Android 12.1 Update: Everything We Know So Far

Android 12 is presently in beta testing and is scheduled to be released to the general public in October 2021. Every year, Google releases a new version of the Android operating system with many new features. The next Android version upgrade will be a minor one. This new update should be sent out to the Pixel 6 series phones as soon as they are released, according to the XDA-Developers report.

What is the Android 12.1 Update?

The next version of Android will be a minor update over Android 12 and will be called Android 12.1. It isn’t a significant upgrade, so it won’t be dubbed Android 13. Instead, it will be known as Android 12.1. It should be noted Android 13  is still happening; it’s just that there could be an interim “Android 12.1” release.

But hold for a second; the small Android upgrade isn’t really new in the Android universe. Given that Google has ceased issuing minor version upgrades for the Android operating system, known as point updates, this is an interesting development. The latest point update for the Android operating system was Android 8.1 Oreo, and there have been no point upgrades from Google since then.

Google advises developers to upgrade their apps to target API level 31, the framework API provided by Android 12. Android 11 has an API level of 30 and a processor level of 29. As a result, it is raised with each Android version upgrade.

XDA-Developers has discovered evidence in AOSP Gerrit that shows API level 32 corresponds to Android 12 “sc-v2” rather than Android 13 “T.” A Googler adjusts the API level at which a new NDK API will be made accessible from 32 to 33 in a new code modification. This may be because “there are presently no proposed NDK APIs in sc-v2-dev.”

The upcoming Android 12.1 will reportedly enhance the foldable phone experience and a new wallpaper. We could see the “move from the center” animation feature for icons in the taskbar when unfolding a foldable phone. Now, it looks like Google will launch the Pixel Fold with Android 12.1 pre-installed.

Release Date

• The upcoming Android 12.1 point update could be released in December 2021.

Google is expected to release an interim update between Android 12 and Android 13, changing the user-visible version number, resulting in the Android 12.1 point release.

Eligible Phones

The Android 12.1 Update eligible phones list will likely include Google’s upcoming Pixel 6 lineup, Xiaomi’s Mi 11 series, OnePlus 9 series, Oppo’s Reno6 series, Motorola’s Edge 20 lineup, Samsung’s Galaxy S21 family, Realme’s GT family, Asus Zenfone 8 series, Vivo’s X70 series and more.

Having that said, what do you think about the upcoming Android 12.1, and what features do you expect? Please let us know in the comment section below.