No doubt the fact is Android 12 hasn’t had the smoothest of launches. It’s not only because of the late launch but now that it’s finally here it, well, is not actually.
Google take a strange decision to launch Android 12 onto the AOSP (Open Source project), an open-source version of the platform used by developers. Though it is not a new thing, as Google usually does with its all-new versions, but it always launches them on Pixel phones at the same time as well. Except for this year!
If you are a normal user, you will not get the official update of Android 12 onto your smartphone right now or this year, even if you have a Google Pixel 5 handset.
Overall, this is a strange condition which has led to misperception, with articles title the Android 12 is finally here, when the functionally for isn’t and with quick reviews looking that might not be completely representative, since the version that performs on even Pixel smartphones is probable to be at least a little bit dissimilar.
This strange launch also indicates that when Android 12 does finally launch on phones, it will probably do so with less fanfare than normal, because of it’s already out, kind of.
This looks like to be a subject for Google 2021, with the firm also semi-announcing the Pixel 6 range back in August, but leaving us waiting until 19th October for a complete launch. But at that time it was building publicity for phones, whereas with android 12 it’s just making misunderstanding.
Why this is happened with Android 12 and what should have happened?
So why did Google do this with Android 12? Fundamentally because the AOSP version of Android was completed, however, the version being dispatched to Pixel phones wasn’t.
In a remark to Android Central, a Google spokesperson said that “They are placing the concluding touches on a distinctive announcement with Pixel-exclusive and Pixel-first experiences on Android 12. This will roll out to Pixel users in the next few weeks.”
The operational team on Android itself is also dissimilar to the team working on the Pixel handsets, so whereas they apparently converse and synchronize a lot, eventually the previous team got its assignment completed, while the final still needs to add some ultimate touches.
But just for one team completed fast than the other it doesn’t mean it required to release Android 12 – in a form, most people can’t make use of – before the Pixel version was done. It sounds like the delay is almost over for Android 12 on Pixel, so couldn’t Google just have waited an extra couple of weeks and launched both versions collectively like in any other year?
Performing so would have evaded all this misunderstanding and condemnation, and permissible Android 12 to land with a boom rather than a grumble.
Why Google didn’t do this, is not at all clear now. We can’t visualize it was down to a lack of communiqué between the two teams – though if it was then that’s a sign of much bigger, more universal complications.
More likely the firm only defined that receiving Android out on AOSP sooner rather than later would be advantageous to developers. And Google is undoubtedly factual, but whether doing so was value the misperception caused we’re less sure.
It doesn’t relieve that some captions added to the misunderstanding by saying Android 12 had launched, with no cautions, but Google should have expected that would happen.
A devastating contrast
If we will compare Android 12 with the launch of iOS 15, then you will find a huge difference. iOS 15 was declared on 14th September and went live within a week later on 20th September with that date being confirmed on the day of the declaration.
It launched on the date for all compatible devices along with running back to the old iPhone 6S from 2015! There was no confusion and no uncertainty you will find in the launch of iOS 15’s rollout.
Now if you compare to Android 12, which is here, except it’s not! It will be coming to Pixel phones soon, but there is no surety on this! When it will land on Pixel, we don’t even know about this and which models this new update will be compatible with. We are just expecting it for the Pixel 3 onwards because there is a beta version available, but Google officially has not given any confirmation on it.
The Pixel 3 was also launched in 2018, so if that is the limit then it’s considered as very little support than Apple is providing, though it’s not a new thing for Android. Then definitely it will be at least weeks and in some cases months before most of the handsets from other manufacturers get android 12.
Overall, there are different kinds of issues here, with several causes, and most of them are hard to resolve. Some of these problems Android has always confronted too. Android launches are always unclear, especially compared to iOS, but this year it was completely unsolved.
That’s an actual disgrace, especially as Android 12 itself looks to be an exhilarating update, with a comprehensive visual renovation. Google’s failed launch has slightly taken the sparkling off that, so expectantly Android 13’s launch will be better and considered seriously.
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