Android 11 is the upcoming eleventh major release and the 18th version of the Android mobile operating system.

History

The first developer preview build of Android 11 was released on February 19, 2020, as a factory image for supported Google Pixel smartphones (excluding the first-generation Pixel and Pixel XL). Developer Preview 2 was then released on March 18, 2020.[2] It is intended for three monthly developer preview builds to be released before the first beta release, due in May. The release of the public beta was originally scheduled to take place at the Google I/O, which was ultimately cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, so an online release event is currently planned instead.[3] A state of “platform stability” is planned for June 2020, and the final release is expected to occur in the third quarter of 2020.[4][5]

As with Android 10, alphabetical release names are no longer used for the operating system. The logo for the release features a dial turned to 11—a reference to the music mockumentary film This Is Spinal Tap.[6]

The second developer preview build was released on March 18.[7]

Features

New platform features included in Android 11 include enhancements to support for foldable smartphones (including support for hinge angle sensors), 5G (including an API for distinguishing standalone 5G NR networks), Project Mainline (servicing of system components via Google Play Store), and High Efficiency Image File Format (HEIF). Support for STIR/SHAKEN call authentication will also be included. Google also stated plans for a “dedicated conversation section in the notification shade”, the ability to only grant certain permissions to apps on a case-by-case basis (similarly to iOS 13), and to introduce stronger enforcement of the “scoped storage” system.[4][8][7] If automatically rebooting after a system update, apps can automatically resume and re-gain access to credential-encrypted storage without authentication.[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ “Downloads for Gogle Pixel”. Android Developer. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  2. ^ “Android 11: Developer Preview 2”. Official Google developers blog. March 18, 2020.
  3. ^ Haselton, Todd (March 20, 2020). “Google’s big developer conference is now completely canceled because of coronavirus”. CNBC. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  4. ^ a b Bohn, Dieter (February 19, 2020). “Google releases Android 11 developer preview earlier than expected”. The Verge. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  5. ^ “Android 11 will have 3 developer previews and 3 betas before release”. Android Police. February 19, 2020. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  6. ^ Amadeo, Ron (February 19, 2020). “Google launches the Android 11 Developer Preview today”. Ars Technica. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  7. ^ a b c Condon, Stephanie. “Google releases second developer preview of Android 11”. ZDNet. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  8. ^ Gartenberg, Chaim (February 19, 2020). “The most interesting new Android 11 features so far”. The Verge. Retrieved February 20, 2020.