We’ve been through the ringer in 2020, but one thing that bugged me most through all of it was the inconsistent and often delayed product launches and announcements.
I didn’t expect Android 11 until October, but I guess through some miracle and grace of Google, we can say September 8, 2020 is the day Google gave us the latest iteration of the Android OS.
A quick peruse of the Factory Images page on Google’s developer portal shows Android 11 stock ROM’s going all the way from the Pixel 4a back to the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL.
So what makes Android 11 so great? Let’s find out!
Conversations
Now all your conversations, regardless of app, are grouped together in the notifications pane. This way, be it Messages, Whatsapp or Skype, they’re all grouped together and not cluttering your notifications. It also makes it easy to respond to multiple conversations from a single area.
Bubbles
That’s right, bubbles. I believe Facebook messenger has been doing this for years, but now it’s native to Android 11 – across all your chats no matter where they are. This will make for quick and easy access, but also a cluttered edge to your screen. I have mixed feelings here, but again – optional.
Capture and Share
This is an odd one. On the surface it seems trivial, but built in screen recording is great for casual and business users alike. Can’t wait to get that.
Wireless Android Auto
I’ve been waiting for Android Auto to go wireless for a while now. I mean, it’s great to charge the phone while I’m driving but sometimes I just want to hop in and out of the car without dealing with a cable.
Accessibility Improvements
Controlling your phone with your voice sounds like pretty much what I had a few years ago. Grab the phone, squeeze the edges and say what you want it to do. I used it to much fan fare when my back gave out. I consider this an improvement feature rather than a new one.
There’s so much more to explore with this new OS. I encourage you to check out the feature list at Android.com and just install it on your device now!
