Android 11 surprise — these key features won't reach every phone

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Android 11 surprise — these cardinal features won't reach every telephone

(Image credit: Google/Android)

The Android xi beta is out now for Pixel and OnePlus eight owners to play with, but non all of the features early on adopters are enjoying will accomplish every handset.

XDA Developers has got a hold of the Compatibility Definition Document (CDD) which details what features Google insists manufacturers adopt. If a manufacturer ignores the compulsory features, then Google apps can't be included and a third party of a sudden finds itself in a voluntary Huawei-way position: non platonic.

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But in that location's a 2d class of feature, which is semi-optional. These are marked as "strongly recommended", and the leak shows 3 big Android 11 features which go this treatment, significant there's a hazard that your next Android smartphone won't support them.

First up: Device Controls.This is the feature of Android xi that lets you command smart home devices, such every bit lights and thermostats, via a long printing of the ability push button. Interestingly, XDA Developers notes that this was originally in the compulsory category, merely was relegated to optional by May. Perchance third parties were concerned that users would be dislocated by adding extra functionality to the on/off push button.

Conversations is the 2d Android 11 characteristic that's optional. With this feature, notifications from messaging apps are grouped together in the notifications bar higher up all other alerts. The idea here is to ensure that messages aren't lost in a sea of app alerts. Simply once over again, this is optional, and probably a tacit acknowledgement that the notification panel is 1 of the primary areas that OEMs customize their Android experience.

Finally, there's the IdentityCredential API. This is a system that lets Android 11 safely shop forms of ID – such as your driving licence – on your phone, in a secure offline surround. The XDA Developers reports that this was demoted from essential to optional on March eighteen, and posits that this relaxing of the rules might be downward to how hard it is to implement. In other words, while it's non essential now, it might exist by the time Android 12 rolls around.

It'south important to annotation that simply because OEMs aren't forced to implement these Android 11 features, information technology doesn't mean that they won't. While these are hardly the big headline improvements with Android xi, there'south such precious picayune divergence between handsets that we'd imagine manufacturers would exist loathe to omit features, and potentially give an advantage to their rivals.

For those non currently in the Android xi beta, highlights include new media controls, conversation head bubbles and screen recording. Bank check out our Android 11 hub for the lowdown on all of the biggest new features.

• More: Stay protected with the all-time Android VPN

Freelance contributor Alan has been writing near tech for over a decade, covering phones, drones and everything in betwixt. Previously Deputy Editor of tech site Alphr, his words are found all over the web and in the occasional mag likewise. When not weighing upwards the pros and cons of the latest smartwatch, you'll probably find him tackling his e'er-growing games backlog. Or, more likely, playing Spelunky for the millionth fourth dimension.

Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/news/these-three-key-android-11-features-wont-reach-every-phone

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