Android phones will prompt you to log in to a Google account to install apps and download updates. Some OEMs, however, offer up their own accounts and services, too. Usually, users can avoid logging in to these entirely at the expense of some additional features. But often, these features are pretty useful.

To this end, we asked readers in a recent poll their feelings towards OEM accounts and whether they use them at all. Here’s what they told us.

Are you logged into an OEM/manufacturer account on your phone?

Results

Readers were pretty torn on this one. The poll published on our site garnered more than 2,800 responses. A solid 56.7% of readers are logged into an OEM account on their devices. This trend continues on Twitter, where 52.1% of readers voted “Yes.” Results on YouTube, however, swung the other way around. Some 52% of the ~24,000 voters say they are not logged in to an OEM account on their devices.

Our original poll article defined an OEM account as a secondary account offered by third-party manufacturers. The likes of Samsung, Huawei, and Xiaomi all offer their own account login options alongside Google. Judging by the comments, several users across all three platforms use custom ROMs, Pixel devices, or iOS. Google and Apple’s devices require users to log in with their respective accounts. Keep in mind that those voting with Pixels or iPhones may have skewed the results.

Those who are logged in to OEM accounts do so to access themes, promotions, and third-party services. Several users who don’t, however, feel there is nothing to be gained by logging in.

Here’s what you told us

• Abhiram Akula: I’m on iOS, so it’s a no-brainer. But even when I was using Samsung, I did use the Samsung account, just because I could use the Samsung apps to sync with Microsoft ones.
• Luis R. Rodriguez: Yes, logged into my Samsung account. Using OEM software.
• v3xman: Logged in to my mi account just so I can download themes and prevent thieves from resetting my device in case it’s stolen.
• Reetu Ilmari: I use Xiaomi Cloud, so yes.
• Takagi: Yes. I have a Samsung account, and it’s very useful as cloud backup for some of my personal data (contacts, messages, notes, calendar), as well as transfer them seamlessly to my new Samsung phones from my Galaxy S4 to my Galaxy Note 4, up until my current daily driver Galaxy Note 9. No need to resort to 3rd-party apps. It also allows me to find my devices, just like Google, but Samsung seems to have the options to still retrieve or backup important data, which Google doesn’t have.
• The Oracle: On my Samsung tablet definitely. Samsung Internet, Pass and Cloud make life much easier. On my Huawei for their very good app store. On my Vivo no.
• Albin: Never registered for Lenovo and Moto devices, but learned useful things about both from the OEM user forum discussions while researching and after purchase, and have log-ins there. I’ve disabled most of the preinstalled OEM branded software, some of which needed some kind of OEM account.
• Joe Black: Nope, as I see no benefit in doing so.

That’s it for this poll. Thanks for your votes and comments. If you have any additional thoughts on the topic or the poll results, be sure to drop them down below.

ZTE is jumping back into the high-end premium phone market feet first with the Axon 30 Ultra. This flagship smartphone offers all the specs the Axon 20 didn’t and does so in a sleek, modern package. On paper, it competes well with top phones from Xiaomi, Samsung, OnePlus, and others. Does the latest from ZTE have what it takes to score consumers’ cash? Find out in the Android Authority ZTE Axon 30 Ultra review.

What you need to know about the ZTE Axon 30 Ultra

• ZTE Axon 30 Ultra (8GB/128GB): $749/€749/£649
• ZTE Axon 30 Ultra (12GB/256GB): $849/€849/£739

The Axon 30 Ultra marks a return to the premiere flagship space for ZTE. It’s a monster of a device with (almost) all the specs and features you expect to see in this category.

The Axon 30 Ultra is already being sold in China and is being made available for North America, Europe, and the UK starting in June. Two models will be made available to the greater worldwide market; one with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage and another with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Black is the only color option available outside of China. Online preordering from ZTE’s website starts May 27 and the general on-sale date is June 4. Anyone who pre-orders the phone will receive a free pair of headphones from ZTE.

The phone goes head-to-head with the likes of the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro, the Samsung Galaxy S21 series, and the Xiaomi Mi 11 family. That’s some stiff competition, but the Axon 30 Ultra is up for the challenge.

How is the design?

ZTE’s Axon 30 Ultra reminds me a bit of the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. It’s a blocky piece of hardware that has tight corners and a massive camera module on the rear. The phone takes on the glass and metal sandwich design, with Gorilla Glass 5 on the front and back, and aluminum serving as the mid-frame. ZTE didn’t say why it went with Gorilla Glass 5 rather than the newer Gorilla Glass Victus, though it’s not a dealbreaker at this price point. Both the front and rear glass panels are curved, the rear more so than the front. The curves help the phone rest deeper in your grip. The metal frame is thin along the side rails and sticks out a bit. You can feel it against your palms. I like the black colorway, which takes on different hues depending on how you hold it in the light. It has a matte finish and includes an anti-scratch coating.

See also: The best ZTE phones you can get in 2021

The phone is a good-sized hunk of glass. The screen shape makes for a tall, lean phone that’s easy to grip in your hand, but not necessarily easy to reach with your thumb. ZTE kept the weight to a respectable 188g. It doesn’t feel overlarge in your pocket, though the corners may poke you in the leg as you move around.

The ZTE Axon 30 Ultra is a fine piece of hardware, even if it borders a little bit on the familiar.

The phone’s functional elements are reserved for the right and bottom edges. On the right is where you’ll find a screen lock button and volume toggle. These buttons are a bit sharp against your skin but provide excellent feedback. The bottom edge houses a USB-C port, a bottom-firing speaker, and a dual-SIM card slot. ZTE maintained clean lines on the left side and top edge. That means there’s no room for a headphone jack. In addition, unlike previous Axon series phones, the Axon 30 Ultra doesn’t support expandable storage.

Most flagship phones have adopted massive camera modules the last few years and the ZTE Axon 30 Ultra is no different. The phone’s module is beefy and busy. Four lenses crowd the module along with a flash, laser-focusing system, and stenciled text. It’s hard to miss.

ZTE says the phone has “basic waterproofing only” and does not carry an IP rating. Many of the phone’s competitors do have official water and dust resistance ratings.

The ZTE Axon 30 Ultra is a fine piece of hardware, even if it borders a little bit on the familiar.

What about the 144Hz screen?

ZTE loaded the Axon 30 Ultra with a high-tech screen. It bests much of the competition by skipping the 120Hz refresh rate and jumping to 144Hz instead. ZTE ensured the screen is power efficient. It is set to adaptive mode out of the box, which means the screen varies the refresh rate depending on what you’re viewing. You can also choose to peg it at 60Hz, 90Hz, 120Hz, or 144Hz if you wish. At 144Hz, the result is some of the smoothest on-screen action in both everyday apps and games that we’ve seen outside of dedicated gaming phones.

More reading: Refresh rate explained: What does 60Hz, 90Hz, 120Hz mean?

The panel stretches 6.67-inches with Full HD+ resolution (2,400 x 1,080) in a 20:9 aspect ratio. In addition to the fast refresh rate, the screen supports a 300Hz touch response rate, 10-bit color, and a 100% DCI-P3 color gamut. You’ll note a small punch hole camera centered at the top of the display. Unlike the Axon 20 5G, the Axon 30 Ultra does not have an under-display selfie camera. ZTE says the screen-to-body ratio is 95%. These specs are all on par for a flagship device.

The screen is a beauty to behold. Scrolling up and down menu items and feeds looks incredible thanks to the higher refresh rate. Colors look rich, the resolution is sharp enough for most people, and the brightness measures up under the sun. It’s a good screen, particularly for watching video.

There is a fingerprint reader built into the display which I found to be a cinch to train and painless to use for unlocking the phone in a hurry. I also didn’t encounter any ghost touch issues with the screen’s curved edges.

How is battery life?

ZTE crammed a 4,600mAh battery inside the Axon 30 Ultra and it does a good job. With the phone set to the adaptive screen refresh rate, I regularly saw plenty of battery left in the tank after a full day of heavy usage. Screen-on time was often between 6.5 and 7.5 hours, which is plenty. Standby time stretches into the ridiculous if you use the phone lightly.

There are gobs of tools aboard to manage battery life, from the always-on display to dark mode, screen refresh rate, and background app usage. If you find yourself in battery trouble, there’s likely a setting to adjust that solves the problem.

The phone supports 65W wired charging and the charger comes in the box. In our tests, the phone powered up from 0% to 100% in just under 50 minutes. That’s not the fastest we’ve seen but it’s still really quick. There’s no support for wireless charging, which is a major missing feature for a modern flagship, even one that’s this affordable.

How powerful is it?

With the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 aboard, along with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage in our review unit, the ZTE Axon 30 Ultra sets the stage for stellar performance and it delivers.

The device powered through the usual set of benchmarks. On 3DMark, for example, it outscored 91% of all devices — only other Snapdragon 888 phones bested it. It did very well in GeekBench and AnTuTu, as well. For our own, homegrown Speed Test G benchmark, the 30 Ultra ran it in 74 seconds, which is extremely competitive with other Snapdragon 888 devices.

See also: Here are the best Snapdragon 888 phones you can buy

Speaking more practically, real-world usage demonstrated zippy performance across the board. Everything about the phone felt fast and fluid. The phone never lagged or slowed down, and even intense games ran smoothly with no frame drops.

The ZTE Axon 30 Ultra lives up to the Snapdragon 888’s tall promise and based on our results the 8GB model provides all you need. The 12GB model might be overkill.

How good is the Axon 30 Ultra camera?

Even though the ZTE Axon 30 Ultra has four rear-facing cameras, the company refers to it as the “trinity camera system.” The phone has three 64MP sensors on board for the standard, ultra-wide, and portrait lenses, respectively. There’s a periscoped 8MP zoom camera as well, which can handle 5x optical zoom, 10x hybrid zoom, and 60x digital zoom. The camera also includes a laser detect autofocus system and dual-LED flash.

It’s a solid camera system that, in general, captures good snaps when out and about. I was pleased with focus, exposure, and color, which were all on point. The ultra-wide handles images with aplomb. Color profiles across the three main lenses (wide, ultra-wide, tele) are somewhat different as you can see below in the greens, blues, and whites. You can also see how the zoom works from 0.6x to 60x in the series below. Zooming to the maximum is clearly worthless, but the 5x optical results were pretty solid.

Indoor shots are accurate, with good focus and color, but a touch of grain, as evidenced by the samples below. The dynamic range is also great, as seen in the balloon photo.

ZTE packed the camera with tons of shooting modes to explore, such as the ability to capture video with up to three cameras at the same time, long-exposure portrait for creating dramatic backgrounds behind your subject, super moon ultra shot for enhanced moon photography, a color-changing filter, as well as multiple vlogging templates and other video filters. The moonshot feature, which is similar to one on the Samsung Galaxy S21, doesn’t produce the best results as you can see below. Even so, the camera did a decent job at sunset and post sunset.

The phone can record video at up to 8K at 30fps or 4K at 60fps, which is standard for a flagship these days. The video footage looked really good. I was pleased with color, focus, and clarity of what I shot. I didn’t see any noise or other problems in my videos.

The 12MP selfie camera does a semi-respectable job. It doesn’t overdo the beautification, which I appreciate. Outdoor shots looked clean. Selfies captured indoors were on the grainy side. Self-portraits taken indoors were mixed, and you can see in the (right) sample below that the camera had a hard time detecting the left side of my face.

You can view full-sized samples in this Google Drive folder.

Anything else?

• Stereo speakers: The phone combines the earpiece and bottom-firing speaker to generate stereo audio. The sound is good as long as you keep the volume set to a reasonable level. Blasting it all the way up creates a lot of unwanted distortion.
• My OS: This is the latest version of ZTE’s Android user interface skin. It’s palatable. I’m not a big fan of the colors used throughout the UI, but that may be just me. I appreciate that there are only a couple of bloatware apps on board and they can be deleted.
• Updates: ZTE’s track record for updates is murky at best. For the Axon 30 Ultra, ZTE said it will “provide Android OS updates, regular security patches, and approximately two years of support (may fluctuate by region).” If you’re looking for a gauge on how timely those updates may be, ZTE has yet to update last year’s Axon 20 5G to Android 11.
• 5G: Not only does the phone support sub-6GHz 5G, but it also supports “dual 5G.” What does that mean? You can have two 5G-enabled SIM cards in the phone running on separate 5G networks. Few phones can do that. It doesn’t support mmWave 5G.

ZTE Axon 30 Ultra specs

Value and competition

ZTE’s pricing for the Axon 30 Ultra is fairly aggressive. It’s not the cheapest flagship to reach the market, but it undercuts some of the competition by hundreds of dollars. At $749 for the base model, you’ve got the 6.67-inch, 144Hz screen, the Snapdragon 888 with 8GB/128GB, the quad-camera system, and all-day battery life in a package that’s well built and attractive. Boosting the RAM and storage to 12GB/256GB only costs $100 more ($849) and might be worth it if you plan to shoot a lot of videos.

Starting off, let’s address the ZTE Axon 30 Pro, which is a less-costly version of this phone. The screen is the same size, though it is limited to 120Hz. It also has the Snapdragon 888, a 64MP main camera, and 128GB/256GB storage options, but it lowers RAM to 6GB and makes other concessions. Pricing is more reasonable at about $459, though the phone is limited to China for the moment.

The relative bargain pricing of the ZTE is a compelling sales factor.

The most obvious competitor from other brands is the Samsung Galaxy S21 range. The Galaxy S21 is an excellent choice, but it does cost a bit more money if you want a screen size comparable to that of the Axon 30 with the Galaxy S21 Plus. Samsung’s cameras are better, though, and each phone in the series has official IP ratings, supports wireless charging, and has a three-year software upgrade commitment from Samsung. That extra cash might be worth it.

The standard OnePlus 9 is something to consider. At $729, it plays right in the same space as the Axon 30. It sacrifices a few premium features but is still a decent phone. Another option is the more expensive $969 OnePlus 9 Pro. I found the design of the OnePlus 9 Pro better than the Axon 30 Ultra, but that’s subjective. More importantly, the cameras are about on par between the two phones.

Elsewhere, Xiaomi’s affordable $749 Mi 11 is a fine phone with an appealing design that might serve as an alternative to the Axon 30 Ultra.

ZTE Axon 30 Ultra review: The verdict

ZTE’s first true flagship phone in years is an excellent effort. The Axon 30 Ultra is a finely crafted piece of hardware that covers most of the basics in terms of features and performance.

In its favor, the ZTE Axon 30 Ultra has a beast of a screen, top pixel-pushing power, and battery life that lasts. Detractors include no wireless charging and no IP rating, both of which are available from many competitors.

The ZTE Axon 30 Ultra competes well in a healthy market for premium devices.

The Axon 30 Ultra is the most compelling flagship I’ve seen from ZTE in a long time, though it falls just short of today’s best.

Who is it for? Anyone who’s in the market for a budget flagship might consider the Axon 30 Ultra. Perhaps it doesn’t illicit the raw emotional appeal some of its competitors do but ZTE managed to turn out a high-end device just the same. ZTE has taken a big step forward with the Axon 30 Ultra.

OnePlus is one of roughly a dozen manufacturers taking part in the Android 12 beta program, giving enthusiasts an early taste of the new Android version ahead of the stable release. Unfortunately, it turns out that OnePlus has pulled the beta for its phones due to serious issues.

The company announced on its forum (h/t: 91mobiles) that it would be pulling the Android 12 beta download links for the OnePlus 9 series “based on feedback from users in this thread.”

Users in the thread had noted that their phones wouldn’t move past the “copy data” page, even if they opted not to copy data. Others noted the same issue and that rebooting the phone resulted in a bootloop. Some people also resorted to rebooting via power+volume down, but the phones still wouldn’t move past the “copy data” screen.

Android Police claims that the issue occurs if a user forgets to unlock their bootloader, and suggests that affected users try a specific unbrick tool. XDA-Developers has a guide on how to use the tool, which uses the Qualcomm chipset’s Emergency Download Mode to unbrick a device.

It’s worth stressing that you probably shouldn’t be installing a beta update on your primary phone if you aren’t prepared for issues like this. So you might want to sit tight if your daily driver is included in the beta program.

Update: May 19, 2021 (3:20 AM ET): New evidence has emerged suggesting that the Google Pixel 6 line may feature in-display fingerprint sensors. A loop posted to Twitter by XDA‘s Mishaal Rahman showcases a new fingerprint sensor animation in Android 12 beta. This comes after evidence of in-display fingerprint unlock support was first spotted in Android 12 DP2’s code.

There’s no clear confirmation that Google’s future Pixel line will pack an in-display fingerprint sensor. Rahman “assumes” the device line may feature the tech. But it’s clear that its latest OS at least leaves room for that possibility.

Original article: March 18, 2021 (12:32 AM ET): Google has mostly stuck to its rear physical fingerprint scanners since the very beginning of the Pixel series. However, the tech has now started to show its age seeing that Android competitors have already embraced in-display fingerprint sensors in a big way. Now, it looks like Google is finally coming around and planning to add in-display fingerprint sensors to future Pixel phones.

A developer named kdrag0n on Twitter (via XDA Developers) found evidence of Google’s potential plans within the code of Android 12 Developer Preview 2. Several new classes of code were spotted in the SystemUIGoogle app. One of them is named “UdfpsControllerGoogle,” where “Udfps” apparently refers to “under-display fingerprint scanner.”

Similar references were also found in the code of the first Android 12 Developer Preview. However, they didn’t specifically associate in-display fingerprint sensor support with Pixel devices. This time around, the new Udfps code suggests that the feature is being developed for Pixel phones rather than AOSP.

This is obviously not enough evidence to conclude that upcoming Pixel phones will adopt in-display fingerprint sensors. For instance, we already know from leaked renders that the Pixel 5a will most likely retain a physical fingerprint reader. But there have been times when future Pixel features have leaked through Android code. So let’s wait and watch if Google is finally ready to upgrade its hardware.

Also read: Google buyer’s guide: Everything you need to know

When it comes to emulating Android on a PC, few software suites can compete with BlueStacks. The software allows you to install mobile games on your PC that you would normally find on the Google Play Store. What’s more, you can use different types of controls — including a keyboard/mouse combo — if touch controls just aren’t your thing.

Up until now, the latest version of Blue Stacks was a beta release. Starting today, though, BlueStacks 5 is officially out of the beta stage. The free emulator is available to download all around the world.

Related: BlueStacks 5: Everything you need to know about the Android emulator

Here at Android Authority, we already have been using the beta version of BlueStacks. We even wrote up a guide about how it works and what you can expect. The stable launch of BlueStacks 5 doesn’t feature too many upgrades over the most recent beta, so a lot of what we say there will apply here.

The basic gist, though, is that this latest BlueStacks variant is faster and more stable than BlueStacks 4. In fact, in order to upgrade from BS4 to BS5, you’ll need to do a fresh install because the systems are so different. However, both systems are still based on Android 7 Nougat, which might cause compatibility issues for some of your games.

To give BlueStacks 5 a shot, hit the button below. It’s free, so you’ve got nothing to lose!

There have been several suggestions that Google is working on a foldable phone. More evidence of this emerged in 2020 pointing to the device’s release in 2021. Now, yet another mention of this product has surfaced, this time in the Android 12 beta.

See also: Google I/O 2021: Everything announced at the keynote

Android 12 beta purportedly lists the Japanese model numbers and code-names of upcoming Pixel phones, according to 9to5Google. All four device code-names we’ve outed in previous reports, too. These include “Barbet,” believed to be the Pixel 5a 5G, and “Oriole” and “Raven,” believed to be part of the Pixel 6 troop. However, one standout fixture is “Passport.” This device is believed to be Google’s rumored Pixel foldable phone.

There are no details of specs, nor any further release info, but it’s notable that new evidence of Google’s purported foldable is present in the company’s latest OS build. Google confirmed in 2019 that it is working on such a device, but its mention in the Android 12 beta suggests the phone might not be too far away.

As for the code-name itself, it’s unclear if “Passport” is a hint to the shape of the foldable. If it is, the folding Pixel might be closer to the size and shape of the Galaxy Z Flip rather than the Galaxy Z Fold. Previous reports have also pointed to Samsung building in-folding displays for Google.

Of course, a mention in Android 12 beta doesn’t guarantee its official release. Now that the form factor is more mature, it could be the right time for Google to adopt the technology.

What do you think about the new evidence of an upcoming Google foldable phone? Let us know in the comments below.

Now that the keynote event of Google I/O 2021 is over, we are all very excited about the launch of the first beta for Android 12. As one would expect, Google’s line of Pixel smartphones will be the first to gain access to this beta software.

Related: Android 12 release date: When can you expect it to launch?

However, other OEMs have announced their own Android 12 beta programs. Obviously, they won’t be as far along in the process as Google’s phones and the device selection will be quite limited. Still, if you see your phone on this list, it’s very likely you’ll be one of the first to get Android 12 proper when it finally launches.

Be sure to bookmark this page as we will update it whenever we hear a new company announcement!

Google phones that work with the Android 12 beta

One of the main reasons to buy a Google Pixel smartphone is to be one of the first to access the latest versions of Android. However, some Pixel phones have aged out and won’t be able to access the Android 12 beta. They also will not see the stable Android 12 launch, although custom ROM developers will likely push an Android 12 release in an unofficial capacity.

To access Android 12, you’ll need the Pixel 3/3XL, Pixel 3a/3a XL, Pixel 4/4 XL, Pixel 4a/4a 5G, or Pixel 5. Google is no longer supporting the original Google Pixel or the Pixel 2 and 2 XL.

If you want to install the first Android 12 beta on your supported Pixel, check out our guide here.

Asus

Asus’ Zen UI is very close to stock Android as well as Google’s own Pixel UI. It makes sense, then, that an Asus phone would be eligible for the Android 12 beta.

Unfortunately, Asus is only offering one of its phones for the beta program: the Asus Zenfone 8. Considering this phone just came out and is still unavailable around most of the world, this likely isn’t helpful news for Asus fans.

To be clear, the Asus Zenfone 8 Flip is not eligible for this program. It’s only the vanilla model.

iQOO / Vivo

The iQOO brand used to be a subsidiary of Vivo but broke off into its own brand recently. Google must not have gotten the memo, though, as it still lists iQOO under Vivo in its listings. Oh well!

Regardless, the only iQOO (or Vivo) phone that will have access to the Android 12 beta is the iQOO 7 Legend. This India-exclusive phone came out at the end of April, so it’s still a bit tricky to get. If you’ve got one, though, you can give Android 12 a try.

Nokia / HMD Global

Considering most Nokia-branded phones released by HMD Global run on a close-to-stock version of Android, it’s unsurprising that it is pushing an Android 12 beta program. However, as with Oppo and Realme, HMD Global is limiting the program to just one phone — one that hasn’t even landed in stores.

The phone in question is the Nokia X20, which launched in April. HMD Global says the phone will land in Europe sometime this month with a US rollout scheduled for later.

Even when you get your hands on the Nokia X20, it could be a while before you can install the Android 12 beta. So far, HMD has only committed to “the second half of 2021” for the rollout. We expect the stable rollout of Android 12 to occur in that window, so it’s possible Pixel phones would already be on a stable release by the time the Nokia X20 is just getting its beta.

OnePlus

OnePlus is no stranger to offering early access to the latest versions of Android. For several years, the latest OnePlus phones have worked with early Android betas, and there’s no exception with this year.

See also: OnePlus phones: A history of the company’s entire lineup so far

Of course, that means your OnePlus 9 or OnePlus 9 Pro will work with the Android 12 beta. Unfortunately, that also means the OnePlus 9R and last year’s OnePlus 8 series will not work.

Oppo

Oppo is one of the first companies to reveal its own Android 12 beta program. However, the first launch is not technically a beta but a developer preview. This means Oppo is starting a few months behind Google, which has already released five developer previews of its own.

Also, Oppo’s program will only be available on one of its phones: the Oppo Find X3 Pro. Unfortunately, all other Oppo phones, including last year’s Find X2 Pro flagship, are ineligible, at least for now.

See also: Oppo Find X3 Pro review: Form and function but not quite flawless

The first Android 12 developer preview is available now on Oppo’s Open Platform. Oppo has also confirmed that this version of the software will be Color OS 12, which continues on its new numbering scheme from last year.

Realme

Oppo and Realme are sister brands, with the latter using the former’s Color OS platform up until last year. As such, it makes sense that Realme would also have an Android 12 beta program of its own at the same time as Oppo. However, Realme is one-upping Oppo by jumping straight to a beta program, skipping over the developer preview period.

See also: Realme interview: Premium prices, new markets, update promises, and more

Unfortunately, as with Oppo, Realme’s program will only work on one of its phones: the Realme GT. To make matters worse, the Realme GT is currently exclusive to China. If you are in China and have a GT, you can give the Android 12 beta a shot now.

The good news is that Realme confirmed that the GT will launch globally this month. Once you get it, you’ll be able to immediately install the beta. Not bad!

Sharp

Sharp just turned a lot of heads with the announcement of the Sharp Aquos R6 — the first Android smartphone with a 1-inch camera sensor. Now, it’s going to turn heads by offering access to the Android 12 beta.

However, Sharp isn’t being too clear about when you can access the beta and on what device. Its page dedicated to this info just says “Coming Soon.” However, Google does reference it as being one of its partners for the beta program, so we hope to see some info on this soon.

TCL

TCL just launched a whole slew of devices in its TCL 20 lineup, only its second line of smartphones under its own branding. However, as with most of the companies on this list, TCL is only offering Android 12 beta support on one of its phones, specifically the TCL 20 Pro.

Of course, that means that all the other TCL 20 phones — not to mention any of the TCL 10 phones from last year — won’t work with Android 12 quite yet. Hopefully, that doesn’t mean Android 12 isn’t coming to any of those other devices, though!

Tecno

Tecno might not be a well-known brand around the world, but it is quite popular in the select countries in which it is present. Those folks will be happy to know that there will be at least one Tecno phone in the Android 12 beta program.

That phone is the Tecno Camon 17, which launched earlier this month. It may be tricky to get your hands on one right now since it’s so new, but once you do, you’ll be able to slap Android 12 on that bad boy. Unfortunately, no other Tecno phones are compatible.

Xiaomi

Unlike a lot of companies on this list, Xiaomi isn’t limiting access to the Android 12 beta to just one of its phones. Instead, it’s offering eligibility to four of its phones! However, all of them are in the same line.

See also: Xiaomi Mi 11 series buyer’s guide: Everything you need to know

The beta will work on the Xiaomi Mi 11, Mi 11 Ultra, Mi 11i, and Mi 11X. Those are all pretty new and some of them haven’t made their way all around the world yet. But, at least Xiaomi is covering numerous price points there so even the folks who can’t afford a Mi 11 Ultra can get in on the fun.

ZTE

Finally, ZTE isn’t going to be left out of the Android 12 beta party. As per the trend, though, only its just-launched Axon 30 Ultra will be eligible. This latest flagship from the brand is still unavailable in many locations, so it’s unlikely too many folks will be able to take advantage of today’s beta launch.

However, once you get the phone, whenever it lands in your area, you’ll be ready to install the beta as soon as you take it out of the box.

That’s all we’ve got so far! As we said up top, be sure to come back to this page soon as we will no doubt have more OEMs to add to the list soon.

Today at Google I/O 2021, we were presented with a new beta build of the next major version of Android. While the final, consumer-ready release isn’t expected until later this year, Android 12 is already shaping up to be one of the most significant updates to the platform in years.

Google is focusing on two main pillars with Android 12: personalization and privacy. The former is something Google’s version of Android has never adopted as a headline feature. And with Apple’s major focus on app tracking transparency in iOS 14.5, it’s more important than ever that Google shows users it’s listening and cares about people’s privacy.

There’s a lot to talk about, so let’s get to it.

Related: Android 12: Everything confirmed and rumored so far

Design changes and new features

This is one of the most significant updates to Android since Material Design was first introduced. There will be major visual changes, privacy and security updates, a new theming engine, and much more.

Customization and theming

Android 12 will look entirely different from previous Android versions; it’s more modern and personal than ever. There’s a reason for that: Google developed a new theming engine for Android that extracts colors from your device’s wallpaper and applies them to various parts of the OS, such as your lock screen, quick settings panel, settings menu, widgets, and more.

The system identifies both primary and complementary colors of the wallpaper to apply to the software. And if you aren’t a fan of a particular color scheme, you can customize it.

Unfortunately, the first Android 12 beta does not have the new theming engine. That’ll be added in a release as we near closer to the final release this Fall. It’s coming, but we have to be patient. Dang! You can check out what it will look like in the video above.

In the first Android 12 beta, you get the same customization options you’d normally find on Android 11. You can choose from a number of pre-determined accent colors in the Styles & Wallpapers settings menu. Nothing is applied from your current wallpaper, though. Android 12 will also introduce all-new widgets and a new home screen layout, but again, those aren’t available yet. Those are also shown off in the video above.

The new customization options are all part of Google’s reboot of Material Design, called Material You. You can read more about that here.

Revamped quick settings and notification shade

The quick settings panel has always been one of the most functional tools on Android. This is where you access your brightness slider, various device settings, and even your media control notifications following the launch of Android 11.

Now it’s time for another major change.

The quick settings panel still exists, but it looks entirely different. Gone are the small circular icons and thin brightness slider. Each icon is a long, rectangular button containing the individual settings icon, description, and status.

The layout has changed significantly, too. Android 11 showed six quick settings icons with the first pulldown of the shade, then an expanded view of those six icons in three columns. Android 12 only shows four quick settings on the first pulldown, then two columns of four icons (totaling eight) on the second. It’s a small functional change, but I don’t see any issues with it so far.

Above the quick settings icons, the brightness slider is now much thicker than before. You can’t miss it. Below the icons are three new buttons for system controls: edit, settings, and power. Well, there will be three icons. In the first beta, you only get edit and settings buttons.

The media control notifications are still on the bottom but are more rounded than before. Functionality is the same as it was in Android 11. Now, though, Android 12 shows a small icon for changing your media output device. In Android 11, this was a much larger icon with the name of the media output device, which took up more space.

Google will add Google Pay cards and smart home controls in the quick settings menu, meaning Android 11’s dedicated power control menu will be sunsetted with this release.

Catch up: Android 11 review: The devil is in the details

New lock screen and always-on display

Android’s lock screen and always-on displays have also gone unchanged over the years, but that’s changing with Android 12.

In previous versions, you’d only see a static digital clock with the date and weather underneath. Notifications would show up below that, while the battery percentage was found at the very bottom of the screen.

Android 12 introduces a new clock that takes up a big part of the display when you have no notifications. It’s easy to see from a distance, and the bigger clock should signal you that there are no new notifications to check. When a notification comes in, it appears in its normal spot (in the center of the screen), but the clock, date, and weather info minimizes and moves to the top-left of the screen. I love the way it looks.

I also like Android 12’s redesigned PIN pad. It almost takes up the entire display and no longer shows your wallpaper in the background. I find it to be clearer than before.

There are lots of new, little animations throughout Android 12, but my favorite is on the lock screen. If you wake the screen by pressing your phone’s power button, the display will light up, starting at the power button. If you put your screen to sleep with the power button, the display will fade into the power button. It’s a nice touch.

Quick to call the Google Assistant

Google’s first four Pixel phones had a feature called Active Edge, which allowed you to squeeze the phone’s sides to activate the Google Assistant. The Pixel 5 line does not have that feature, but Android 12 introduces an arguably better way to perform the action.

You can now long-press the power button to access the Assistant. At least in the first Android 12 beta, you need to manually enable it by heading to Settings>System>Gestures>Power menu. This enables the functionality, but it completely removes the ability to turn your phone off with the power button. Again, that will be addressed with a later release.

In my limited time with the software, I’ve already found the feature to be useful. I miss Active Edge on my Pixel 5, so having quick access to the Assistant is a welcome feature for me. However, I might be alone here; not many people liked when Samsung did the same thing with Bixby years ago. That was Bixby, though, not Google Assistant, which is approximately 1,000% more helpful than Samsung’s assistant.

Privacy Dashboard and improved permissions

It seems Google adds new privacy features to each major version of Android, and this year is no different. While they aren’t yet live in the first Android 12 beta, each of these features will be live in the consumer release later this year.

My colleague Adamya covered all the privacy features here, which you should check out if you want all the details.

Android 12 is getting a new Privacy Dashboard section in its settings menu. It shows you how apps access each one of your permissions throughout the day. If you want to see which apps are using your location, for instance, the Privacy Dashboard will show you a complete timeline as to which apps accessed your location and at what time. From there, you can revoke access to a specific app if you don’t like what you see. It doesn’t have app limitations, either — first- and third-party applications will be tracked by the Privacy Dashboard.

Google is getting even more serious about privacy in Android 12, but is it enough?

Next, Google is giving more control to users who don’t want their camera or microphone used at all times. In Android 12, you’ll see a little green pill on the top-right of your screen whenever an app accesses your camera or microphone. If you see the pill show up and want to revoke access, you can now do so by shutting off access to your camera or microphone in the quick settings menu.

There are two new tiles — one for the camera, another for the mic — that completely shut off access to those sensors. Apps will only be able to access them again once those toggles are switched back on.

Another small but useful change: if you don’t want an app to access your precise location, there will be a new “approximate location” permission in Android 12. This will give an app a large area where you might be, but it won’t reveal your exact pinpoint location.

Even with all the privacy improvements in Android 12, the company is still remaining quiet about transparency regarding the way apps track your personal information. Apple recently rolled out its App Tracking Transparency feature in iOS. While controversial, it essentially allows users to turn off app tracking for specific apps, meaning you’ll get fewer targeted ads as a result. Google didn’t mention it at I/O, though it told The Verge that it’d have more to share at a later date.

Android Authority recently ran a poll, asking readers if they want Google to implement something like this on Android. Without giving all the details away, yeah, you could say Android users want more transparency on how apps track their information.

The other stuff

If you can believe it, even more features are coming to Android 12.

• Android TV remote in Android 12: If you often lose your TV remote, this one’s for you. In Android 12, your phone will be able to control your Android TV device. You’ll be able to navigate around the interface and type with your phone.
• Use your phone as a digital car key: This year, you’ll be able to unlock your car with just your Android phone using your phone’s NFC or UWB technology. This will roll out to select Pixel and Samsung phones this Fall. Read more here.
• Phone Hub on Chromebooks: Later this year, you’ll be able to check the status of your phone from your Chromebook. You’ll be able to respond to Chat messages and open recently accessed Chrome tabs on your phone, right on your computer.

And those are just the new features announced today! We’re not even including all the rumored features like scrolling screenshot support, or the revamped notifications, the new settings menu, or the new one-handed mode we learned about in the first few developer previews. Read more about all the new and rumored features in Android 12 here.

Should you install Android 12?

All Android developer previews and betas should be installed at your own risk. These builds are not ready for personal use and may contain serious bugs that could stop you from performing important functions with your phone. We advise against installing the first Android 12 beta on your primary smartphone. It’s much safer to install the Android 12 beta on a secondary device or one you don’t need to rely on.

With that said, the first beta is traditionally more stable than the developer previews that came before it. I’ve experienced very few bugs and stability issues throughout my time with the software. However, just because I’ve not run into any issues, that doesn’t mean you won’t. If you still wish to proceed, follow these instructions to install Android 12 on your Pixel.

Our take on Android 12 so far

It’s always difficult to come to conclusions before things are finalized, but that’s not really the case with the first Android 12 beta. I really like what I see so far.

I think Matias Duarte, Google’s Design team, and its software and hardware teams are working more cohesively than ever. The theming features, lock screen, and quick settings are in-your-face, but even the subtle animations that Google plastered all around the OS show the company is thinking about the little things. It’s a joy to use, even if all the features aren’t there yet, and I can’t wait until the next beta launches.

Android needed a visual refresh, and I don’t think anyone expected it to come on this strongly. Now, if only Google could get its act together with app tracking privacy, we’d have even more to gush about.

Update: May 18, 2021 (06:00 PM ET): With the launch of the first Android 12 beta today, we’ve updated the list below with more confirmed features. Read on for all the latest!

Android 12 has hit its next major milestone. Google has now released the first beta to the public, giving us access to a fresh new build of the OS. As with the previous developer previews, this is still a very early version of the software, so we wouldn’t advise using it as your daily driver.

We can confirm, though, that Google is improving and introducing a host of facets in its latest iteration of Android. Tweaks to media handling and notification support, improvements to privacy and haptic feedback, and more polished notifications UI all make the cut. We’re barely brushing the surface here.

Related: Android 12 redesign is the biggest revamp in years: What you need to know

If you have a Google Pixel, you can install Android 12 on your device right now. It is also available for a select few devices from other OEMs. If you lack the proper hardware or just want the info, we take a deeper dive detailing these confirmed Android 12 features and more below. Read on!

Confirmed Android 12 features

These features are confirmed to land with the stable version of the software. Whenever Android 12 comes to your smartphone, you can rest assured that these features will be there (unless, of course, Google changes its mind).

Visual overhaul and color extraction

At Google I/O 2021, the company confirmed that the design of Android 12 will be its biggest visual overhaul in years. The revamp is part of the next iteration of its design language, known as Material You. The idea of Material You is that the users themselves should influence the design.

With Android 12, the OS will use a color extraction protocol to lift design elements from your installed wallpaper. This means that colors across the whole system will change depending on your home screen background. This will allow an easy and automatic way for your phone to feel unique to you.

Along with color extraction, there are numerous new design tweaks, animations, spacing changes, etc. We have a full roundup of what to expect here. Unfortunately, only some of the new design elements made it to the first beta — and color extraction isn’t one of them. Hopefully, we’ll see this in the second beta, which should land in June.

New Android 12 Quick Tiles

When you pull down the notification shade, you’re probably used to seeing round icons at the top of the panel. Well, in Android 12, those round icons are gone. In their place, we have rounded rectangles. These operate in the same way as previous Quick Tiles (a tap turns them on or off; a long-press takes you to the settings page). Now, though, they are larger and can accommodate more information.

Of course, that increase in size means that fewer tiles can be seen at once. On your first pull of the notification shade, you’ll only see four tiles, instead of the usual six. As the image above attests, the Quick Tiles will be themeable with the color extraction protocol.

Privacy and security improvements

At I/O 2021, Google announced new privacy features for Android 12 to make data collection by apps more transparent. The new tools also give users more granular control over app permissions to help them better manage how and when apps access their information.

Android 12 introduces a new Privacy Dashboard that gives users a detailed view of how apps access their information. When you open it up, you’ll see a summary dashboard that shows you an overview of how many apps accessed your location, camera, and microphone in the past 24 hours.

Within the new Privacy Dashboard on Android 12, users will get to access an option to tweak app permissions. You’ll see a Manage Permissions setting on the timeline view page from where you’ll be able to revoke a particular permission from an app.

There are a whole bunch of changes on the way in addition to the dashboard. For a full rundown of all the new privacy-centric features, check out our roundup here.

Notification improvements

Android 12’s notification system will be redesigned to improve aesthetics, usability, and functionality. Google’s tweaking the drawer and controls and freshening up transitions and animations.

Responsiveness is also being targeted. Android 12 will prompt developers to ditch “trampolines” — middle-man broadcast receivers or services — that bounce users from the notification to the app. In Android 12, Google wants notification taps to take users directly to the app itself. The company’s also “delaying the display of some foreground service notifications by up to 10 seconds,” which will give short tasks a brief window to complete before pinging the user.

Related: The best Android themes, theming apps, and customizations

Easier Wi-Fi sharing

In stock Android 11, if you want to share your current Wi-Fi connection with someone, you can create a QR code easily. However, in Android 12, you can avoid the barcode scanning and just hit the “Nearby” button you see underneath the QR code in the image above. That will use Android’s Nearby Share feature to transmit the Wi-Fi credentials to whomever you like.

While scanning the QR code is pretty easy, this new feature allows you to share the connection info with multiple people without handing your phone around for everyone to scan. That’s definitely more convenient!

One-handed mode

This feature appeared in the first DP as a hidden item but didn’t make its official debut until the second DP. It operates much as the one-handed mode does in iOS. First, you activate the feature within Android settings, and then you swipe down anywhere at the bottom of the display. Doing so brings the top half-or-so of the display downwards, allowing you to better reach any buttons, icons, or other features there.

Since this is easily found within Settings, it seems very likely it will make it to the stable launch. However, it’s early days yet so Google could change its mind.

Haptic-coupled audio effect

Google is allowing developers to mate haptic feedback patterns with audio in Android 12. The strength and duration of vibrations are derived from audio cues, which adds a more immersive layer to media playback or alerts. “For example, a video calling app could use custom ringtones to identify the caller through haptic feedback, or you could simulate rough terrain in a racing game,” explains Google.

Android 12 updates via Google Play

The Android Runtime (ART) will be added to Project Mainline — Google’s Play system updates program. This will let the firm push key updates to ART and other essential Android 12 services through Google Play, negating the need for full system updates to tweak these facets. Google also notes that more module updates will be pushed through Project Mainline in the near future, including its aforementioned transcoding improvements.

New widgets

So far, Google has confirmed at least one new widget is on the way: the weather widget you see in the image above. However, there could be more.

Mockups of Android 12’s rumored Conversation widget appeared weeks before the Developer Preview was released. Now, it seems that the feature is indeed baked into Android 12 and works. With the help of some reverse engineering, XDA confirms that the widget is functional albeit not available yet on the Pixel Launcher. There’s another issue — the widget doesn’t work with other apps beyond Google’s suite for now.

Considering the feature is at least present in the OS, it’s possible we’ll see Google unleash it later in Android 12’s development life. However, once again, it’s possible that Google could drop the feature before Android 12’s final build is released.

New widget organization

When you add a widget to the home screen, you can now see more widget categories at once. This will allow you to easily find the app you want a widget for and then add the specific widget. It’s a small change, but it will make widgets way easier!

App hibernation

Sick of apps occupying storage but don’t necessarily want to uninstall them? App Hibernation, or the expanded “Unused apps” feature, could play a pivotal role in how Android 12 manages the footprint of these apps. The feature’s already included in the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), and now Google has confirmed its on the way.

The feature will strip an unused app of its permissions and clear temporary files and cache claimed by that app. It may also restrict notifications for these apps. This will be available to Android users through a toggle in the “App Info” section of each app.

The feature’s benefits won’t really be felt by those using phones with heaps of storage. However, it will likely be a huge addition to entry-level Android devices or older phones in line for the OS upgrade.

Related: How to free up storage space on Android

More confirmed Android 12 features

• Universal splash screens: To bring some cohesion to the app-launching experience, Android 12 will have a built-in splash screen for every app. The app screen will appear automatically for every app —  even if that app’s developer didn’t build it. However, devs will have the ability to tweak the splash screen to fit their apps’ layouts/branding better.
• AVIF image support: The days of JPEG as the de facto compressed image format on mobile are numbered. Android 12 introduces support for AVIF — an image format that promises improved image quality over JPEG without the penalty of larger file sizes. The format makes use of the open-source video codec AV1, which was first introduced to Android 10.
• Screenshot markups: If you capture a screenshot with a Pixel device, you can easily markup that shot with paintbrush-like tools. With Android 12, though, you can add text, Emoji, and stickers to your screenshots using the same tool. This isn’t a revolutionary change, but it might prevent folks from needing a third-party app to do the same thing.
• Hide the selfie camera on Pixel 5: Spotted by Android Police, Google is now giving Pixel 5 users the option to hide the punch hole in Android 12. When the setting is enabled in the Developer menu, the selfie camera is hidden by a black bar. Notably, the status bar will also be displayed in this bar.
• Slightly redesigned Settings pages: The Settings panel has seen a slight redesign with a smaller search bar with rounded corners. Some toggles littered throughout look a bit different as well. It is now much easier to tell if a setting is on or off.
• Compatible media transcoding: Although HEVC is growing in popularity, the video compression standard isn’t supported by all apps. Now, Google is set to introduce a transcoding layer to Android 12 that will let unsupported apps also take advantage of video compression. Video capture apps that don’t support HEVC can now request Android 12 to transcode that file in AVC — a more available video compression format.
• Multi-channel audio: Android 12 is gaining support for MPEG-H in passthrough and offload modes, while audio mixers, resamplers, and effects can now support up to 24 channels.
• Easy audio source selection: The media player that appears in your Quick Settings section in Android 11 is now more customizable. By long-pressing the notification and heading into its specific settings, you can turn on or off the apps with which the player should work. This would allow you to turn off YouTube, for example, so it doesn’t appear in that player — but Spotify will.
• Rich content insertion: Google is giving users more control over rich media through the keyboard, clipboard, and drag and drop. A new API will let users insert and move media from any of these sources. Supported formats will include “plain and styled text to markup, images, videos, audio files, and more,” per Google. It should speed up the process of sharing files or styled text to others or across apps for users.
• Foreground services: In Android 12, Google will block background apps from launching foreground services. Instead, a new expedited job in Android’s JobScheduler will allow developers elevated process priority for their apps.
• Restricted Netlink MAC: In Android 11, only privileged apps could access a device’s Netlink MAC address. Now, Google is restricting all apps from accessing it, regardless of privileges.
• Immersive mode tweaks: Gesture navigation within immersive mode will be “easier and more consistent” in Android 12.
• System variability performance improvements: Google’s improving Android 12’s latency and workload distribution, which should yield performance improvements to key system processes.
• Optimizations to larger display devices: Google’s finally taking tablets, foldable, and TVs more seriously. Android 12 developer preview will be available for Android TVs, too.
• Toggleable changes for debugging: Google’s making it easier for developers to debug their apps by making opt-in changes toggleable. These options will be available from the Developer settings page within Android or via ADB.

Rumored Android 12 features

Above, you saw all the features we know for certain are on the way (unless Google backtracks). Below, you’ll find features for which we have evidence, but no confirmation as of yet.

Scrolling screenshot support

It’s been a long-running rumor even before Android 10 made its bow. Yet, Android 11 disappointed by not included scrolling screenshot support. Could this be one of Android 12’s baked-in features?

So far, it appears it could be a reality. According to XDA, the code to make this work is in Android 12. It’s just not turned on yet. It’s also been spotted in a newer Android 12 build and displays a separate window with the captured extended screenshot. Users can then crop or edit the shot as required.

You can take scrolling screenshots in Android already via third-party apps, but default support would be a welcome addition.

Android 12 code-name

If you are wondering what the “sweet treat” name of Android 12 could be, we have an idea for that. However, do note that two years ago Google did away with officially naming Android versions after a sweet treat. It does continue to use treats as internal code names, though. This year, our best guess (with help from XDA-Developers) is that the codename could be “snow cone.” This would follow up the internal codename for Android 11, which was “red velvet cake,” and the internal codename for Android 10, which was “quince tart.”

Pixel double-tap actions

When Android 11’s Developer Preview arrived, it packed a nifty double-tap feature that could be enabled with some work on the user’s end. It let users of Pixel phones control hardware or launch apps with a double-tap of the phone’s back. While it wasn’t an essential control method, it was useful to access important features without touching the screen. Unfortunately, it never made it to Android 11’s stable build. Now, this feature may make a return in Android 12, as exposed by 9to5Google.

The feature, codenamed Columbus, will let users snag screenshots, open the notification shade, or launch Google Assistant. Google may also allow users to adjust the sensitivity of double-taps or disable them entirely if they’re not to their liking.

Other rumored Android 12 features:

• New Emoji: The next version of Android could have new Emoji based on the Unicode Emoji 13.1 release.
• App Pairs: Theoretically, this would allow users to manage two opened applications in Android’s Recents menu as a single task. Its name is reminiscent of Samsung’s App Pair feature on One UI. It allows users to open two apps onscreen via the Edge panel simultaneously. Microsoft’s Surface Duo has a similar feature, which lets users open the app pair directly from a shortcut on the home screen. It’s unclear if Android’s native solution would include either of these abilities.
• Restricted network mode: A revised networking management mode could arrive on Android 12. It would give the OS more control over which apps can access the internet.
• Fixes to back swipe gestures: Google may make its back swipe gesture on Android 12 more intelligent and seamless using machine learning models. Per a report by XDA, the OS will compute what the user intends to do using several data points. These may include the start and end points of gestures, the app itself, and the display width of the device. It will then use this to predict what the user intends to do. The report suggests that this feature may support 43,000 apps.

Which rumored Android 12 features would you like to see make the cut? Let us know in the comments down below.

In 2020, we didn’t get a Google I/O. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Google canceled it outright. There were originally rumors that it could do an all-virtual event, but that didn’t come to pass.

Now, in 2021, Google is delivering the all-virtual I/O we were hoping for last year. The Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, CA, might not be filled to the brim with attendees as in years past, but the show will go on!

See also: Google buyer’s guide: Everything you need to know about Google hardware

In this article, we will give you the essential info you need related to Google I/O 2021. We’re also going to tell you about all of the things Google launched at its keynote, which turned out not to include new Google-branded hardware. Be sure to bookmark this page, as we will update it with new details if anything else emerges following the keynote.

Google I/O: The basics

Q: What is Google I/O?
A: It’s an annual developer conference where Google announces new hardware, software, and various updates for its existing apps and services.

Q: When is Google I/O 2021?
A: The event is taking place from Tuesday, May 18, through Friday, May 21. Tuesday’s main attraction was the keynote from Sundar Pichai and other Google executives, delivered at 10:00 AM PT (1:00 PM ET). You can view the remaining schedule of events here.

Q: How can you watch it?
A: As with every year, Google live streamed its keynote and will for the rest of the various other events. Due to the all-virtual nature of the show, every single event will be live-streamed for free. This differs from previous years in which parts of the show could only be experienced by paid attendees. You can register and find out how to watch the various events here.

What Google announced at this year’s event

Before we get into what Google unveiled at I/O 2021, you should keep one thing in mind: I/O is primarily geared towards developers. Although there are plenty of consumer-focused events — most specifically the keynote that starts everything off — a majority of the smaller events will be very technical in nature. Therefore, unless you are a developer, a bulk of the events won’t really mean much for you.

If you’re interested in seeing the full schedule, you can check it out here.

That all being said, Google always has some fun stuff for the general population at I/O. Here’s what we got so far!

Android 12 reveal and the first public beta

Here it is, right off the bat, the announcement most people were waiting for — the full reveal of Android 12. We finally have a much better idea of what the future of Android holds, especially the new Material You design language. It offers far more color and customization options, and your phone can even update its color scheme to match your chosen wallpaper.

We’ve already seen a few developer previews of Android 12, but we finally have the first public beta available as of I/O 2021. The difference between a developer preview and a beta is that the latter is something the general public can safely install on their personal devices (for the most part). There will certainly still be bugs but not nearly as many as you would find on a developer preview. We’ll be sure to test it thoroughly and provide you with bugs and fun new features that we find.

Related: How to install Android 12 Beta – A step by step guide

The public Android 12 beta also marks the widest adoption so far at this stage. While most Android previews are limited to Pixel devices, the first Android 12 beta is already available for devices from a whopping 12 OEMs. That means there’s a good chance you can get out there and try it yourself. Check out more information here.

If you want to find out what new stuff we might see in Android 12 at I/O, check out our ever-updating list of confirmed and rumored features.

Smart Canvas for a more connected workspace

We’ve all had plenty of practice working remotely over the past year, and now Google has decided to give us another boost. Its new Smart Canvas platform makes it easier to work between different Google apps like Docs and Sheets with greater flexibility. If you need to, you can bring a Google Meets call right into your team Doc and just keep working.

While this all sounds pretty great, especially if you have a presentation coming up, Google won’t make Smart Canvas widely available quite yet. We can expect integrations coming this fall, but who knows how quickly they will arrive.

See also: Google announces Smart Canvas: Workspace takes cues from rivals

Wear OS and Tizen are becoming one

If we had to sum up the Google I/O keynote without mentioning Android 12, we’d have to say that it’s the presentation Wear OS users have been waiting for. Google’s Wear OS platform and Samsung’s Tizen are merging to form one super platform, aptly named “Wear.” It should lead to solid boosts in battery life, smoother application start-ups, and up to 30% faster app load times.

See also: Google and Samsung team up to make Wear OS a true competitor

Samsung (and other OEMs) will continue to launch their own wearables, but the days of pure Tizen products are done. We’ve also heard other updates like a standalone version of Google Maps, offline Spotify downloads, and some of Fitbit’s best features are on their way to join in the fun.

New updates to Google’s camera software

We all know and love Google’s powerful camera software, and now the rich are getting richer. For starters, developers are working on making their cameras more accurate for people of color. Historically, cameras have struggled with their auto white balance features and losing darker skin tones in shadowed areas. The goal with these improvements is to make a more inclusive camera experience for everyone.

Google is also giving its selfie algorithm a boost thanks to better mapping for curly and wavy hair types. This should allow users to see more accurate results as opposed to a vague outline around their hair.

See also: Google is finally tweaking camera algorithms for people of color

Users can also hide sensitive images in a fingerprint or password-protected folder for some extra peace of mind. In the future, Google will also let you remove entire time periods or specific people from your camera storage.

As if those excellent inclusivity additions weren’t enough, Google is also developing a way to craft animations from your still images. It calls the update “cinematic moments,” and it’s made for those scenes where you capture a whole set of images hoping for one perfect shot. Think of those moments where you just want your little one to sit still, for example. Google can now take that entire sequence of stills and transform it into a short animation on iOS and Android.

Starline brings far-away family members to you

We all know just how hard it’s been to spend time apart from loved ones over the past year. Google’s new Starline platform takes a new step in the video conferencing game, creating a 3D model of your family member while you talk to them. It can’t replace a true in-person conversation, but it certainly goes a long way in bridging the gap.

See also: Project Starline is Google’s experiment in making holodeck-like 3D holograms

Right now, the Starline system is rather large. It looks more like a photo booth that you have to sit in while talking to friends or family. It’s also currently only available in a few select Google offices, though hopefully, it will spread far and wide as the technology matures.

We don’t necessarily know when we’ll see an update to Starline, but it sure beats a grainy Zoom call.

Better security and digital car keys

Have you ever misplaced your car keys in your backpack in the middle of a rainstorm? Trust us, it’s not fun. Android 12 finally brings about a solution. Google has announced that select Pixel and Samsung Galaxy devices will double as a car key using NFC. Essentially, you can unlock your car exactly as you would with a key — provided your car is compatible.

The whole idea is to ditch your key fob eventually, something that Apple has slowly started working towards already in partnership with BMW. We’ll have to wait and see which other automakers jump on board, but we can only hope that BMW isn’t the only one.

Google also announced new password management features. The ability to change all of your passwords at one time is chief among them, thanks to a new Change Password button. You can allow Google to create complex passwords for you or always take back manual control.

See also: Google is making passwords safer to use on Chrome and Android

While it’s best to stay on top of your passwords, to begin with, the new functionality just might help to make that dictionary of passwords a little more manageable.

What we have yet to see from Google:

Google Pixel 5a

We’ll be upfront: we didn’t get a Pixel 5a launch at Google I/O, and we weren’t really expecting to. Google launched the original “a” series devices at I/O 2019 — the Google Pixel 3a and 3a XL. It also likely would have launched the Pixel 4a at the 2020 event had it actually happened. Instead, the Pixel 4a landed in August.

Related: Google Pixel 5a: All the rumors so far

With the COVID-19 pandemic still wreaking havoc on the mobile industry — and the related global chip shortage making things even worse — it’s no surprise that Google wasn’t quite ready to launch Pixel 5a in May.

Google Pixel Buds A

Google launched the second-gen version of its Pixel Buds in 2020, which acted as its first entry into the incredibly competitive true wireless earbuds space. Then, rumors suggested that Google could launch a cheaper variant of the Buds that could land as the Google Pixel Buds A.

Unfortunately, it came to pass that Google hasn’t launched these new earbuds at I/O. However, the company already spilled the beans on the product with an errant listing within a publically accessible email.

It’s not yet clear which features of the $129 Pixel Buds Google might eliminate to bring down the cost of the Pixel Buds A. There will likely be a new green colorway for the earbuds, though.

Codename: ‘Whitechapel’

Rumors abound that Google could launch its first-ever custom mobile processor this year, likely within the upcoming Google Pixel 6. We didn’t see a Pixel 6 announcement at Google I/O, and Google stayed tight-lipped about the processor itself, codenamed “Whitechapel.”

Considering a mobile processor is pretty technical and will need attention from developers to be successful, it would have made perfect sense for Google to announce it at I/O. However, this is Google’s first stab at something like this, so it might save the announcement for a dedicated event.

Related: Google Pixel 6: Everything we know so far, plus what we want to see

Whitechapel is expected to be a co-development from Google and Samsung, with Google providing designs and Samsung providing hardware. Rumors point to Whitechapel being a more capable chipset than the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G within the Google Pixel 5. Don’t expect it to go toe-to-toe with the Snapdragon 888 or Apple’s A14 Bionic, though.

For more on Whitechapel, check out our explainer article here.

One of the highlights of the Google I/O 2021 keynote today was Google’s announcement that it has teamed up with Samsung to revamp the Android wearables industry. Google, Samsung, and Fitbit plan to combine all their powers to make a hybrid operating system that will be a mix of Wear OS, Fitbit OS, and Samsung’s Tizen.

This new operating system — which will still go by Wear OS — will appear on Samsung wearables in the future. It will also appear on Fitbit wearables and, theoretically, a Google wearable if the company ever gets around to it. Ah, but what does this mean for Galaxy Watch updates on your current Samsung wearables?

See also: The best smartwatches you can buy

In its press release surrounding the news, Samsung confirms that its current slate of Tizen-powered wearables will continue to see updates. The products will stick to the regular schedule, whatever it may be for that particular model (three years after its release date).

However, Samsung also confirmed that no existing products from the company will see an upgrade to Wear OS. The obvious culprit for that is the hardware within Samsung watches, which does not jibe with the Wear OS platform.

We’ve heard rumors for months now that the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 could be powered by Wear OS. With today’s news, that seems more like an inevitability now. We expect that watch to land in August or at some point this summer.

If you’re in the market for a new streaming device, then you probably already know most of the big names in the game. There’s Amazon Fire TV, Nvidia Shield, and more, but there are also plenty of options from Roku. If you’re a Roku fan, you’ll be happy to know there are plenty of Roku offers around. We’ve summed up the best cheap Roku deals in this post.

See also: Roku buyer’s guide: Which Roku streaming device is right for you?

Roku is a great option for cord-cutters, with numerous devices at different price points and hundreds of apps to access your favorite content. Roku even works with Disney Plus now for all of your Star Wars streaming needs. We’ve put together some of the best plug-in options as well as some smart TVs in case you want to upgrade even more.

Featured deal: Save $31 on the Roku Ultra 2020

Most of us are streaming nearly all of the content we watch these days, and you probably don’t want to fork out over $200 just for an Apple TV. Enter the Roku Ultra 2020. You can grab it for only $69 ($31 off) and stream your shows at the same quality as a high-end 4K Apple TV for less than half the price. In fact, this is the cheapest the Roku Ultra has been this year.

All Roku devices are capable of connecting to a variety of streaming services like Netflix, Disney Plus, Youtube, and more. The Roku Ultra is no different, except that you can view all of those platforms in beautiful 4K. 

See also: Our picks for the best streaming services

The Roku Ultra is less than five inches square so it’s great for a high-performance compact streaming setup in a dorm room or small apartment. In the box, you’ll find a remote with an audio jack which means you don’t have to worry about disturbing others in the room while you watch. But if you think remotes are a thing of the past you’re welcome to cast movies, video, TV, music, and podcasts to your Roku using your smartphone.

Among a slew of other features like a lost remote finder and voice control, the Roku Ultra 2020 has an ethernet port so you won’t be interrupted by pesky buffering when you’re watching the game-winning play on a sports streaming service. 

You can navigate to the deal using the widget below.

Best cheap Roku deals

1. Roku Express HD
2. Roku Premiere
3. Premiere Plus
4. Roku Streaming Stick Plus
5. Roku Ultra with JBL Headphones
6. Roku smart TV deals

Ironically, most of these deals come from Amazon — home of the Fire TV. That means they could be subject to change frequently, so we’ll do our best to keep the list up to date with new savings.

 1. Roku Express HD

The easiest, most affordable place to start is with the Roku Express HD. All you have to do to get started is plug it into an HDMI cable and get connected to the internet, and then stream to your heart’s content. Roku Express HD offers picture quality up to 1080p, although it doesn’t have the same voice remote as some of the more expensive options.

The Roku Express HD best prices we could find on the Roku Express HD are in the widget below.

There’s also a white, limited-edition version of the Roku Express called the Roku SE. You can pick it up for around $17 from Walmart.

2. Roku Premiere

The Roku Premiere very easy to set up, and it supports higher-quality content than the Roku Express. Where the Express only supports 1080p content, the Premiere streams up to 4K UHD at 60fps with HDR10 and HLG. You can still access the full catalog of apps and features, but the Premiere doesn’t support a voice remote either.

See also: The best Roku streaming players

 3. Roku Premiere Plus

We’ve mentioned the voice remote twice already, and the Roku Premiere Plus is where it comes into play. If you really don’t want to use buttons to navigate your content, use simple voice commands to find all of your favorite shows. Other than the voice remote, the Premiere Plus is generally the same as the Premiere in terms of streaming quality. Last time we checked this deal was currently out of stock at Walmart, but we’ll update this page when if we notice it’s restocked.

 4. Roku Streaming Stick Plus

The Roku Streaming Stick Plus has the longest range of any Roku device thanks to its powerful wireless receiver. That means you can easily deliver voice commands and pick shows from across the room. Setup is as easy as always — just two simple steps. We’ve actually reviewed the Streaming Stick Plus, so find out more here if you’re still undecided.

 5. Roku Ultra with JBL Earbuds

The Roku Ultra is the largest and most powerful streaming device in the family. To make the Roku Ultra even better, it comes with a pair of premium JBL earbuds for private listening through the voice remote. It also features an ethernet cable for wired streaming and an internet connection.

6. Roku smart TV deals

Cheap Roku deals are relative and stretch as far as some very affordable TVs. There are more Roku TV deals than we could ever hope to cover here, but these are just a few of the best chances to save. Check them out below:

• TCL Roku 32-inch 720p TV for $158 ($22 off)
• TCL 40-inch 1080p Smart LED Roku TV for $238 ($62 off)
• Hisense 50-inch Roku 4K UHD Smart TV for $359.99 ($70 off)
• TCL 75-inch 5-Series 4K UHD QLED Roku Smart TV for $998 ($202 off)

These are the best cheap Roku deals currently available. We’ll update this post with new ones once they go live.