Google Android 11 preview: Everything we know so far

Some of you might still be waiting for Android 10 to reach your handset, but believe it or not, Android 11 has already been announced and is available. Well, to some users.

Android 11 is out now in a public beta for certain phone owners and for developers too, with a roadmap that will gradually expand availability before a wide release later this year. Hopefully you at least have Android 10 before that happens!

It’s early on, and Google hasn’t yet released the full slate of details regarding new features and abilities, but we already have a sense of some of the cool additions that come along with Android 11. Here’s a look at what to expect from the OS update, when it will release, and which phones it’s expected to hit.

When will Android 11 be released?

Currently, Android 11 is available in a public beta for select phones and a Developer Preview version.

We’ll see a couple beta revisions in the months to follow ahead of a planned Q3 rollout to the public… most likely alongside a Pixel 5. Given that Android is already a really robust and mature OS, however, we’re not expecting a massive amount of bugs in the beta versions.

What features does Android 11 add?

The beta versions are not chock full of new features and exciting additions, to be honest – but that doesn’t mean that Android 11 will be a boring update. We may see larger enhancements still announced in th ecoming months.

Some of the bits and pieces of the enhancements include enhanced 5G support and better support for different types of screens and device form factors. For now, these are some of the most interesting tweaks we’ve seen in Android 11 so far:

Conversation bubbles: Android 11 introduces a native chat bubble interface that’s nearly identical to what Facebook’s Messenger does, but now for Google’s own Messages and potentially other apps. Messaging conversations are also now spotlighted in the notification shade.

Enhanced permissions: Android will give you better control over app permissions in 11, with the ability to allow access to your location, microphone, and/or camera just once instead of indefinitely.

Better OS updates: Google’s Project Mainline initiative in Android 10 allowed for smoother updates to core device functionality by shifting some updates to the Play Store. Android 11 more than doubles that list so that phone owners don’t have to wait for manufacturers to issue big OS updates to keep up-to-date.

Touch sensitivity: If you’re keen on using a screen protector to shield your phone’s display, then the newly-added option to increase touch sensitivity should help avoid any issues with responsiveness.

Screen recording: This long-expected feature, which lets you easily record a video of whatever is happening on your screen, is back in action in the Android 11 Developer Preview. It’s a niche feature, but one that ought to be in there.

Which devices will get Android 11?

As of now, the Developer Preview is only for Pixel phones – and not all Pixel phones, either. The original Google Pixel and Pixel XL have been left behind, so it’s just the Pixel 2, Pixel 3, Pixel 3a, and Pixel 4 models that made the cut for now.

The initial public beta applies to the same devices, as well. However, we expect that it will expand onto additional semi-recent devices, as Android 10 did last summer. Eventually, once the full version drops in Q3, Android 11 will gradually expand to recent flagships and mid-rangers, although that can typically be a pretty slow process. Fingers crossed that it’s faster this time around.

About

Andrew writes features, news stories, reviews, and other pieces, often when the UK home team is off-duty or asleep. I'm based in Chicago with my lovely wife, amazing son, and silly cats, and my writing about games, gadgets, esports, apps, and plenty more has appeared in more than 75 publications since 2006.