The third developer preview of Android 12 has arrived, and among its many updates are new OS-level tools to help app developers get more out of the camera and haptic hardware found in modern Android flagships. Animations for launching apps, call notifications, and linking between apps are among the other tweaks made in this release.
It’s a developer-focused beta, which means a lot of this could change before Android 12 is fully released later this year. However, it’s likely the last preview before Android 12 enters beta next month and gets an official reveal at Google I / O, which means the preview should provide some helpful tips on Google’s priorities for the next major version of Android.
First, the preview gives developers more options for offering haptic feedback in their apps, an important development given the great strides Apple has made with haptic feedback on its devices. Google says these new haptic feedback options should help with everything from UI events to effects in gaming. The APIs are currently optimized for the Pixel 4, and Google says it is working with other manufacturers to expand support to more devices.
There is also better camera support for ultra-high resolution sensors, such as those with Quad or Nona Bayer patterns, such as the Galaxy S21 Ultra. Platform-level APIs help developers make better use of these cameras, Google says, which should translate into better performance of third-party camera apps.
There are also a few tweaks to Android’s overall look and feel. Call notifications are getting a new template to make them more visible, easier to understand at a glance, and more consistent with other notifications. The way Android handles links to specific apps is also changing, so that your browser opens by default instead of the standard app selection dialog. Finally, app launch animations are also getting a makeover, including new boot screens.
There are also many more under-the-hood tweaks Google is making with the developer’s third preview, covering everything from how apps are offering alarms to machine learning and debugging options. If you’re a developer, you can download the new preview now from Google’s developer site for the Pixel 3 and later (otherwise, you’ll receive the new preview as an update if you’re already using the developer preview). The new preview is also available in Google’s Android emulator.