Android 11 Features That Will Impact Your Mobile Application 

With the official release of the 2020 Android OS, many people are still under the impression that Android 11.0 is very similar to the previous 10.0 version. However, that is not the case – several changes and improvements have taken place with the latest update. If you wish to know what’s the hype about and whether the update is worth it or not, this blog post is all you need. We will be covering the top Android 11 features that will impact your mobile application and much more!

So without further ado, let’s get started and get you the information you need!

Android Versions – Early History

Before we discuss the features, let’s briefly overview the history of Android versions. 

From the release of the initial versions to the latest one, Android has come a long way. It has transformed itself visually and functionally by releasing new updates every year. Subsequently, they keep releasing the monthly updates from time to time to improve its overall performance. 

Here’s an interesting fact – each of the update’s code-name is named after confections and desserts. How sweet is that?

Let’s have a fast-paced tour of the history of Android versions from birth to present, along with their code-names and release dates. If you wish to skip this topic, you can directly jump to the next section to know the android 11 features that will impact your mobile application. 

We will be discussing versions 1.0 to 4.0, which mark Android’s early days, in detail. It would be fitting to understand the inception of the mobile OS and how it started climbing up the ladder rapidly after the dawn of Android version 4.0 – Icecream Sandwich. 

• Android 1.0 – 1.1, No Official Codename 

The first Android version was released on 23rd September 2008 on the horizontal-sliding HTC Dream, the first Android device. Unlike its successors, the Android 1.0 version did not have any code-name. 

The highlight features were Google Contacts, Google Calendar, Google Maps, Google Talk, Media Player, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth support, and Gmail synchronization. The other basic features included Launcher (Homescreen), Dialer, Gallery, Calculator, Alarm Clock, and Settings. 

The Android version 1.1 was launched on 9th February 2009 to resolve bugs and change the Android API. It also included new features such as longer in-call screen timeout, hiding/showing the dial-pad during calls, saving attachments in messages, and so on. 

• Android 1.5, Cupcake 

Android 1.5, code-named Cupcake, was released on 27th April 2009. It was the first version to have a code-name and set the trend for all the other subsequent Android versions to be named after confections. This theme was followed until the release of Android 10.0.

It had new features – the notable ones included text prediction, third-party virtual keyboards, profile pictures for ‘Favourites’ in Contacts, auto-rotate option, Widgets, copy-paste feature in web browsers, etc. 

• Android 1.6, Donut 

Android 1.6 version was launched on 15th September 2009 and was code-named as Donut. It worked on improving the overall performance and functionality of the mobile OS. Notable features included the text-to-speech engine, fully-integrated Camera and Gallery, ability to view application’s screenshots on Android Market (now Google Play), speed improvements and easier searching, and so on. 

• Android 2.0 – 2.1, Eclair 

Android 2.0 version was launched on 26th October 2009. This update mainly focused on enhancing the features already available. Moreover, it laid much emphasis on synchronization and supportability. 

Some of the notable features include Bluetooth 2.1 support, enhanced Google Maps, live wallpapers, new camera features, supporting new screen resolutions and sizes, and so on. Moreover, minor API changes and bug fixes were also added on 3rd December 2009 and 12th January 2010 in the android versions 2.0.1 – Eclair and 2.1 – Eclair, respectively. 

• Android 2.2, Froyo 

Android 2.2, named Froyo (short for Frozen Yoghurt), was released on 20th May 2010. The update led to some useful features such as Adobe Flash support, USB tethering, Wi-Fi hotspot, enhanced Microsoft Exchange Support, and so on. 

Additionally, Froyo 2.2.1 was launched on 21st September 2010, followed by 2.2.2 and 2.2.3 on 22nd January 2011 and 21st November 2011, respectively. These updates included bug fixes and security updates. 

• Android 2.3, Gingerbread 

Android 2.3 – Gingerbread was launched on 10th December 2010. It enhanced the user interface, provided native support for VoIP, improved power management, multiple-camera support, audio effects (bass boost, reverb, etc.), game enhancements, and so on. 

It had multiple updates from 2.3.1 to 2.3.7, which took place from December 2010 to September 2011. 

• Android 3.0 – 3.2, Honeycomb 

Android 3.0 version, code-named Honeycomb, was released on 22nd February 2011 and was an only-tablet update. This means that Honeycomb only supported tablets and devices that had a large screen. The notable improvements included redesigning the keyboard, adding the Action Bar (gave access to Widgets, navigation, etc.), better camera features, and so on.

Further, there were 3.1 and 3.2 versions of Honeycomb, which were launched on 10th May and 15th July 2011, respectively. It primarily included bug fixes, security and Wi-Fi improvements, and improved Adobe Flash support. Additionally, Google Books was also added in the subsequent monthly updates (3.2.1 – 3.2.6)

• Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich 

The Icecream Sandwich version marks the beginning of the advancement of Android OS. It was released on 11th October 2011 and added some of the 3.x versions’ features on phones. 

Some notable features included pinch-to-zoom functionality in Calendar, drag-and-drop folders, real-time speech-to-text, improved error correction, new gallery layout, built-in photo editor, and so on. 

Various updates (4.0.1 – 4.0.4) took place over the months to mainly tackle stability issues. 

With this, we’ve covered all the versions that mark Android’s early rise. Now, let’s look at the subsequent versions that made Android what it is today. 

With this, we’ve covered the history of Android. Now, let’s discuss the Android 11 features that will impact your mobile application. 

Top Eleven Android 11 Features That Will Impact Your Mobile Application

Everyone has been looking forward to the newest version and its features. If you’ve already updated to the 11.0 version, then I’m sure you can experience the change. In this section, we’ll be covering 13 features for Android 11.0.

Although we will not be covering all the new ones, we’ll cover the most significant changes that one should be aware of. So without further ado, let’s discuss the Android 11 features that will impact your mobile application.

• Chat Bubbles

If you’ve used Facebook Messenger, you must be aware of chat bubbles. Nonetheless, let me refresh your memory! When you exit the application while having a conversation with a friend, a “chat-head” appears on your screen that opens and closes your chat whenever you click on the icon. 

Likewise, Android 11.0 has a chat bubbles feature for pretty much every texting and chatting application. This means that you have a similar Chat Bubble like Facebook Messenger for every chat/communication app you have on your updated device. It is undoubtedly one of those Android 11 features that will impact your mobile application and the ability to text multiple people at once. 

• In-built Screen Recorder

Android users have envied iOS users for screen-recording functionality since 2017. As a result, there were many video screen-capture applications made available to users on Google Play. However, the new 11.0 update has disrupted all such apps as it has launched its own in-built screen recorder. Better late than never, right?

Users can choose the screen-recording function from the Settings menu and opt for their preferred way of recording. For instance, they can select whether they want to include the audio in the background or not. 

• Pin Applications on the Share Menu

This is one of those Android 11 features that will impact your mobile application and how you share things. You can now pin your application on the share menu/sheet that you use often share something. 

You may ask – what is the benefit of this feature? Well, most Android users have a plethora of applications on their phones. This pinning feature saves you the time taken to scroll through the endless list and helps you to find your most-used apps on the share menu quickly.

• Schedule Dark Theme

Remember when you had to put in the effort to scroll down the notification bar and select the Dark Theme on your own? Well, Android 11.0 realized how tiresome the bare-minimum was for us! With the update, you can now schedule the Dark Theme and control when to activate it. 

This feature offers you two options, namely – “Turns on from sunset to sunrise” and “Turns on at custom time.” The users can select their preferred option and automate the process of applying the Dark Theme. 

If you wish to receive more assistance regarding Android 11 features that will impact your mobile applications, feel free to reach out to us. We’ll help you build an Android application that is in sync with the latest updates!

• One-time Permission 

One-time Permission and Auto-reset are some Android 11 features that will impact your mobile application and tackle all your security concerns. We all know that Google has faced severe accusations about showing negligence regarding users’ security in the past. However, our dear fellow Google has now learned!

With Android 11.0, you can allow access to your data and applications (Camera, Location, Microphone, etc.) only for a one-time session. In simple words, this feature will revoke all the allowed permissions once you close the application. All you need to do is select the “Only this time” option while using a specific app. 

• Notification History 

Remember swiping away important notifications and then not being able to trace them back? Well, we’ve all been there. However, those days are gone with the Android 11.0 version. 

You can now view all the notifications you received during the past 24 hours in the Notification History section. Subsequently, you can also check the messages you swiped recently, and those still present on the panel.

• Notification Categories

Notification Categories are Android 11 features that will impact your mobile application and the way you prioritize your alerts. All your notifications will be categorized into three categories, namely: Conversations, Alerting, and Silent. 

As a result, all your chat/text notifications will be grouped under the “Conversations” category, making it easier for you to deal with them. This includes messages from Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and so on. 

• Recent Applications 

Remember those times when you were closing useless applications and there! You end up accidentally closing the one you were actually using? Yes, we remember too! 

The best part is that with Android 11.0, that wouldn’t happen anymore. 

You can now undo closing the recently-closed applications by swiping from top to bottom on the screen. However, the undoing may be limited to just one application. 

• Media Controls

Till now, you must have understood that Android 11.0 is prioritizing conversations. For such reasons, it has shifted the media playback control from the notification panel to Quick Settings. 

As a result, you will see the media widget on the quick settings tile when listening to songs. The widget will disappear once you close your music application. Thus, the media controls feature is one of those Android 11 features that will impact your mobile application in an unseen manner. 

• Access To Smart Devices

This is one of the best Android 11 features that will impact your mobile application and elevate the way you use your smart devices. When you long-press the power button, you’ll see various options that will help you control the connected devices.

For instance, you can switch the lights on/off as per your preference. Moreover, you’ll also see the GPay option, which you can use to make digital transactions. All these options will be located below the regular power and rebooting buttons.

• Airplane Mode and Bluetooth

When you select the airplane mode on your Android 11.0 device, it won’t switch your Bluetooth off. This is by far the most underrated feature as people don’t realize how frustrating it was to have your Bluetooth device disconnected from your airplane mode-enable smartphone.

Android 11 Features For Pixel

Apart from these eleven features, some features are limited to Pixel only. Some of them are as follows:

• Live-View Location Sharing

This allows you to meet your friends with the shared-location feature. You can click on the “Tap Live View,” and the Maps feature will enable your Camera, showing the live directions from your current location. It is like a very cool AR friend-finder!

• Enhanced Text-Selection and Screenshot

With Android 11.0 on your Pixel, you can select almost any text you can see on your screen. Moreover, it has made it easier to take screenshots – swipe up and long-press the screen to take and edit screenshots. 

You can read more here.

Conclusion

And that’s a wrap! These were the Top Android 11 Features That Will Impact Your Mobile Application. Update your device to the latest version and be ready to witness the awesomeness of features up-gradation!

If you wish to receive assistance regarding building an Android application, feel free to reach out to us and get started with your dream project today!

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