartphones that should receive the update
When Google starts rolling out Android 12 in about a year, the manufacturer will certainly supply its own Pixel smartphones first. But the devices from OnePlus and Xiaomi are also hot candidates for a quick Android update immediately after release. At least that’s how the manufacturer did it this year. Manufacturers usually promise new firmware versions for two years. Anyone who has currently bought a new smartphone in the middle or upper category will most likely receive Android 12 in the coming year. With their entry-level models, however, the manufacturers often proceed differently, so that future Android updates are not so easily foreseeable.
The more unadjusted a manufacturer’s smartphone user interface, the fewer adjustments he has to make to the system and the faster he can make the updates available. Big names like Samsung, LG, Sony and Co. have not been among the manufacturers who are known for their quick updates.
Android 12 update at Samsung
Samsung would like to change that and recently announced that it would deliver Android updates for some of its model series for three years instead of the previous two. The manufacturer named 30 devices in this context. The announcement also tells us which of the models currently available on the market will definitely receive Android 12.
- Galaxy S series : Galaxy S20 Ultra (5G), S20 + (5G), S20 (5G), S10 5G, S10 +, S10, S10e, S10 Lite and the upcoming models in the series
- Note series: Galaxy Note 20 Ultra (5G), Note 20 (5G), Note 10+ (5G), Note 10 (5G), Note 10 Lite and the upcoming models in the series
- Folding smartphones: Galaxy Z Fold 2 (5G), Z Flip (5G), Fold (5G) and the upcoming models in the series
- Galaxy A series: Galaxy A71 (5G), A51 (5G), A90 5G and the upcoming models in the series
- Tablets: Galaxy Tab S7 + (5G), Tab S7 (5G), Tab S6 (5G), Tab S6 Lite and the upcoming models
