Today is an exciting day for plenty of Android users, as Android 11 is officially rolling out to select devices.
Google announced on The Keyword that certain Pixel, OnePlus, Xiaomi, OPPO, and Realme phones are getting Android 11 starting today. Other device manufacturers will get the update down the road as well.
While the beta of Android 11 has been available in beta for some time, this is the stable release, which means it’s safe for everyone to download and enjoy the latest features Android has to offer.
Google is launching Android 11 with a focus on three major aspects: communication, controls, and privacy. As such, Google is focusing its announcement around 11 key features that fall into these categories.
First, Google focused on new ways to communicate with friends and loved ones using Android 11. The company announced that conversations across messaging apps will be moved to a dedicated space in the notifications section, which will make it easier to keep track of your friends.
Google also pushed a new feature called Bubbles. Basically, these make it easy to send messages without switching apps. The update also talked about built-in screen recording, which is always nice to have.
Next, the company talked about new ways to control your devices. Google is making it so you can access all of your smart devices quickly by long-pressing the power button.
A redesign of Android’s media controls is also included in the Android 11 update. Lastly, Android Auto now works wirelessly for all phones running Android 11 (assuming your car supports it).
The final big push from Google relates to privacy. There are new one-time permissions, the ability to “auto-reset” permissions for apps you haven’t used in a while, and new Google Play system update modules. With these, you can get even more security and privacy fixes sent to your phone from Google Play.
Everything above is coming to all devices that get Android 11, but Google is also rolling out some features exclusive to the Pixel 2 and newer Pixel devices. These include app suggestions on the home screen based on your daily routines and new overview actions. Google announced all of the new features coming exclusively to Pixel devices on The Keyword.
If you’re curious whether your device is eligible to get Android 11, you can go to Settings, System, System Update, and click the Check for update button if the OTA hasn’t already appeared on your device.
As of right now, the update has rolled out to Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL, Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL, and Pixel 4a devices.