It was a clear success for Android 10 earlier on. It introduced the dark mode and also changed the application’s permission front. With new technologies like 5G to foldable displays to machine learning built into the core, Android has led the way towards the future of mobile. A strong developer community providing early and thoughtful feedback that helps us deliver a strong platform for apps and games delighting billions of users around the world is the hallmark of our approach.
So today, we are building a strong feedback cycle last year, making the preview available to you this year earlier than ever with the release of the first Developer Preview of Android 11.
We are keeping our focus on helping users take advantage of the latest innovations while continuing to keep privacy and security a top priority with Android 11. To help users manage access to sensitive data and files, we have added several features, and we have also hardened important areas of the platform to keep the OS resilient and secure. Android 11 has a ton of new capabilities for your apps, like the enhancements for the 5G and foldable, new media and camera capabilities, machine learning, call-screening APIs, and more.
We will continue to share some new features and updates over the coming months and into Google I/O as we are working through your feedback as this is just the first look.
We are making it available by manual download and flash only as today’s release is an early baseline build for developers only. Getting early input from you is important to help us evolve with the platform to meet your needs, which is something you should remember. Visit the developer site for details on the timeline, how to give feedback, how to test, and also read on for a taste of what is new for Android 11.
We do have a preview of what the features would likely be, as the complete build of Android 11 has not been revealed yet. Developers get more options to add some unique features and create some unusual mobile applications with every update.
For mobile apps, this release can prove to be a game-changer. Let us check out what this update is offering before diving into how Android 11 would affect mobile applications.
#Android 11 Features
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Improvements in Messaging
The user’s experience with messaging is going to change with the new release. For the messaging applications, several features have been introduced.
You get the option for Chat Bubbles, where the conversations and continuing texts will be hidden in the form of smaller bubbles at the screen’s side. To view the message, you need to click on the bubble to open it.
A conversation section is created to offer you the real-time message where you can find all the conversations you are having at that time in the notifications panel. While replying to a message from the notification bar, you will also be able to send images.
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Built-in Screen Recorder
It is not a necessity that people will be making use of the screen recorders each day. It varies from user to user when it comes to the usage requirements. It is one such feature that all have been waiting for. You get a UI and a toggle for recording audio as well as touches in the view as you get them with the screen recorder.
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Privacy and Security
Google has increased the security measures for your mobile with Android 11. In regards to your data and information, the updates emphasize providing you with more privacy and security.
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Permission Every Time
We provide permission to applications in the beginning at present. At all times, the application has the required permissions. But, this has changed with Android 11. Compared to the previous version, we have a lot more control over the mobile applications. You can provide permission to an app a single time as a user. You are therefore permitting on a single-time basis. You will be asked again to grant permission the next time you are running the app.
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5G Preparation
We have already heard the way technology was advancing to bring in 5G Internet service last year. There has been an increased need for the 5G technology with Covid-19. You get Dynamic Meteredness API with Android 11. Through this API, users gain the benefits 5G brings to them. The API will stream videos and load graphics in high quality when the API recognizes the 5G connection.
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Adjusting to Different Screens
In the world of smartphones, a foldable device is a revolutionary invention. Developers do not have to think about such devices with Android 11. On a foldable device with the help of OS 11, any mobile application will run smoothly.
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Improved WiFi Experience
While running on mobile applications, OS 11 has brought updates to improve user’s WiFi experience.
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5G Support
Yes, this is true. With 5G, all your mobile applications will perform better. To handle all the technology, OS 11 is responsible, and it will also be enhancing the faster downloads, quick file transfer, and you will also not face any issues with buffering.
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Neural Network Applications
It is very easy to run the app when it works on machine learning. Android is operating to integrate machine learning into the applications. It will offer a lot of benefits with the use of neutral networking applications.
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Keep Your Usage Stats Private
Android 11 will keep all the usage data of the users in regards to a specific application in encrypted storage to protect the privacy and data of the user. Any application or system cannot access the data unless there is some specific code entered is what it means here.
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Find Out Why a Process Ended
Towards the reasons as to why a specific process ended, Android 11 is bringing greater clarity. For the users to find out why a process was terminated, reports will be generated. These reports will not be available to the app owners. The errors like the memory issues or API will not be discoverable.
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Securing Data
The storage of the usage data of the app will be done securely. OS 11 is focusing on offering users control over how their data is used by allowing one-time permissions along with aiming at the data of the users.
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Reduced Data Redundancy
An app will try to use the same datasets for another app when it comes to media playback or machine learning. Both the apps use different datasets for the same process is what was required by the earlier versions of Android. Android 11 brings lets datasets get shared between devices that were not possible in the earlier versions to reduce the data redundancy on the network.
#Further Impacts
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Improved Media Controls
To spoil a convenient user experience, many mobile users tend to regularly switch between media apps, including music apps and audiobooks. Media controls will get moved to the quick settings option with the introduction of Android 11.
While the audio is playing, it will make sure to shift the media controls to quick settings. On the quick settings tile, when you swipe down the notification panel, it will show a new media control widget. The option will otherwise disappear when the music stops playing from the quick settings tile.
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Adaptation on Different Screens
To create a mark in the market, foldable devices have already started. In terms of foldable devices allowing the users to avail different screen sizes and resolutions, the following year is going to witness a lot of variations.
The developers will not have to fret about adapting to such devices with Android 11. Through the Android 11 OS, any mobile application will run effortlessly. On the foldable smartphone android application development, it is the right time to start working.
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One-Time Permissions
The privacy aspect is being avoided to get compromised by Google. The permission setting changes that are included in the Developer’s Preview of Android 11 are endorsed as the same.
The users can grant access on a one-time basis when the app asks for permission to use the mobile features. While you use the application, this will apply the consent one time. It will revoke the authorization the moment you quit the app.
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Multi Improved Messaging
The user experience is going to improve in messaging aspect with the release. For the messaging applications, numerous distinct features have been introduced.
- In the chat bubble feature, the notification panel will have a dedicated section providing you the real-time messages is that you will witness.
- The messages that you will be receiving through the third-party apps will not be interfering with your main messaging area in the notification.
- While replying to a message from the notifications is the other feature that will now make it possible to be able to send images.
#How would it Impact Your Android App on Android 11?
You will find that it is divided into three categories if you look at the Android 11 developer preview documentation. It includes the Privacy Features, behavior changes, and new features and APIs. Some pointers carry an impact on the performance of the application under every category.
Let us look into the things that you should be on top of while majorly your partnered android app development company will look into those changes.
1 When Permission Dialog Appears, The Users Can Restrict
The repeated requests for single permission will be discouraged by Android 11. It would imply ‘Don’t Ask Again’ if the users click on ‘Deny’ twice for specific permission. You will have to clearly convey and convince the reason behind asking for permission in your marketing methods or through your MVP features is what it translates to.
2. App Usage Stats Will Be Kept Private
Android 11 will store all the user’s app usage statistics in the credential encrypted storage for better protecting the data of users. Unless certain coding work is done, neither the app nor any system can access the data. Therefore they are dependent on two conditions such as:
- Users are unlocking their devices the first time after the startup of the system.
- A user switches to their account on the device.
So, you will face issues in viewing the app usage statistics until your developer knows the workaround.
3. Lowered Data Redundancy
The application might want to use the same large datasets on another application in situations involving media playback or machine learning. Your and another app had to download a separate copy of the dataset in the earlier versions of Android.
Android 11 allows the large datasets to get cached on devices using the shared data blobs to lower the data redundancy on disk and the network.
4. Greater Clarity on App Process Exit Reasons
A new feature has been introduced by Android 11 under which the reports containing the reasons for recent process terminations will be generated. Whether a process has been terminated due to memory issues, ANRs or other reasons is where the app owner will not be able to gather data around the crash diagnostics in detail.
5. Expediting Incremental APK Installation
Even if you made smaller changes, installing the larger APKs on devices tends to take a long time. Google has introduced incremental APK installation in Android 11, looking at how app updates matter. While streaming the rest of the data in the background, it accelerates the process by installing enough of the APK that is required to launch the app.
6. Greater Support For Neural Network Applications
Android 11 will only make it more beneficial if your application is based on machine learning and neural networks. Android is making efforts to make your Machine Learning apps run smoothly on devices with its new Neural Networks API 1.3. It is time to develop new use cases around disruptive technology as it is time to bring your AI project management process in line.
7. An infrastructure to Benefit From 5G
Introducing 5G to mobile apps brings in several benefits. Businesses can now benefit from a greater streaming speed, zero latency, overall user experience, and fast file transfer, with Android 11 now extending full support to technology.
Conclusion
For the new releases, everyone is eagerly waiting. For both the users and developers, Android 11 provides better tools. It has become more interesting when it comes to creating a mobile application. You need to select wisely if you are a brand looking out for developers.
Ridhi Pethani
Ridhi Pethani is Sr. Android Application Developer at USS LLC. She likes to share Android app development tips & tricks.