Google releases third and final beta version of Android 12L

Google released the third and final beta version of Android 12L today. This special version of the operating system is made for large screen Android devices, hence the name Android 12L(in other words, the "L" stands for "Large"). The final version of Android 12L will reportedly be made available to the public during the first quarter of 2022.

If you are interested in testing out the third beta version of Android 12L, you need to sign up with the Android Beta Program which Pixel models from the 3a series to the Pixel 6 series can now do. Once you are subscribed to the Beta Program, you will receive an OTA update to install. Keep in mind that beta software isn't stable and if you are using a Pixel as your daily driver, you might not want to risk losing a feature or dealing with poor battery life until the final version of the update is dropped.

Besides, Android 12L was created to enhance the Android experience for tablets and foldable devices and Pixel handsets are neither one of these. In addition to the Pixel 3a series and later, the Lenovo P12 Pro tablet is also eligible to try out the beta version of Android 12L. To have your Pixel join the beta, click on this link and tap the box that says "View your eligible devices."

You will then see a box with a picture of your Pixel model. Click on opt-in to receive an OTA update to install. If you want to return to the public releases of Android, tap on this link and the Devices header and click on opt out to leave the beta program (all of your data will be wiped).

If you want to join the Android 12L Beta Program with your Lenovo P12 Pro tablet, visit this website and follow the directions. Directions are also available from this website for those with the Lenovo tablet who want to return to the official release software. As with the Pixel phones, leaving the beta program will force Lenovo P12 Pro tablet users to lose their data.

Frankly, we are so close to the official release of Android 12L that those who want to install it on their compatible Android device might as well wait for that release to be made. To reiterate, Google says that it will drop the stable version of Android 12L during the first quarter of 2022. That means that it shouldn't be released later than March 31st.

Google says, "12L refines the system UI to make it more beautiful and easier to use on large screens—across notifications, quick settings, lockscreen, overview, the home screen, and more." Quick Settings and notifications appear in a two-column layout. On tablets, the PIN controls and lock screen pattern are placed on the side for easier reach.

Apps can be run in split-screen mode by dragging and dropping them from the taskbar. To reveal the taskbar or hide it, users will need to long-press on the screen.

Talking about the changes being made to Google Play with Android 12L, Google said, "To make it easier for people to find the best app experiences on their tablets, foldables, and Chrome OS devices, we're making changes in Play to highlight apps that are optimized for their devices."

Google Pixel 6

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Google adds that "We're adding new checks to assess each app's quality against our large screen app quality guidelines to ensure that we surface the best possible apps on those devices. For apps that are not optimized for large screens, we’ll start warning large screen users with a notice on the app's Play Store listing page."

For large screened Android tablets and foldables, installing Android 12L is a no-brainer. For Pixel handsets, the decision will be yours. As Google says, "12L is a special feature drop that makes Android 12 even better on large screens. We've optimized and polished the system UI for large screens, made multitasking more powerful and intuitive, and improved our compatibility support for apps so they look better by default."

Personally, we wonder whether Android 12L might look cluttered on a Pixel 6 Pro in portrait mode.