Android 12’s final beta introduces a few cosmetic changes as well as new widgets.
Google today published the final Android 12 beta before the operating system is officially released, bringing with it some of the aesthetic improvements and functionality that were mentioned when Android 12 was first revealed. The beautiful geometric clock widgets, a revamped calculator, and a new lock screen shortcut are just a few of the significant additions to Beta 5.
According to 9to5Google, the clock app has also been changed, with a new design, new animations, and (of course) colors that are adaptable to your phone’s theme, among other changes.
It also claims that Beta 5 will bring the long-awaited Material You update to the calculator app, which would have pastel hues and more childlike buttons. Here’s how the new compares to the old:
It has been brought to our attention by XDA that the lock screen includes a new device control shortcut that allows you to control smart home devices with the press of a button after the screen of your phone has been brought up. Even while the device controls had previously been relocated from Android 11’s power menu to the fast settings shade, the controls are now available in a more handy location. The Google Wallet shortcut, which appeared on the lock screen in Beta 2, is now joined by the Google Wallet button.
Finally, according to Android Police, Pixel owners who are using the beta version of the operating system now have access to a new and better search bar. It will display matched settings, contacts, and other information for whatever you type in, in addition to the app and Google results that the bar was previously retrieving. Previous betas had teased the existence of this feature through setup screens and APIs, but it is now a fully functional feature that can be used by anybody.
Read the entire roundups on 9to5Google and XDA for more information on some of the smaller adjustments that have appeared in Beta 5. Alternatively, if you’d like to view the improvements for yourself and have a device that is supported, you may follow our instructions on how to install the beta by clicking here. Remember that even though the operating system is scheduled to be launched “in a few weeks,” it may still have a few rough edges here and there.
