Overall, I am very pleased to see these changes in native Android.
On May 19 at midnight Beijing time, the Google I/O conference returned online after a year of absence due to the pandemic. Compared to previous years, there were fewer hard tech and eye-catching displays, but more attention to detail and humanistic care. The presentation of Android 12 was no exception; there weren’t many innovative features in the update, but the focus was placed on changes in design style, which was “bolder” compared to previous years, yet from the perspective of Android’s original openness, this is a kind of return.
(Test device: Pixel 4 XL)
The most discussed aspect is always the appearance. Native Android, which has long been criticized for being conservative and minimalist, has finally become bolder this time, as Material Design has upgraded to Material You. In terms of color, the color extraction feature will automatically select the dominant and complementary colors from the wallpaper to form a color scheme, which will be applied to the notification bar, lock screen, volume bar, and widgets.
Image source: Google official
Speaking of widgets, previously Android let iOS 14 overtake it in this area, and this time it finally realized the need for a redesign of widgets. The shapes are more diverse, and many native widgets now have beautiful animations. Thanks to the new color scheme, the colors of the widgets will automatically switch based on the wallpaper color, giving you more space for creativity when arranging your desktop without worrying about clashing combinations of wallpaper, icons, and widgets.
Image source: Google official
The animations in Android 12 have also noticeably increased. From unlocking the lock screen to the desktop, the starting position of the fade-out animation changes with your unlocking method; for example, pressing the power button starts from the top right, while swiping to unlock starts from the bottom.
The interface for pattern and numeric unlock is also completely new, looking much better than before.
The clock on the lock screen will display smaller when there are many notifications and larger when there are fewer notifications.
There are subtle “star powder” animations when touching options (not sure if my description is accurate), which are more noticeable in dark mode.
The quick settings have completely changed; the brightness bar is at the top, and the switches have become horizontal bars. Although there is still room for further optimization, I personally quite like it; the previous small buttons were too tiny. However, the problem now is that when you pull it down for the first time, it can only show four options, which is a bit too few.
The volume control has changed from a slender bar to a thicker slider similar to iOS, but the edges are a bit too rounded, which I personally don’t like.
Overall, I am very pleased to see these changes in native Android. This update in appearance not only includes the establishment of overall standards (color schemes) but also showcases meticulous details (unlock animations) and reflects humanity (large clock on the lock screen). Coupled with the previously available dynamic desktop options, native Android is gradually narrowing the gap with third-party systems, and in some areas, even surpassing them.
From the buzz generated by iOS 14, it is clear that the biggest motivation for people to switch (or update) a system is the intuitive changes in appearance. The few years of silence from native Android have reached a turning point (similar to iOS before iOS 14), and perhaps this time it is finally Google’s turn to lead the trend.
(Some features mentioned above are still unavailable, awaiting updates)
In addition to Google’s own Pixel devices, Android 12 Beta also supports upgrades for numerous Android brands including OPPO, realme, OnePlus, vivo, and Xiaomi. For specifics, please refer to the official documentation. Official documentation link: http://t.hk.uy/f82
