Android 12 Your Thoughts

[nickdalzell1]

Hey I'm glad Samsung left things alone! Google's UI is horrible, and looks designed for kids or old people. If that mess is 'modern' to you I suppose you'd be right at home with Tandy DeskMate or Windows 1.0.

Why would having less toggles in quick settings be improved? why would taking three steps instead of one to toggle wifi off/on be an improvement? why would having a giant, white empty notification area (when there are zero notifications) with rounded corners be 'modern?'

If Samsung had pulled the same stunt I'd be off of smartphones for keeps as there'd be no one left to go to! These constant redesigns are things no one asked for, and forces users to readjust every update. It's why I normally disable updates. Constantly changing the UI is merely change for the sake of change, when we should be more focused on bug fixes, performance improvements, and security. Why is everyone so obsessed with things constantly changing? pick a UI and leave it alone! "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" seems so lost on today's generation. Kudos to Samsung for being a leader not a follower. Thank you, Samsung, for keeping the SD card and improving your own apps and adding features instead of taking things away like everyone else.

 

[Ludatyk]

Since you didn’t care to quote me.. I’ll do the same.

As I’ve said throughout my post history… we all have our preferences, you care to live in your bubble… away from the general public and refuse to upgrade your OS. For which, I don’t understand. But cool… okay, your preference. And not sure what Tandy DeskMate or Windows 1.0 has anything to do with Android 12 Quick Panel.

Android 12 Quick Panel layout is drastically different from Tandy DeskMate (whatever that is) or Windows 1.0 and I disagree that Google‘s UI is horrible… but that’s your opinion. And I never said anything about the Quick Panels being improved… I prefer the look of it. And I don’t know where you getting your information in regards it takes three steps to use one toggle?

 

[nickdalzell1]

Tandy DeskMate and Windows 1.0 are flat UI designs. Apparently people these days who never lived in that era think flat UI design is 'modern' but to those of us old enough to have lived during the 70s-80s computer era, it's just a regression into the past, hardly modern. Skeuomorphic design woudl have led to better AR and possible holographic UIs but we decided the 80s were where it's at, apparently. A shame music didn't follow!

Having to take more steps to do what used to take one, and also wasting space with a ton of padding when screens are as large as they are to draw literally four toggles where there used to be 6 is beyond logic IMO.

But hey, Android is about customization and being different and not the same, am I right? That's why I'm glad Samsung didn't follow Google. Because Google's Pixel/stock UX can't be nearly as customized as Samsung. I can't change anything about the UI of Android Messages, or put adblock on Chrome, and I don't even like Google apps because as soon as I start enjoying them, they kill them and release something similar but entirely different. But if that's your thing, constantly relearing and re-adjusting to ever-changing UI designs, if that makes you happy? Great. I'll just stay in the 'future that could have been' for as long as it remains possible.

I would have no issue with updates if they didn't feel the need to redesign everything over and over again. I would be perfectly content to update for security/bug fixes. But constant changes that NO ONE asked for, (aren't companies supposed to respond to the demand of the customers?) are no less annoying than when Kroger or Walmart re-arranges the aisles for no reason and forces me to take 2 hours to do what used to be a 30 minute shopping trip.

In the Google-infused Android 12 world, you have to tap 'internet' (the toggle for mobile/wifi), it presents a menu, where you have to select mobile data, or wifi, then flip a switch. In Android 11, that action was as simple as tapping the 'wifi' or 'mobile data' toggle. Not sure why they combined them. But that's just one of many complaints. I don't speak from ignorance, I use the betas and the SDKs.

I actually like some of the background changes. I love the scrolling effect. I love the app opening animations, the security fixes, and many other things. I just hate the UI design. I was fully ready to accept that horrible notification area, as I never use it (I use app bages and have a custom control center widget, and any important notifications are on the AOD or lockscreen or show up on the watch). Android's status bar was always a cluttered mess before but the controls were a benefit. But either way I was prepared, but was pleasantly surprised when Samsung left everything alone.

 

[Awesomesince86]

Wait a min… you don‘t care for the new Quick Panel toggles on Android 12 that’s on the Pixel launcher?

I definitely like what Google did with it, looks more modern… I was hoping Samsung would take that from Android 12. But nope… Galaxy users still have the same Quick Panel layout. I’m aware they are ways to change it, but it’s going to be an overlay. And I don’t care for that.

Nah, I'm not a fan. The buttons are comically big. I get that kind of the design aesthetic but it means you cant really fit more than a few quick toggles due to size. It sacrifices functionality for looks which I'm not a fan of. Also, the "internet" toggle doesnt make sense. Before you could just turn off/on wifi with the press of a button. Now it takes like 3 presses. Its overly complicated.

This is a minor issue, it doesnt bother me that much but I do think it was a step back. However, I really like the built in home controls button and the Google Pay toggle. Both have been needed for a while.

 

[nickdalzell1]

It's a shame they took away the home controls from the 'power button menu'. Android 11 introduced the ability to hold the power/lock key to show quick shortcuts to Google Home/Nest shortcuts/toggles as well as a one-tap for Google Pay, but it got taken away in 12.

 

[Ludatyk]

Nah, I'm not a fan. The buttons are comically big. I get that kind of the design aesthetic but it means you cant really fit more than a few quick toggles due to size. It sacrifices functionality for looks which I'm not a fan of. Also, the "internet" toggle doesnt make sense. Before you could just turn off/on wifi with the press of a button. Now it takes like 3 presses. Its overly complicated.

This is a minor issue, it doesnt bother me that much but I do think it was a step back. However, I really like the built in home controls button and the Google Pay toggle. Both have been needed for a while.

That’s understandable. Since your fan of function over form… you’ll fit right into the Apple Watch and how‘s that experience going?

And I recently read about the internet issue, but supposedly there’s a fix to not over complicate it.

How to get the old Wi-Fi toggle back on your Android 12 phone

Just a couple of minutes and two ADB commands

www.androidpolice.com

 

[Awesomesince86]

That’s understandable. Since your fan of function over form… you’ll fit right into the Apple Watch and how‘s that experience going?

And I recently read about the internet issue, but supposedly there’s a fix to not over complicate it.

How to get the old Wi-Fi toggle back on your Android 12 phone

Just a couple of minutes and two ADB commands

www.androidpolice.com

I haven’t pulled the trigger on an Apple Watch yet but I’m probably gonna pickup a Series 7. Frankly, I am enjoying my time with the iPhone 13 Pro Max. It’s not as fun or flexible as android, but the little touches of polish are nice.

While I miss some android features like the notification system and call screening, in the end most of my time is spent in apps and that’s where Apple has the advantage. People can disagree, but I just feel like apps are higher quality on iOS. Oh and while I prefer the android notifications, due to doze and battery optimization they are definitely more delayed on android whereas I get them immediately on iOS. Not a big deal, but it’s noticeable.

Oh and battery life is insane. It can’t be overstated how much better the 13 PM battery is compared to every other mainstream device. It’s hours of SOT better.

All in all, I’m enjoying it right now.

 

[ian87w]

Yup. I tried switching from Samsung Internet to Microsoft Edge and see if that helped, but nope. Haven't tried using a different keyboard (Stock Samsung Keyboard). But not sure if that's the cause of it because text field is buggy when I use my Bluetooth keyboard. And it's very annoying.

Just an update, I finally downloaded GBoard and it doesn't have the issue. So it's the Samsung keyboard issue, seemingly.

 

[Ludatyk]

Just an update, I finally downloaded GBoard and it doesn't have the issue. So it's the Samsung keyboard issue, seemingly.

That’s unfortunate… its odd that it happens in the browser, if I go to any other app… I don’t get any weird text input. I’m guessing I’ll have to use SwiftKey since it supports Split Keyboard.

 

[The Game 161]

Anybody here had the magic eraser break their photos app or is this issue overblown?

 

[Zwhaler]

One UI 4 for Samsung my only gripe is the rubber band effect when scrolling to the top of the list in apps. It isn't nearly as visually appealing as iOS's version. I went into developer mode settings and disabled animations over it. It persists in the web browser but I can live with it there. If it looked exactly like in iOS I would keep it on, but it feels cheap in comparison. It basically "stretches" or "warps" the content. It slows down the OS a little bit as well.

 

[nickdalzell1]

what makes it different from iOS? It might be the 120Hz display on my phone but it looks pretty much dead-on to me? Android scrolling has been a pet peeve of mine since the first android version in 2008. Stuttery and sudden stops at the end were super annoying having been spoiled previously by the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 before iOS 7.

If one thing annoys me today it's the gesture system. Two years later and I still can't get it to work expectedly. I try to go to recents and just go home, or try going home and open something I didn't intend, or the back swipe doesn't register, etc. I want to like it and learn it since it has neat animations but like 3D Touch on my 6S, I fail at it. It's like it's designed for people in their teens with better dexterity. I also don't want to turn on the navbar since it causes screen burn in and takes up space. I do wish they kept capacitive buttons like the S5, S6 and S7, or moved them to the rear like an LG phone. But this isn't Android 12/One UI 4's fault. Just something that bugged me since the iPhone X came out.

 

[Heat_Fan89]

A real good article that explains the difference between Android 12L and A13.

What's the difference between Android 12L and Android 13, and when will my phone get it?

Clearing up a little "feature drop" confusion

www.androidpolice.com