The Android 11 Beta 1 is now available and it has revealed a number of added features for smartphone users that adds a slightly new look and new capabilities.
If you are a Google Pixel user you will probably get first access to the new Android 11 Beta 1.
The updates mainly focus on notifications, controls and privacy.
A new section called Conversations will group together notifications from various messaging platforms like Whatsapp and Facebook Messenger.
A bubble notification – similar to what we’ve already seen with Facebook Messenger – will also now be available for other app developers to display their notifications.
And a long press on the bubble will allow users to set the urgency of the message or let them dismiss it altogether.
A new Voice Access feature will also be visible at the top of the screen which will be aware of what’s on the screen at the time to add even more context to certain voice commands.
On the control side, Android 11 Beta 1 will give users the power to control their smart devices through a dashboard on their smartphone after a longer press on the power button.
It will be similar to Apple’s HomeKit app and give users access to all of their Google Assistant compatible devices.
Controlling your media playback will also be improved and will reside in the Quick Settings section but it can also be expanded to offer more detail and more control over what you’re watching or listening to.
Privacy-wise, the Android 11 Beta 1 update will revamp its location permissions for a one-time use and then, after a set period of time, ask for those permissions again.
