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What's new in Android 11 for users and developers



The other day, a preview version of Android 11 for developers was suddenly rolled out. Google says, “Developers, you gave us good feedback last year, so this time we give you a preview sooner than ever” (the release is scheduled for the third quarter, that is, about six months before it).

Because of this, the version is especially raw, not all upcoming features could get into it (something attractive I guess was in store for Google I / O), and some things can still be rolled back before the release. But still it’s interesting to figure out what's new!

As usual, sites like 9to5Google and Android Police immediately tested the preview version in the tail and mane, and eventually released a bunch of texts: about each innovation individually. And we got through this bunch of texts and made for Habr a compilation in Russian - such that it was understandable to the average Android user, but with posts specifically for mobile developers.



Screen video recording


This feature was still in beta versions of Android 10, but then there were difficulties with it and it did not get into the release, and now it has appeared in a new version in a new preview version in a revised form. So in the release of Android 11, I want to believe it will fall.

Basically, her name explains everything. On Android, there are third-party applications for video recording of everything that happens on the screen, but a native solution would not hurt.

What's wrong with the developers : it’s likely that in the situation “the user complains about a difficult to reproduce bug” it will become easier to request a video from the user.


Bubbles


This feature was still in beta versions of Android 10, but then ... Yes, the story is like with a video of the screen: they didn’t manage to bring the feature to the mind for the release of “tens”, and it moved to the next version.

This is an analogue of Facebook Chat Heads: dialogs can be minimized into circles that remain on the screen on top of other applications. Grandma, why do you need bubblesses? This is to make it more convenient to read Habr and at the same time correspond with you, my granddaughter.

But they won’t work magically perfectly in all instant messengers at once: here for Android application developers there are Bubbles API, and the question is how actively developers will use it. Probably, Google will diligently support in all its endless set of Google messengers, but for the rest there is still a question.

What's up with this for developers: if you have the function of personal messages in the application, figure out how you should act here , the documentation is here .


Scoped storage


This feature was still ... well, you understand, right? In Android 10, this thing has already been included, but then made optional (application developers could refuse), but now it has been finalized and comes finally.

The essence of scoped storage is that applications are given access only to their folder, and they will not be able to fumble on other files. Of course, applications like file managers need full access, and for such an exception, “All Files Access” will be thrown. But in general, there is a rapprochement with the iOS approach: to limit applications in capabilities in the name of user security.

What’s up with the developers : If you intend to include Android 11 in targetSdkVersion, then Google strictly says “update your application to work with scoped storage” and gives a link to more detailed text.


One-time permission


And more about enhancing privacy. Previously, when an application requested permission, there were options to "allow", "refuse" and "allow only when using the application." Now for such significant permissions as access to the camera, microphone and geolocation, a new option has been created: “allow only once”.

It sounds very sensible: if in some application you want to use the camera only once to make an avatar there, then there is no need to allow this application constant access to the camera.

But here it’s worth noting that: on the official screenshot with the new version, the previous “allow” option is missing, which would simply give access forever, including in the background.



As far as we understand, this is because at the same time Google is also changing the rules : now only those who justified Google why they really need access to geolocation in the background can request it. Well, as before with access to calls done.

What's wrong with the developers : here you know better whether you are asking for permission and whether the changes are affecting you. There are all sorts of nuances like “if the application has a WebView, it may have different access”, so study the official text .


Screen refresh rate indicator


It’s a very small thing, but there’s a whole story behind it.

Screens with a high refresh rate are now in trend: for example, OnePlus 7T has a 90 Hz screen, Samsung S20 has a 120 Hz screen at all. This gives unprecedented smoothness when scrolling - it would seem beautiful. But there is a problem: frequent updating of the screen consumes energy more actively.

There was an idea “let the screen not always work to its fullest, because if you play a video with 24 FPS, it makes no sense to update it more often”. Sounds good. But in the end, for example, Pixel 4 buyers noticed that they bought a phone with 90 Hz, and he switched to 60 Hz when he wanted to (including when he would not want to). And it was hard to understand when the screen generally does what you paid for. And now in the native settings of the developer, you can turn on the indicator.



What’s up with the developers : if you couldn’t understand “this Google cuts the screen refresh rate or this my application slows down”, it will be a little easier.


5G API


With 5G coverage, everything is still sad even in the US, not to mention the world at large. And the market share of 5G smartphones is also modest. But, probably, somewhere in the 5G zone there are owners of 5G smartphones, and Google takes care of them. We will rejoice for these three people.

In general, the new bandwith estimator and dynamic meteredness APIs are designed to help mobile applications better understand what bandwidth the user has and whether their traffic is limited to send him data in optimal quality.

What is it for the developers : at the moment, and in Russian realities - almost nothing, but if your procrastination whispers “let's do something completely optional instead of five burning tasks”, then pay attention.


Little nothings of life


That it makes no sense to paint in detail:

  • Scheduled dark theme
  • Share ,
  • «Scrolling screenshots»: , ,
  • , ,
  • «conversations»
  • «Do Not Disturb»
  • Bluetooth- «Gabeldorsche» ( )
  • « » Bluetooth ( )
  • Project Soli — «»
  • Well, we also worked with some areas (NNAPI, biometrics, etc.), it makes no sense to retell everything, so we refer to the official post .


In the comments, it would be interesting to hear the opinions of both mobile developers and ordinary users: which of these will affect your life, what pleases and what saddens.

And if you were interested in this post as a mobile developer, then finally draw your attention: on June 23-24 in St. Petersburg we will hold the Mobius conference , and there will be a lot of relevant for you.

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