After a long wait, Google has finally announced the latest Android 11 OS which according to the company, is “all about helping you get to what’s important on your phone with easier ways to help you manage your conversations, connected devices, privacy, and much more.”.
As usual, the new update will bring countless of improvements and optimizations that will heighten the user experience and boost user’s productivity. Here are some of the key highlights for Android 11:
Dedicated Section For Messaging
Android 11 will stipulate a dedicated section (under the drag down notification bar) for messaging.
No doubt, this feature will make the notification section more organized and easier for users to manage their ongoing conversations.
Bubbles
Think of this feature as the Facebook Messaging’s chat heads. But unlike the case of the FB chat heads, the all new Bubbles feature introduced in Android 11 is a cross messaging platform that allows you to reply messages from different messaging apps.
This will effective eliminates the need for users to switch between different messaging apps, or even the need to close the current app as it can simply overlay the current app when expanded. On top of that, you also have the ability to prioritize chats within Bubbles.
Built-in Screen Recording
In the past, we have to reply on third-party apps to record the activities on our screen. However, that will not be the case anymore with Android 11 as it finally comes with a built-in screen recording feature.
To make things sweeter, you also have the ability to control whether you want to record audio or show touches on the screen.
Redesigned Media Controls
Media controls on Android 11 is now be given a fixed spot within the Quick Settings menu.
Other than that, you can now easily switch between devices that your media plays on. For instance, you can now switch from your headphones to your wireless speakers with just a click.
One Time Permissions
Interestingly, Google has also brought the new One Time Permission feature to apps that need your mic, camera or location.
Therefore, you now have the options of granting permission to the app whenever you use it, or just one time. This is certainly a much welcomed addition as it really provides users more control over their privacy.
In our next couple of posts, we will summarize devices which are eligible for the Android 11 Beta, so stay tune!
