Last month, Google announced that they would be moving back the Android 11 Development timeline due to the events in the global environment, stating that the Android 11 Beta would be released on June 3rd along with the final SDK and NDK API’s. Though they don’t state why, the release didn’t occur until today, June 11.
What’s New In Android 11 Beta 1
Google claims that the new Beta of Android 11 is based on three key themes: People, Controls, and Privacy
People
Google introduced the following that they believe will make Android 11 more people-centric:
- Conversation notifications now have a dedicated section with conversation specific actions
- A new Bubbles API a la Facebook Messenger to allow for better multitasking
- Autofill apps and Input Method Editors can now offer context-specific entries and string securely
- The phone has an on-device visual cortex that can see screen content and label to allow voice users to access it
Controls
- With a long press of the power button, you can bring up device controls for all your connected devices
- Easier ways to switch your output devices from the notification shade
Privacy
- You can allow an app a device permission for just one use and the app will request it again the next time
- Permissions will auto-reset permissions after an extended period of time without use of the app
- Developers have to get explicit approval to access background location
- New updatable modules in Google Play System Updates so more core OS components will get updated more quickly than waiting for full system updates from manufacturers or carriers
Google has made it so most breaking changes won’t occur until your app manifest targets Android 11, and you can toggle many of the new changes in developer options for better testing. This also the
Android Studio, Kotlin, Jetpack and Jetpack Compose have also gotten updates.
Platform Stability will be achieved in Beta 2 in July, so no more breaking changes will occur after that.