There are UI changes that make this better for bigger screens
In Android 12L (via 9To5Google), the notification shade is split up into two different columns, which is one of the most notable changes. On phones, the notification shade exists with your quick settings and notifications on a single column, but that method doesn’t work well for tablets. On Android 12L, the left column will have your quick settings, brightness slider, and media controls. The right side houses all of your notifications. As for the multitasking view, when you summon the multitasking screen, the most recent app appears larger compared to the others. The other apps will sit in a grid to the left of the most recent app. Under the most recent app, you’ll have the option to jump straight into split-screen mode. This is faster than having to hold down on the app icon.
One big addition is an app dock
In an interesting move, Google added an app dock on the bottom of the screen. This isn’t really anything new, as we see things like this on Windows, macOS, iOS/iPad OS, and Chrome OS. This dock will house pinned apps that you want to access quickly. While there is a dock on Android for phones, the dock on Android 12L will remain visible even when apps are open. In terms of looks, it will most resemble the dock on Chrome OS. This addition will definitely lead to some controversy. There are people who will not like having the dock visible at all times. In the test version, there doesn’t seem to be a way of disabling this. However, this is a very early build, so there’s no telling if the option will come with the final build. Much like on Android for phones and Chromebooks, you have the ability to create folders in the actual dock. This is great for two reasons. The first reason is that you can organize your apps better. The second reason is because (at least for this test) there’s only enough space for five icons down there. You will need to make folders if you want quick access to a lot of apps.
When will we see Android 12L?
The official launch for Android 12L is still far off. There’s a developer preview in the works at the moment, but it’s only for the Lenovo P12 Pro tablet, which isn’t even available to buy yet. We can expect an official launch sometime next year.
