Cory Gunther
With the upcoming Android 12 release, Google continues to introduce changes that will make Android smarter, faster, easier to use, and more immersive. Today, Google released Android 12 Developer Preview 3, with improvements to the overall app experience.
First things first, this is still a developer preview and beta software. Android 12 isn’t ready for the masses yet. That said, with each update Google gets closer to a build that’s good enough to open a full beta program for users to enjoy.
The first developer preview focused on a cleaner and more immersive experience. The second preview delivered better picture-in-picture mode, rounded display edges, and more. Today, with Android 12 DP3, the overall app experience is the main focus. With new app launch animations, improved in-app haptics, and a better link experience.
What’s New in Android 12 DP3?
Considering this is still early beta software under active development, a lot of the changes have developers and app creators in mind. Highlighted changes in the 3rd developer preview will allow app developers the chance to improve and customize several aspects of each app to fit their own unique style, branding, and design.
- Improved haptics: Developers can use new haptic feedback controls to emphasize key events and actions in their UI. Directing attention to specific actions inside their apps.
- Better app links: Developers can get users clicking links inside apps easier and faster than ever before with a new and improved link experience.
- Stylish app launch animations: With Android 12 the app startup experience will have more consistency. Developer Preview 3 adds a new app launch animation, experience, and more so developers can tailor each app to fit any style, branding, or design.
Basically, these changes will help app developers make better apps on Android. As long as the haptics stay under control and apps aren’t vibrating a ton, the combination of that and animations could turn out really immersive and polished.
The app launch animation will be for all apps from the moment a user taps on the icon. There’s a splash screen showing the app icon and a beautifully animated transition to the app itself. And while Android’s standard design elements are still there, developers can customize the animation, icon, background color, splash screen, and even the exit animation.
Apps can have a unique look, feel, and branding combined with new haptics and better links. All three of those are things users and developers alike can appreciate.
That’s not all, either. Android 12’s latest preview continues with better user experience tools, new call notification templates, and improved alarm permissions for 3rd party apps. Not to mention better web linking, video encoding improvements, camera2 vendor extensions, Quad Bayer camera support, faster machine learning, better debugging, and more flexible backup configurations for app developers.
And with any update, you can expect some bug fixes and performance adjustments over the second preview. After this third developer preview, we’re expecting four Android 12 beta releases, followed by an official launch later this fall in August-September.
You can download the Android 12 developer preview today from Google’s developer site.
