Android 12 Looks A Lot Like iOS; Beta Now Available

During the Google I/O event, the internet search giant has officially launched Android 12. There’s a heavy emphasis on security with this new mobile OS, as is the case for the whole event. But more than that, this new version of Android actually looks a lot like iOS. And it looks like the biggest change in Android 12 is in its UI.

Overall the new design system is known as Material You. And one aspect of this UI change is the range of personalisation elements.

Among them is what the company calls colour extraction. This lets you pick a wallpaper of your choice. The OS itself then determines the best colours that suit it, and applies them to the whole OS like a custom theme. AI is naturally at play here to make this possible.

There’s also the improvements to the motions and animations of the OS with Android 12. For example, a phone’s screen will light up from sleep in different ways depending on the way it was woken up. Beyond that, elements of the UI are overall larger and brighter.

A fair number of security shortcuts

Google has also decided to put the Privacy Dashboard shortcut in the notification shroud. This makes it so that you can check your device’s permissions more easily. You can also grant and revoke permissions from here.

Continuing with the privacy and security features, there will also be an indication when the phone’s camera or microphone are in use. There’s even a shortcut to cut off all apps’ permissions to use them.

Other features of Android 12 include allowing your phone to double as a remote for an Android TV. The OS will also have what’s called the Digital Car Key, which is similar to the Apple CarKey.

If you’re interested in trying these features out, Google says that the beta for Android 12 is available starting today. Though this is limited to the company’s own Pixel phones, as well as selected devices from 11 brands.

Pokemon Go On HoloLens Looks Like The Way It Is Meant To Be Played

Microsoft launched its new Mesh mixed reality platform during its currently ongoing Ignite event. But stealing the show is Pokemon Go, the AR mobile game by Niantic. The two companies have come together to create a proof-of-concept version of the game, played using the HoloLens 2.

The demo of the HoloLens version of Pokemon Go showcases basically the game’s AR mode. For the unfamiliar, this mode allows you to see various pocket monsters in the augmented wild. But rather than having your vision funneled through a phone’s screen, the idea is you get to see a lot more of the world in AR thanks to the HoloLens.

And it’s basically the ideal way to play Pokemon Go using AR mode. There are many constraints with playing the game with AR using a phone, the least of which is battery life. Seeing more of the game overlaid into the world works wonders for immersion, which is ultimately the motive of the mode.

Unfortunately, this is unlikely that the average consumer will ever be able to play Pokemon Go this way. For one, Niantic says that this demo is not intended for consumer use. After all, it’s just a proof of concept. And even if it is, AR glasses are not exactly affordable. This naturally includes the HoloLens 2 itself.