Samsung starts shipping Android 12L after six-month wait

Google might have already upgraded to Android 13, however the largest Android maker, Samsung, is just simply starting to replace units to Android 12L. Android 12L was launched in March, so Samsung’s replace time is round six months.

Yesterday the corporate introduced Android 12L for the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3, each of which launched with Android 11 final yr. Simply earlier than the weekend, Samsung additionally introduced Android 12L for its flagship pill, with the Galaxy Tab S8 sequence first on deck for updates.

Each of those units are nice candidates for Android 12L, as this launch was primarily centered on large-screen units and foldables. The principle characteristic is the decrease taskbar, which shows current app icons, permitting you to simply change between them. There are new split-screen options like the flexibility to see three apps without delay, and you’ll simply launch split-screen by dragging an app off the taskbar. There’s additionally a brand new split-pane notification panel.

There is not any phrase on an Android 12L replace for Samsung’s flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S22. The S22 simply obtained an replace that introduced Samsung’s pores and skin model quantity as much as par with these big-screen 12L Android units, so there is a good likelihood 12L won’t ever come to Samsung smartphones. commonplace.

Rolling out Android 12L was a brand new technique for Google, which appears to have labored. Normally, releases arrive in the direction of the top of the yr on Pixel telephones, and the remainder of the Android ecosystem slowly begins to roll out the discharge over the following calendar yr. Android 12L noticed Google cut up Android’s growth yr in half, with the 12L launch in March and a smaller model of Android 13 in August.

We wrote on the time: “Speeding the 12L’s options provides Samsung and Lenovo the standard six-month window to have a brand new model of Android prepared in time for the vacations.” That seems to be precisely what occurred, with Samsung’s August launch of the Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4 getting Android 12L performance and people updates arriving in time for the top of the yr. If you cannot velocity up Android ecosystem updates, it looks as if reducing the construct in half and releasing code sooner is a viable technique to get key options to market sooner.

Itemizing picture by Samsung