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First look at the Android 11 Developer Preview features

An early Android 11 preview

On the Android Developers Blog, Google just announced the first Developer Preview of Android 11 which might make you think; didn’t they just release Android 10? Well yes, they did (on 3 September 2019). And they have never released a preview of an upcoming Android OS this early before. But there are some interesting features in this preview which we’d like to share with you!

Read more: 10 ways Android 10 will help you

The new Android 11 features

The build comes with loads of new features for developers, but we’ve narrowed it down a bit for an easier overview.

  • Chat bubbles – To begin with, Google has included chat bubbles for the built-in messaging app, which was in the Android 10 preview but didn’t make it for the final version. The bubbles are used by other apps such as Facebook Messenger and can be anywhere around your screen for fast access to a chat.
  • Dedicated conversation section – In the Android 11 preview, conversations rank higher than email and other notifications in the notification bar drop-down. This will help users to faster find their ongoing conversation.
  • One-time permission – In previous Android versions, the user has only had the option to accept or decline app permissions to use the camera for example. Now there’s also an option to give the app permission “Only this time” to increase transparency and control.
  • Support for new screen types – As manufacturers keep pushing the limits in terms of screen designs, Google has developed a new API that allows apps to use the entire screen on pinhole displays, foldable displays, and waterfall displays in Android.
  • Native screen recording – This developer preview also includes the option to record your screen without having to use a third-party app.

Note that this Android 11 developer preview is an early build for developers only, meaning these features are more or less ideas being tested and they won’t necessarily end up in the final version of Android 11.

In May, Google will arrange its annual I/O event where they’ll most likely reveal more about what will be included in Android 11.

Watch the video on top of this page to see The Verge’s first look at the Android 11 developer preview.