Android 12 beta is coming to Pixel phones; know the new features here

On May 18, Google unveiled the Android 12 operating system at the Google I/O 2021 event. Android 12 Beta 2 is now being rolled out to Pixel smartphones. The Android 12 beta 2 release includes a privacy dashboard, microphone, and camera alerts, among other features. Later this year, a stable update for this OS will be issued. Continue reading the article to know about the Android 12 features like changes in privacy setting and more. 

Android 12 Beta for Pixel Device

At Google I/O 2021, Google published Android 12 beta 1 update. Major design improvements, enhanced animation, updated widgets, system spaces, and much more were included in this new release. Google Pixel 3, Pixel 3XL, Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL, Pixel 4, Pixel 4XL, Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a 5G, and Pixel 5 are all receiving Android 12 Beta 2. New privacy features, data and Wi-Fi settings, and updated UI elements in a few locations are all included in Android 12 Beta 2.

The Android 12 beta 2 upgrade adds a privacy dashboard that provides additional transparency, including information on how frequently user data is accessed. The privacy dashboard displays a short chronology as if the app were to use a microphone, camera, or GPS. If a user does not wish to share any data, they can remove all of these permissions from the dashboard. 

Microphone and Camera - With the Android 12 beta 2 update, you'll be able to see if an app is using the microphone or camera in the status bar. The Quick settings toggles can be used to disable the microphone and camera apps. Apps that utilise these sensors will receive the blank camera and audio streams if these toggles are switched off.

Clipboard - When an app copies and pastes information from/to your clipboard, the Android OS currently does not warn users. With Android 12 Beta 2, that changes. When an app accesses your clipboard, it will now tell you. As soon as you launch an app like Chrome or Truecaller, it retrieves the latest copied text from your clipboard.

Internet Toggle and Volume Slider - A new “Internet” toggle has been added to Android 12 Beta 2. When you click it, a new pop-up panel appears on the screen. It gives you control over your cellular connection as well as adjacent Wi-Fi networks, making switching between the two easy. The volume slider has also received some changes and now it looks more compact.

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