- Android 11 Beta comes with chat bubbles and new power menu button.
- Have conversation and media control features.
- Android 11 is currently available for pixel phones only.
Google has released Android 11 Beta for pixel phones. It offers Google Meet to everyone and comes with several new features. Some key features are conversations, bubbles, notifications, media control and many more.
Android 11 beta can be downloaded by Pixel 2 and all the latest Google Pixel phone users only. All the other phones from other brands will receive the update later in coming days.
"Android 11 will move all of your conversations across multiple messaging apps to a dedicated space in the notification section. This makes it easy to see, respond to and manage your conversations all in one place," said Dave Burke, VP, Android Engineering at Google.
You can now quickly access and control your smart devices in one place by long pressing on the power button. Adjusting the temperature, turning on the lights or unlocking the front door can now be done with a tap without opening multiple apps.
"We're also introducing new media controls in Android 11, making it quick and convenient to switch the device your audio or video content is playing on. It is now easier to bring your music with you from your headphones, to speakers, or even to your TV," said Google.
Android 11 also brings features like screen recorder, updated Voice Access, improved performance, and an improved share menu that makes it easier to share content from your phone.
Privacy Features also added to enhance control over sensitive permissions with the Android 11 beta. Users will be able to give apps a one-time access to microphone, camera, or location and the app will request for access again when it is used the next time. All the runtime permissions that an app has been granted will be reset if that particular app has not been used for an extended period of time.
Features of Android 11 Beta
- Conversations: The notification shade now breaks out messages from your texting apps into their own section at the top.
- Priority conversations: You can mark certain conversations as “priority,” which puts the sender’s avatar on your lock screen and optionally allows you to let them break through your Do Not Disturb settings.
- Bubbles: You can have your texting threads pop out into a little bubble that floats over your other apps. It works just like Chat Heads for Facebook Messenger but is now available to any texting app.
- Notifications: Have simpler, easier-to-understand presets for “Alerting notifications” and “Silent notifications” and allow you more control over how those presets work.
- Do Not Disturb: Lets you customize which apps or people are allowed to notify you when the mode is on.
- Media controls: Have been moved up into quick settings, and you can select where your audio output goes now.
- Screenshots: Now appear on the lower-left corner, just like they do on the iPhone.
- Native screen recording: Should finally become an official, Android-level feature.
- Power menu: Now serves as a kind of digital wallet, with controls for powering your phone, Google Pay cards and passes, and now smart home control.
- The recent screen: Now has new buttons for taking a screenshot, sharing a screenshot, or selecting text.
- Voice Access: The accessibility feature that allows you to control your phone by speaking, has been upgraded and can now understand “screen content and context, and generates labels and access points for accessibility commands.”
How to get Android 11 beta
Android 11 beta is available for the pixel 2, pixel 2 XL, Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL, Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. If you have Pixel phone then go to the enrollment page and you should see eligible devices that are associated with Google account. After enrolling, you should get a notification within 24 hours on your phone for the updates.