Google launches Android 12L for developers; new OS focusses on large screen devices

After releasing Android 12, Google has announced another operating system focused on large screen devices such as tablets, foldable smartphones and a relatively new category of products called Chromebooks. The new operating system is called Android 12L, wherein the 'L' signifies its use cases in devices with large screens. It will be available next year, "in time for the next wave of Android 12 tablets and foldable."

On the official developer preview post, Android says that "Get ready for a special feature drop coming early next year that makes Android 12 even better on tablets and foldable devices. Try your apps on 12L and optimise for the next wave of large-screen devices!" The post also highlights some key features of the upcoming operating system, including an optimised performance for large screens, compatibility experience and multitasking features. 

Google announces Android 12L OS for large screen devices

While announcing the new operating system, Google emphasises devices with large screens and says that the Android 12L will deliver a better experience on all these devices. Google has released the developer's preview of Android 12, and testers can try the new large screen features to send their feedback. The new operating system comes with a refined user interface for features such as notifications, quick settings, lock screen, overview, home screen and more.

Android 12L comes with a new taskbar that allows a user to switch to applications quickly. The taskbar also facilitates split-screen mode, wherein a user can drag and drop an application to run in split-screen mode. Additionally, Google will be enabling all applications to support split-screen features to utilise the larger screen area. Google also talks about improved compatibility mode, including a better visual feel and more stable performance on devices with a larger screen. Attached below is an image of the adaptive UI patterns in Material design guidelines on the Android 12L.

Mentioning statistics, Google says that nearly 100 million Android tablets have been activated in the past 12 months, which is a 20% year-over-year growth. Additionally, ChromeOS designed for Chromebooks has grown by over 90% during the same time. Adding up the foldable devices being manufactured by several companies will take the total up to 250 million devices that can potentially benefit from the Android 12L operating system. 

Image: developers.googleblog