Android 12 Developer Preview 2 enables “One-Handed mode” and more features

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Android 12 Developer Preview 2 enables “One-Handed mode” and more features

17 March 2021 0

Google has just dropped the Android 12 Developer Preview 2 on Pixel phones. The latest preview follows the DP1.1 patch that Google rolled out early this month. As per Google developers' blog, the new preview brings many new features for developers.

The Developer Previews are meant for developers so that they could prepare their apps according to new changes and features introduced.

The Android 12 DP2 several API changes and this page tells the full API difference between the Android 12 DP1 and the DP2.

According to Google, the DP2 brings Picture-in-Picture improvements, more accurate bandwidth estimation APIs, and easy-to-apply graphics effects like blurs, color filters, etc. There are also updates to companion device APIs. The developers can implement this new API on their apps that manage connected devices like smartwatches or fitness trackers. This is to ensure that the app wakes up on its own when a wearable is in close proximity to your phone. The developers can also stop overlays from appearing on their sensitive apps.

Also, as per 9to5Google’s finding, the “One-Handed mode” is now live. Android DP2 has added this new functionality to the “Gestures” section of the Pixel’s settings menu.

The new mode offers three options for users to select according to their comfort. The first option simply lets you enable the mode. Using the second option, you can choose to turn on the toggle if you want the mode to get activate every time you switch between apps. And, the third option is called “Timeout” which lets you set time following which the mode should turn off entirely. You can choose 4, 8, 12 seconds.

It is very possible that we will see the most requested “One-Handed mode” in the final builds as well.

To install the Android 12 Developer Preview 2, you must own any of these - Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL, Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL, Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a 5G, or Pixel 5. Take the incremental OTA update or flash them manually.