Android 12 Developer Preview 3 Overview
Google has released the Developer Preview 3 of Android 12 with some new features like Game Mode, a better "Monet" theme and some major UI changes.
New Features in Android 12 DP3
There is a major Quick setting overhaul in the works, a new Game Mode for the avid gamer, new quick gestures, a new unlock experience and new animations for bringing it all together.
Some features are hidden and need to be unlocked via an Xposed module suggesting they might be in a private testing phase and might not make it to launch day.
The New Quick Settings Panel
The quick settings panel in Android 12 already underwent minor changes in the earlier developer previews and now it's been completely overhauled. The brightness slider which received a new design in DP2 has not changed but the the QS tiles which used to be rounded and small have become big and rectangular and more accessible with one hand. This seems to be in line with the one handed aesthetic in the other parts of the UI. More information is available too as the tiles are now much bigger.
The new Game Mode
The Developer Preview 3 also includes a working Game mode albeit a buggy one. The older Previews did have the mode but it didn't work as intended. The new mode includes a FPS counter, a Game optimization menu, an option for taking a screenshot, record
ing the gameplay and an option to live stream to YouTube directly with one click of a button. This is a highly requested feature as most of the custom Android skins have some form of a "gaming mode" which was always absent in the Pixel line of phones.
The new Lockscreen experience
Android 12 received a huge overhaul to the lockscreen with the oversized time display and better notification placement for one handed use. The PIN is easier to enter with big buttons for each number and a satisfying ripple effect on every touch of the buttons.
The improved "Monet" theme
Android 12 had a hidden theme algorithm with code name 'monet' which dynamically changed the accent theme for the whole UI based on the tint of the wallpaper. It was a little buggy in the DP2 but seems to be working well in DP3.
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