Android 11 is here

Android 11 is final and offers many new features: Conversations, for example, now have their own display area and can be pinned to the home screen. But the 11 does not exist for everyone.
For three months, Google had the latest version of its mobile operating system put through its paces by beta testers. Android 11 is now ready and will be rolled out on certain smartphones immediately, as the company announced.
This includes all Google Pixel smartphones from model 2 and certain devices from Xiaomi, Oneplus, Oppo and Realme. Other brands and models will follow in the next few months. Manufacturers must first adapt Android 11 to their devices. You have to check or inquire with the manufacturer yourself whether an Android 11 update is planned for your own smartphone or tablet.

“We’ll get in touch”

If the update has been confirmed for your own model, the smartphone will offer the update by itself at some point. You can also start the search manually in the settings. Usually the item is called “software update”.

The most noticeable changes are in the notifications. Notes on new messages from various chat apps are now prominently displayed in a separate area. A small profile picture and, if applicable, the name of the chat group are also displayed directly in the notification.

Pin conversations as bubbles

Users can mark individual conversations as important so that new messages are ranked higher and also break through do not disturb mode. And with the so-called bubbles function, conversations can be pinned to the home screen so that you can always keep an eye on them and answer directly without having to switch between apps.
Google has also integrated a so-called screen recorder with which the screen content can be recorded directly and passed on as a video – the counterpart to the static screenshot, so to speak.
The innovations also include improved settings for protecting privacy. For the first time, users have the option of granting apps only one-time access to certain authorizations such as access to location, microphone or camera. The next time the app concerned has to ask the user for permission again.

Automatic permissions revocation

Android can now automatically reset the permissions of apps that have not been used for a while, but informs you about this procedure in advance. Of course, the next time you open it, you can still grant access rights.
In addition, Google is integrating a new area in Android 11 for controlling smart home devices and quick access to a media player. Control of the smartphone with voice commands has also been improved with the Voice Access function.
With Android Auto, the need to use a USB cable will no longer be necessary if you have a compatible vehicle that supports wireless connection to the smartphone.
In terms of security, many devices are becoming less dependent on the manufacturer because Android 11 works with new update modules. This means that in the future more security and data protection fixes will come directly to the smartphone or tablet via Google Play. Users no longer have to wait for a full OS update to get them.