“Android continues to remain the most widely-used mobile operating
system across the globe with a market share of 72.92%” statesa report
published in October 2020 by the popular online research portal Statista.
Android
versions have garnered popularity because of their numerous goodies like the
availability of multiple features, the flexibility of usage, freedom of choice,
etc. Furthermore, the dedicated Android team at Google keeps releasing updated
versions at regular intervals to complement the latest technological
innovations. The most recent Android OS version, Android 11, was released on
September 8, 2020. Although this version is not as major an update as compared
to the earlier version, Android 10; it introduces new-age features that will
enhance the convenience quotient of Android users. Thus, comprehensive
knowledge about Android 11 is important for users, Android app developers as well as Mobile app development companies.
This
article gives you a peek into the striking new features and enhancements in
Android 11.
Android 11:
Facts
Although,
beta release of Android 11was delayed by Google, we now have a stable build
based on their timeline. This update would be available to devices such as Google,
Samsung, OnePlus, Nokia, Xiaomi, Motorola, Realme, Vivo, Oppo, etc.
Android 11:
The notable Enhancements and Add-ons
Check out the new add-ons as well as
enhanced features of Android 11!
Revamped notification functionality
Android 11
has brought about the following changes in the notification functionality.
·
Notification messages are sorted into relevant categories –
conversations, alerting notifications and silent notifications - to enhance
readability and save time. Out of these, conversations have been given
priority.
·
The user can separate high-priority messages from the unimportant ones by
categorizing them based on the sender’s thread. Once categorized all future
messages received from similar threads will automatically get segregated as
desired by the user. Users can also
silence notifications coming from specific apps.
·
Every notification received is saved under the notification history for
24 hours so that users can retrieve certain notifications that they have
accidentally swiped off.
·
The users can reply to notification messages that pop up, by tapping on
it and can even send picture messages while replying from the notifications
tab.
· All notifications
are muted during audio or video recording so that users enjoy an uninterrupted
recording session.
Bubbly Conversations
Direct
conversations are displayed at the top of the notification shade and are
segregated from alerts concerning shopping, news, etc. Some conversations can
be converted into bubbles. These bubbles appear in the form of round floating
buttons and one can maximize or minimize the chat within a floating window by
tapping on these buttons.
Add-ons in the Media Playback Widget
The erstwhile Media Playback Widget has
some new changes and additions! In Android 11 the media player widget is
available from the drop-down menu of the quick settings section. The new media
player widget offers a background with matching colors to the album called art and
provides a spectacular ripple animation whenever the users use ‘play’ and ‘pause’ button.
In-built Screen recording
Android 11 comes with an in-built screen recorder that
captures the internal audio of a device while screen recording. This was not
possible with earlier versions as third-party screen recorders had to be
installed. To use this new screen recorder, one has to just tap the ‘screen record’ option available in quick
settings.
Screenshot Visuals
Android 11 also introduces an
iPhone-like feature. The screenshot taken is displayed within a small thumbnail
at a corner below the display screen, for easy viewing. The ‘share’ and ‘edit’
buttons are available for hassle-free sharing. In case the user wishes to
dismiss the screenshot the option ‘X’ needs to be clicked.
Updates pertaining to privacy and security
·
When a
device automatically reboots post a system update, the apps by default resume
and retrieve access to the credential-encrypted storage without the need for
authentication.
·
External
apps can only access files created by them that exists in the device’s external
storage within app-specific directories. For accessing any other file, user
intervention is needed.
·
Android
11 has removed the permission of setting a third-party camera as the default
one; so that malicious apps cannot capture the users’ location. Hence, in case
of camera usage requests by an app, the pre-installed camera of the app is
used. However, cameras of apps like Snapchat can still be used and shortcuts
for third-party apps can be also set.
Other noteworthy Updates
·
GPay
shortcuts and smart home buttons appear when the power button is long pressed.
The new smart home control functionality enables users to operate their smart
home devices easily and speedily.
·
Android
11 empowers the users to schedule as well as automate the dark mode feature that was introduced in Android 10. Not only can
the users switch on/off the dark mode manually, but also select default options
that will automatically activate it at sunset and deactivate it at sunrise.
·
A new
feature - Google’s voice access - enables users to perform tasks like composing
messages, viewing photos, etc. by giving simple voice commands to the Android
handset.
·
As many
as 117 new emojis have been added. Some of the notable ones are Pinched
Fingers, Smiling Face with Tear, Ninja, Disguised Face, Bubble Tea,
anatomically perfect lungs and heart, etc.
Final
Takeaway
The Google
team has loaded Android 11 with futuristic features and has taken generous
efforts to ensure the security and privacy of users. Therefore,
upgrading to Android 11 is advisable for all the users to whom this version is
available.
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