The recently launched Android 12 Beta 2 is Google's next big step in rolling out the next version of its mobile operating system, leading up to its full release in the fall. After using it for a few days, and Android 12 Beta 1 for a few weeks previously, this writer is all but ready to ditch their iPhone and go with Team Android for good (kind of).
Following a few years of incredibly minor (and boring) updates, the unveiling of Android 12 at Google I/O in May was the jolt of energy the platform's been longing for. Google's adding all-new features, redesigning the entire user interface, and expanding on some of Android's greatest strengths like never before. It's made Android feel fresh and exciting in a way it hasn't for some time. And that's all based on just reading about the update. After actually using Android 12 on a Pixel 5, there's no doubt that Google has created something special this year.
Android 12 Beta 2 enabled Google's new Material You theme engine — arguably its most exciting feature. After selecting and applying a new wallpaper, Android 12 automatically applies a system-wide theme based on its colors. It looked beyond impressive in the demos Google showed off at I/O, and in real-world use, it's every bit as magical. These custom colors are applied to so many elements throughout Android 12, including the new lock screen clock, Quick Settings, toggles/buttons, the volume and brightness sliders, folders, and more. These colors will even expand to first and third-party applications as support is gradually added, but even without that support right now, it's easily one of the best features Android has received in years. It makes each phone feel personal and exciting to that specific user, with each new wallpaper changing the entire feel of the OS. Customization has long been one of Android's greatest strengths, and with this Material You theme engine, Google built upon that strength in the best way possible.
Little Tweaks And Changes Make Android 12 Feel Fantastic
Theming in Android 12 is easily the most exciting thing about the update so far, but beyond that, there are endless little tweaks to the UI that further help make this feel like a new direction for the platform. A prime example of this is the lock screen. Making the time larger is a seemingly small change on paper, but that doesn't prevent it from being incredibly sleek. The lock screen is something everyone looks at every day, and in Android 12, it looks better than it ever has before. The same is true of the new Quick Settings toggles. They're functionally the same as they were in Android 11, but aesthetically, they're larger, more rounded, and tie in beautifully with the rest of the interface.
Then there are all of the new animations. After using Android 12 Beta 1 and Beta 2, it's clear that this version of Android has a refined UX that previous builds did not. The lock screen PIN now has circular icons for the number pad, but when each one is tapped, it gets a splash of color and temporarily changes to a square as a reaction to being touched. When swiping down from the top of the screen, it feels like users are pulling down the actual top of the home page to reveal the Quick Settings and notifications hiding above it. This all sounds completely insignificant on paper, but it takes just a few minutes of actual use to understand how much it contributes to making Android 12 feel like a proper next-generation update.
As someone that primarily uses an iPhone as their daily driver, this has done nothing but make the upcoming iOS 15 update look like a drag. Apple's new notification system and updated Weather app look great, but iOS 15 is still very much iOS. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but compared side-by-side with Android 12, it's clear which platform is getting the more exciting update this year. Personally, it's going to result in this writer's iPhone being used a lot less in the coming months ahead. Its tie-in with the rest of the Apple ecosystem gives it functional advantages that Android still can't touch but, purely comparing Android 12 to the current state of the iPhone and iOS, there's no question about which is more enjoyable to use. Google has managed to make Android 12 something completely original. It's fresh, it's exciting, and it should give Apple something to worry about.
Source: Google