Android release notes
- Android 13 - Tiramisu
- Android 12 - Snow Cone
- Android 11 - Red Velvet Cake
- Android 10 - Q
- Android 9 - Pie
- Android 8 - Oreo
- Android 7.0 - Nougat
- Android 6.0 - Marshmallow
- Android 5.0 - Lollipop
- Android 4.4 - KitKat
- Android 4.2 - Jelly Bean
- Android 4.0 - Ice Cream Sandwich
- Android 3 - Honeycomb
- Android 2.3 - Gingerbread
- Android ???
Similarly to the Windows release notes, I wanted to have an overview of which version of Android introduced some changes compared to previous versions.
The newer version of Android added some features that were previously only available with root access but also removed other features, which means that even with the latest Android version, there are still valid reasons for having full access on the hardware.
Contrary to Windows, Android versions are released much more often, so I did not use most versions, and did not experience first-hand many changes.
Android 13 - Tiramisu
-
applications needs to ask permission before showing notifications
-
new permission for scanning Wi-Fi without accessing also the GPS data
-
user can restrict access to specific images/videos instead of the whole gallery, but it seems that applications need to opt-in
-
better compatibility with OpenJDK 11 🗄️ (OpenJDK 11 was released in September 2018, Android 13 in 2022)
-
webview should apply the color theme automatically 🗄️, but it is not clear how (if possible) to change the settings for single pages
Android 12 - Snow Cone
-
Material Design 3 (Material You)
-
new buttons
-
new animations
-
navigation bar toggles twice as big (thus only space for half of them)
-
buttons and sliders (like power menu buttons, slider for luminosity and volume) are much fatter
-
dynamic colors
-
feels less personal (background is not shown anymore when switching applications, during lock screen input dialog, when pulling down the notification bar, and other places. On LineageOS there are also fewer customization options for colors, fonts, …)
-
-
scrolling screenshots
-
popup when accessing the clipboard
-
backup and restore 🗄️ seem less useful as before. No offline backups are supported, only in the cloud, and setting up a new device (if the application implements the API at all).
Android 11 - Red Velvet Cake
-
"conversations" notifications
-
built-in screen recorder
-
support for foldable smartphones
-
"one-time" permissions 🗄️ for the camera, microphone, and location
-
mandatory scoped storage
Apps targeting Android 11 are only allowed to access files in external storage that they have created themselves ("scoped storage"), preferably contained within an app-specific directory, and audio, image, and video files contained within the Music, Pictures, or Videos directories. Any other file may only be accessed via user intervention through the Storage Access Framework.
Android 10 - Q
-
gesture navigation system (alternative to traditional three-key navigation)
-
system-level dark mode
-
applications can be restricted by users to only having access to location data when they are actively being used in the foreground
-
new restrictions for background apps
-
security updates for the operating system will be delivered via Google Play Store, without requiring a complete system update
-
introduces scoped storage
-
support for foldable smartphones
-
MAC address randomization 🗄️ (but the user has no control over it)
-
Separate permission for accessing metadata of images 🗄️, otherwise the images are copied without it 🗄️
Android 9 - Pie
-
Material Design 2.0
-
algorithms to prioritize background activity by apps based on long-term usage patterns and predictions
Android 8 - Oreo
-
notification grouping
-
Settings app features a new design which has been reduced in size, with a white theme
-
supports the display of battery percentages for connected Bluetooth devices
Android 7.0 - Nougat
-
Multi-window view
-
Quick switch between apps (double click on the square button)
-
Quick Settings
-
It is not possible to update CA system certificates 🗄️ anymore
Android 5.0 - Lollipop
-
Integrated flashlight
-
changed the back button to a triangle, the stylized home button to a circle, and the app-switch button to a square
-
Material design, removed black theme
-
"OK Google"
Android 4.4 - KitKat
-
Disable access to external storage (except for own data directory)
Android 4.0 - Ice Cream Sandwich
-
Customize lock screen with direct access to applications
-
Introduction of the MTP protocoll, and begins dropping out "USB mass storage"
Do you want to share your opinion? Or is there an error, some parts that are not clear enough?
You can contact me anytime.