Unlike last year, Android 11 doesn’t offer many user-facing features and UI changes. However, there are still some features like messaging bubbles, a new notification center, the option to pin apps at the top of the share sheet, and more. Let’s take a look at some of the important features we found in Android 11.
Best Features of Android 11
Let’s try to explore the best features of android 11. So you can find them here. We hope the Android 11 preview gives you a clearer picture.
1. Airplane Mode Doesn’t Disconnect Bluetooth
This feature is being requested by users for a long time. Just like iOS, Android 11 will not disconnect Bluetooth when AirPlane mode is enabled. For example, if your flight is taking off, and you are listening to music through Bluetooth earphones, activating AirPlane mode on your smartphone or tablet running Android 11 will not release your wireless earphones. This means you don’t have to manually re-enable Bluetooth and connect your earphones once again.
2. Audio Control In Quick Settings Area
Some developers have also managed to find hidden options in Android 11 and put the music control widget inside the quick settings toggles area. This way, you can easily access music playback controls no matter how many notifications you get. When this feature is enabled, a small widget is placed next to toggle quick settings. However, it looks like it may or may not make it to the final version of Android 11.
3. Toggle Automatic Dark Mode
While Dark Mode made its debut with Android 10, it lacks the automatic toggle of themes on and off. You have to enable and disable it manually each time from the display settings or from the quick settings switch. With Android 11, you can set it to schedule Dark Mode from sunset to sunrise or according to the time of your choice.
4. Conversation Grouping
In the notification shade, messages have a dedicated space. Notifications from all messaging and email applications are grouped together in this special subsection. Read also: How to Use OME TV.
5. Curved Screen Support
Samsung was the first brand to bring a smartphone with a curved screen, and now every brand is doing it. While such screens look cool, they also create problems with accidental touches. With Android 11, Google wanted to make it easier for consumers to use curved screens without the use of accidental touches. The DisplayCutout feature can be used by brands and developers to limit extreme screen edges from responding to touch. It also ensures that there are no buttons or text content to the edges of the screen.
6. An Easier Way To Check Bluetooth Audio Codec Support
While Android has had the feature of changing Bluetooth codecs (SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, and LDAC) from the Developer Options menu for some time, Google has made it easier to access. With Android 11, it’s even easier to check which Bluetooth codecs your earphones support. Unsupported codecs will appear grayed out. This feature is still hidden with the Developer Options menu.
7. Electronic ID Support
Because people already keep proof of their identification such as driver’s license, passport, and others. With Android 11, Google strives to bring secure identification documents, complete with official ISO recommendations. It will have platform-wide support for storing ID in electronic form in the secure pocket of the phone. Google is also working on APIs and libraries that can help smartphone brands build compatible features with their own secure enclave implementations. With Android 11, you can show your government-issued ID on your phone, without having to carry a physical copy.
8. Long Screenshot
Older screenshots can be captured on devices running Android 11. Once the screenshot is taken, there is an option to extend it, which gives you the ability to capture all the information on the screen you want. While this feature is not fully active in the first developer preview, Android 11 will get the feature before the stable release.
9. Message Bubble
Although this feature first debuted with the developer build of Android 10, it was hidden and never made public. With Android 11, this is one of the most prominent features. Message Bubbles are similar to Facebook Messenger chat heads. Messaging apps like the regular Messages app, WhatsApp, Hangouts, Signal, and Telegram can use a bubble-shaped element that floats above other apps, making it easier to view messages and reply to them.
10. Option To Show Screen Refresh Rate
Since various smartphones have been launched over the last few years that support refresh rates over 60 Hz, Google brought the option of looking at the refresh rate of the phone’s screen. There will be an option hidden within the Developer Options section to show the screen refresh rate. It will be very helpful for fans and developers.
11. Pin Apps to Share Sheet
If you frequently use a particular app to share images and files, you can pin that app at the top of the share sheet in Android 11, which makes your workflow easier and shorter. This capability was present in previous versions of Android a few years ago but was later removed. Now, it is back with Android 11.
12. Do Not Disturb Reorganization Menu
The Do Not Disturb menu has been rearranged for an easy-to-use experience. There is a schedule, default duration, restriction notification feature, and exclusions section. The exceptions section further classifies notifications into alarms, apps, and people.
13. Screen Recording
Although the screen recording feature was present in some Android 10 developers last year, it didn’t make it to the public release. With Android 11, there will be a native screen recorder built into the OS. While various brands have their own implementations of screen recorders, it is definitely better to have them designed by Google and built into Android. This new feature also comes with an option to mute notifications while the screen is being recorded.
14. Control Smart Home & Wallet In Power Menu
The power button will be even more helpful with Android 11. With the upcoming launch of Google’s mobile operating system, users can quickly glance at and access credit, debit, loyalty, membership cards, travel tickets, and more with a long press of the power menu. The user does not need to leave the current application. Google is also working on letting third-party wallet apps access this feature.
The power menu can also be turned into an area where you can find controls for all your smart home and connected home products. We’re not sure what Google will eventually choose to show in the power menu.
15. Notification Splitting & Quick Settings Toggles
An experimental but interesting feature of Android 11 is a hidden setting that allows notifications to not get split from quick settings. Swiping down from the top left of the screen shows notifications and swiping down from the top right of the screen shows the quick settings toggle. This is how iOS handles notifications and control center. This feature may not reach the final version of Android 11.
16. Temporary App Permissions
User privacy has been an area of focus for Android over the past few years, and Google has stepped up its game when it comes to user privacy and data protection. With Android 10, Google introduced the option to deny background location information and restrict access to device IDs. With Android 11, it offers temporary permissions.
Users can be offered temporary access to camera, location, microphone, and access will be removed when the app is closed. This is great for granting permissions to apps like Truecaller that ask for SMS read permission for things like one-time passwords, but that access isn’t required once the app has been set up. You can also block an app from repeatedly asking for permission even after you deny it.
For apps like file managers, Google will make an exception to offer them system-wide file access. However, the developers of those apps have to get their apps certified by Google before making them to the Play Store. Other apps that require file system permissions to store files will gain access to scoped storage, a sort of sandbox environment that increases security.
The final word
So, these were some of the most important features that Google is trying to bring to smartphones and tablets with Android 11. The company has released the first developer beta of the OS, and will be releasing three developer previews and three public betas in total before launching the final version. What Android 11 features do you like best? Let us know in the comments section below. Read also: How to Delete Tantan Account.
