Google is prepping the Android 12 launch for later this year. As always, Google will release the developer previews and betas first. Google shares documents with developers and other stakeholders before the stable release. An alleged draft of the document has been leaked and reveals some interesting aspects of Android 12, including UI changes and new features.

First things first, a screenshot shows the new Android 12 notifications panel UI. Interestingly, the background is now less opaque and is painted in beige color. However, the color will change along with the theme or dark mode.

Moving on, the notifications remain mostly unchanged with rounded corners. The only difference is that the icon somewhat pops out as compared to before. Furthermore, the Notification section is segregated into Conversations and Notifications. In other words, conversation notifications like messages and others will be clubbed into a single category.

Android is often accused of playing catchup with iOS when it comes to privacy features. This time around the Android 12 could offer new privacy indicators on the top right-hand corner. It will warn users when apps are using hardware like a camera or mic in the background. The warning might also pop up in the form of a notification light. You will also get to know which apps are using a microphone or camera.

According to us, the most exciting feature is the sensor kill switch. Yes, the Android 12 could feature a kill switch that will disable all the sensors on your smartphone. In all likelihood, the tile will appear only after you enable the developer option. Later on, the sensor toggles might be placed in the Privacy settings.

Our Take

Android 12 leaked screenshots look similar to iOS 14. It seems like Google is overhauling the widgets section as the screenshots show off a “Conversations” widget. Perhaps it will highlight all the recent messages and other items like missed calls.

There is no way to confirm the authenticity of the leaked documents. Folks at XDADevelopers claim to have verified the actual document and the associated screenshots.