Google Android 12L Brings Better Design For Foldable Phones, Tablets, Chrome OS Devices: Features, List Of Compatible Devices

After releasing the stable Android 12 update for Pixel smartphones, Google now has announced Android 12L, which is designed with large-screen devices in mind. It means that Android 12L brings special features and UI design for foldable, tablets, and even Chrome OS devices. In a blog post, Google mentioned that it plans to release Android 12L early next year, in time for “the next wave of Android 12 tablets and foldable devices.” Android 12L brings refined UI across notifications, quick settings, lock screen, overview, home screen, and more for devices with larger screens.

On devices with a screen above 600dp, the notification shade, lockscreen, and other system surfaces use a new two-column layout to take full advantage of the larger screen area. Let us have a look at all the new features of Android 12L.

Top Android 12L Features For Tablets, Foldables, & Chrome OS Devices

• Multi-column layout for notifications shade
• Multi-column layout for apps
• More information in notifications and more quick toggle settings in one view
• Better side-by-side multi-tasking with option taskbar
• Better letterboxed-UI for apps not designed to run on bigger displays

As explained earlier, Android 12L brings a multi-column layout to large-screen devices like foldable smartphones, tablets, and Chrome OS devices. It would also serve well for upcoming foldable tablets. The notifications shade is divided into two halves, one showing more quick setting toggles and the other showing notifications with more information. The Settings app, lock screen, and most stock apps show a two-column layout. Developers can make certain changes to their apps to add multi-column layouts to their apps, which would work great on foldable phones, tablets, and even Chrome OS laptops.

Google has optimized the system apps in the Android 12L. The tech giant claims that it is working with OEM partners to bring Android 12L features to their large screen devices. Google has released the Android 12L developer preview for emulator use. The Android 12L developer preview will land first for the Lenovo Tab P12 Pro. After the release of Android 12L, Google also plans to release the preview of Android Beta enrollments for Pixel devices, even though most of the new features won’t be visible on smaller screens.

Also Read: Complete Android 12 Features List: Everything You Need To Know

Coming back to the Android 12L features, multitasking will be more powerful and intuitive in the Android 12L. The taskbar will also make the split-screen mode more discoverable than ever. Google mentions that it has improved compatibility mode with visual and stability improvements to offer a better letterboxing experience for users. Last but not least, the letterboxing can be easily customizable by device manufacturers, who can now set custom letterbox colours or treatments to adjust the position of the inset window, apply custom rounded corners, and more.

Google is also asking developers to highly recommend checking out how your apps will work in split-screen mode with windows of various sizes. Along with the Android 12L, Google also has included a handful of new APIs for developers, along with a new API level. Google said, “We’ve been careful not to introduce any breaking changes for your apps, so we won’t require apps to target 12L to meet Google Play requirements.”

Android 12L Update: List Of Compatible Devices

• Lenovo Tab P12 Pro
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S7
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE