Android 12 Beta 3 version has been released by Google, bringing the next big OS a step closer to the final stable build. The focus obviously is on smartphones and tablets, but the bigger screen isn’t being sidelined for now. Yes, the Android 12 OS will be the most exciting change for the TVs and Google has assured that fact with the beta version getting love in the form of some cool new features. The focus, for now, is on the UI elements, privacy controls and most of all security.
Android TV users have lived with the primary interface rendered at 1080p which tends to lag when the UI makes a switch to the 4K content. This will change with the Android 12 version as finally users will be able to enjoy the native 4K support for the user interface.
It means a seamless transition from the UI to the content streaming interface, as both will be set to 4K resolutions. This will be complemented by background blurring for the menu items and pop-up windows that’ll make them stand out for a smooth user experience.
Keeping in tune with the future of gaming and content creation, Android TV 12 will have support for variable refresh rate settings for a better viewing experience. Developers can take advantage of this feature to toggle the screen refresh rate depending on the content being viewed – be it games, photos, or movies.
As a part of the renewed approach towards privacy, Android TV platform will get the native Android 12 privacy as well as security features. For example, the app interface will show whether the microphone and camera are being used via indicators on the top left corner of the screen.
Users can toggle the option to allow the individual app access to the hardware resources through privacy settings on TV. You’ll also be able to view the recent apps that accessed the camera or microphone.
For now, the Android 12 Beta version for Android TV is available for Google’s own ADT-3 developer device. It will be interesting to see which Android TV devices will get support for the latest and greatest Android 12, so stay tuned!
