Google released Android Phone 12 on October 19, 2021 - the same day it announced the Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro - after nearly six months of beta versions. The mobile operating system has received a visual overhaul, the largest since the adoption of Material Design in 2014. The company has also made sure to introduce a wide range of new user-facing features and less obvious but still significant changes. The version is a significant upgrade over the previous generations. While we've had a chance to peek at these features over the course of the beta program, we now have the stable version. This is an Android 12 review from Android Authority.
Android 12 is only available for Google Pixel phones. The Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL from the 2018 era are among the oldest devices compatible with Android 12. If you own a Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL, Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL, Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 5, or Pixel 5a, you can download the latest version new. Android 12 is also shipped pre-installed on Pixel 6 devices. While some phones from manufacturers including Asus, OnePlus, and Samsung have participated in the beta program, it is not yet clear exactly when these devices will receive Android 12 from their original manufacturers.
For the most part, Android 12 should work fine on your device without major issues.
Android Authority has provided comprehensive coverage of Android 12 since it was first announced. You can find more information and resources in the following articles:
- Android 12 update: When is it coming to your phone?
- How to install Android 12; Step by step guide
- Android 12L: Everything you need to know about Google's operating system for larger screens
About this Android 12 review: I used Android 12 on my Google Pixel 5 and Google Pixel 6 Pro for 14 days.
Material You is Google’s brand-new-for-2021 design language. The company rethought the whole user interface, representing perhaps the biggest visual overhaul Android has ever received. Google says Android 12 is its “most personal OS ever.” The platform now includes dynamic, shifting colors and new animations when touched. Google retooled many of the widgets with a focus on people, and was also sure to include more accessibility tools to help those with low vision.
Likely the first thing you’ll notice is the change in color. Google has stepped away from the bold primary colors that have defined Android in the past. It has replaced them with softer, often semi-transparent pastels. The real trick, though, was to automatically match the system-level colors (widgets, drop-down menus, animations, buttons, notifications, etc.) to the color of whatever wallpaper you choose. In theory, this is a good idea because (ostensibly) you actually like the colors in the wallpaper you’ve chosen. What’s the reality like?
You have more control than you might think. Once you’ve selected a wallpaper, there are several choices for the color schemes that end up on your phone under the Wallpaper & Style menu. The system automatically generates three or four sets of matched colors that will be interspersed across the UI as well as single, bolder shades that can appear instead. I like the flexibility and choice, and the combinations of colors are nearly endless if not always appealing.
This auto-theming feature is limited to Pixel phones and won’t be available from other manufacturers.
Is this the greatest design revolution to ever reach smartphones? Not necessarily. But it does open up new ways to personalize the look and feel of your phone. That can be empowering to some people. Moreover, the UI colors will change every time you shift your wallpaper and that can keep things fresh. On the flip side, some users may find the new color schemes dull or otherwise not to their liking. Further, not all apps will adopt the auto-themed color feature. For example, you can set the app icons to adopt the general color of the rest of the UI. Third-party apps that don’t enable this feature will retain their original color and design, thereby defeating the homogenous look.
New shapes bring another noticeable visual change to Android 12. They’re hard to miss. The toggles in the Quick Settings menu, for example, have new profiles and sizes. They are downright enormous now, which makes them easier to tap in a hurry, though this comes at the expense of how many fit per screen. As always you can edit which toggles are positioned where in the drop-down shade. I like that more info can be displayed within each toggle.