Android Go is the shortened version of Android that Google released in 2017 for slow or resource-limited smartphones. In other words, it is an Android with fewer features, but lighter . According to Google itself, there are already more than 200 million people actively using Android Go phones, which is pretty impressive.
Every year Google launches a new version of this operating system to catch up with the news of its full Android. Android 12 Go promises a faster, smarter and more privacy-friendly experience for the cheapest smartphones that will arrive in 2022. Let’s get to know all the details of this latest iteration of Android Go.
All the news and improvements of Android 12 (Go Edition)
Let’s start with the good that Android 12 Go will bring to the entry level of Android smartphones. Here we summarize all its improvements and news:
- More speed when opening an app : applications will open 30% faster and with a smoother animation, compared to Android 11 Go.
- Lower battery and RAM consumption : Apps that have not been used for a long time will automatically hibernate to save battery and RAM space. When this happens, you will receive a notification.
- Recycle Bin : the default file browser (Files Go) will allow you to recover deleted files within 30 days after deletion.
- Listening and automatic translation of texts : on the recent applications screen there will be options to translate or listen to the text of the apps you are using. I wish this was one of the novelties of Android 12.
- Transfer of applications without third-party apps : apps can be shared with other mobiles more easily through Nearby Share and Google Play.
- Better profile management : It will be possible to easily switch to a guest profile before sharing your device, as well as to reset that profile after the person you shared with has finished using it. The profiles will be available directly on the lock screen to simplify this procedure.
- New privacy panel : from there you can see what permissions each application has and revoke them. Additionally, there will be a status bar that will tell you when your apps are specifically accessing the microphone or the camera.
- Approximate location permission: This new permission will prevent you from sharing your exact location with applications that request it. And it is that you will only let them see where you are approximately, which will not affect the weather apps at all, for example.
And that’s it! There are not many new features, but some of them seem to be very useful and will really improve the experience of using this lightweight Android.
The 3 main limitations that Android 12 (Go Edition) maintains
Being a reduced version of Android 12, it is normal that this Go edition has some limitations to maintain decent performance on mobiles with little RAM and modest processors . In any case, it is worth noting what you will not find in Android 12 (Go Edition) so that you do not get disappointed:
- Incompatible with smartwatches or smartbands : Android 12 Go is still unable to pair with Wear OS, Mifit, Zepp or applications of that style that use the Android notification system.
- It does not allow the use of customization layers : perhaps for some this is not a bad thing, but it must be remembered that part of the appeal of Xiaomi, Samsung, Pixel phones, among others, lies in the functions that they bring with their layer. These layers cannot be used in Android Go (at least not as we know them).
- Its applications have fewer functions : Android Go is only compatible with a set of applications adapted for this system, which are basically shortened versions in terms of functions of the apps that we usually use on Android.
Those are the three main limitations that you had to know. For the rest, Android 12 Go is a pretty good operating system for daily use if you don’t want to spend more than € 100 on an Android mobile.
More information | Official Google Blog
