The 11th iteration of Google’s Operating System – the Android 11 has initially been released for selected smartphones. But recent developments have seen the Android 11 Beta 2 released by Google for all compatible Google Pixel phones.

With the new release, Android 11 has reached the Platform Stability milestone, which means that the APIs and behaviours included in Android 11 are finalised now.

Pretty buggy wordings right? Don’t worry, hang on here with me.

Google seems to prioritize app stability in it’s latest Beta release and is calling on developers to start updating their apps to target Android 11 and make them ready for its official release that will take place in the third quarter.

Although the search giant hasn’t yet revealed the release date of Android 11, it is briefly suggested that it could be September 8, the exact same timing for its Android 10 release last year.

Also, Google made sure to fix most errors reported with the first Beta release and even went on to throw in more spice therein. We will have an expansive look at everything new in Android 11 Beta 2 in a giffy.

Shall we!

Everything new in the Android 11 Beta 2 Update

One of the major changes that Android 11 Beta 2 brings over the existing beta release that debuted last month is its Platform Stability reach.

Essentially, the “Platform Stability verification means that all app-facing surfaces and behaviors are now final in Android 11 ,” said Dave Burke, VP of Engineering, Android, in a blog post. “This includes not only final SDK and NDK APIs, but also final system behaviors and restrictions on non-SDK interfaces that may affect apps. So from Beta 2, you can release compatibility updates with assurance that the platform won’t change.”

Moreover, the Android team confirmed all major requirements are at their final stage for the new beta version, hence, developers are encouraged to start their compatibility testing and publish updates ahead of the official public Android 11 release.

Another major stress point for the recently released Android 11 Beta 2 is its special attention to app compatibility which really cannot be overemphasized.

This means that Google has brought the new beta 2 version to give a ground to developers to make sure that their apps run flawlessly without downtimes and crashes. Developers can test their apps either on an Android 11 Beta 2 device or using the latest emulator available on Android Studio.

“With each release, we’re working to reduce the work you’ll need to do to get your apps ready,” said Burke. “In Android 11, we’ve added new processes, developer tools, and release milestones to minimise the impact of platform updates and make it easier for apps to stay compatible.”

Now, I know I told you to stick by but all the jargons really doesn’t make much sense to you right? And I guess you really asking

What Android 11 Beta 2 release means for you the end user?

Is it really close to public launch or what? Just hit the godammn nail on the head will you!

Easy peasy!!!

Well, in a nut shell, it theoritically means we are gradually getting to the finishing line.

For end users, Android 11 Beta 2 doesn’t include any major surprises over what we already received through the last beta release. You’ll, however, get a list of interface changes that are offered to enhance the overall user experience.

One of the noticeable changes that Android 11 Beta 2 brings is the updated Pixel Launcher that no longer has transparency, as detailed by XDA Developers.

A Smooth Display toggle has also been added to the Display settings to let users easily enable automatic switching from 60 to 90Hz for select content. The existing Force 90Hz option in the Developer options menu has also been removed, as highlighted by some users on Reddit.

Google has also removed some clutter from the Share Sheet available on Android 11 Beta 2 and made a pin icon available for the apps that are pinned on the Share Sheet.

The default screen recording option on Android which has often been a headache for Android users also gets a major addition. Android 11 Beta 2 comes with the ability to record the device’s internal audio while capturing the screen. This is in addition to the existing audio recording from microphone option. You can also use the new addition to record the device’s audio as well as from its microphone simultaneously.

Moving on, a new icon to let you launch a conversation in a bubble has also been added. Similarly, the Allow apps to show bubbles option is now enabled by default for all apps to show conversations in bubbles. The list of supported apps, however, is currently not so populated and includes only renowned names such as Facebook Messenger and Google’s Messages Apps.

Developers have also received a cached apps freezer option that appears to “suspend execution for cached apps,” as noticed by XDA Developers. However, the Android team is yet to reveal the purpose of the new addition.

There is also a pre-installed app called Device Drop Monitor that uses the built-in sensors of the device to detect its dropping and log the duration of the freefall. Once the app detects a fall, it shows a notification to the user and asks them to complete a brief survey to provide details about the accident, as reported by XDA Developers.

This is crazy and one very essential for smartphones and pixel phones which will support pop-up camera module going forward.

Google says it will give users feedbacks after completing the survey that says the user inputs “will help improve the design on future Pixel devices.”

Finally, Google seems to have made the Picture-in-Picture (PiP) mode a little more functional in the latest Android 11 Beta 2 update.

Early Android 11 beta testers, are reporting a limited resizability handling to the Picture-in-Picture (PiP) window in the Android 11 Beta 2. Also present is a dedicated settings for Conversations.

Furthermore, XDA Developers has noticed that the new media player that debuted in the earlier Android 11 Beta release is now available in the Quick Settings panel by default. This means that you don’t need to enable the Developer options menu to activate the new design.

Also, there is a reported new ripple animation effect that appears when you hit the play/ pause button on the media player available in the Quick Settings panel.

Bottom line

All in all, early impressions suggest Android 11 promises to come with a hench of features which definitely will mean more internal storage space options is needed.

Android 10 already gave birth to enormous storage options in smartphones, and with the continuous update been rolled out, we feel devices running or users hopping to update to the new OS should definitely have this at the back of their mind.

When could Google release Android 11 stable update?

We already mentioned how Google usually release it’s premier Operating System in the third quarter of the year, though the latest beta debut suggest we could already have a set date on our hands for the Android 11 stable release.

The search giant hosted a “Hey Google” Smart Home Summit in which it included a slide showcasing a “Checklist for September 8th Android 11 launch,” XDA Developers
reports.

Android 10 was launched in September last year. Thus, it makes sense for Google to launch its new iteration after one year. However, with the Global pandemic that is the Coronavirus pandemic pushing schedules to the extreme, no official communication on the release date has been made so far.

Remember the penta-lens camera setup from the Nokia PureView of 2019? Motorola seems to have taken the level up a notch with the arrangement for the Moto G 5G Plus smartphone.

The Moto G 5G Plus has been unveiled as the company’s latest smartphone. The phone comes with a quad rear camera setup and a Snapdragon 765 SoC.

Before we delve into the full specifications proper, permit me to share couple spoilers to go with

Spoilers please…

(1) The Moto G 5G Plus is equipped with a large 5,000mAh battery with 20W TurboPower charging.

Pretty much the norm these days right?

(2) There’s a dual selfie hole-punch display up front and a fingerprint scanner sits on the side.

(3) And finally, the phone will be available for order from any gadget outlet in Europe from today, though Motorola said it will also launch the device in the US market too.

Yeah, I know didn’t give away much info (spoilers are meant to be snappy) but then, let’s have a full view of the features and specifications of the Moto G 5G Plus smartphone. Shall we.

Motorola Moto G 5G Plus Specifications and Features

The Moto G 5G Plus runs on Android 10 and has a dual-SIM slot (Nano + Nano).

It features a 6.7-inch full-HD+ (1080×2520 pixels) LCD display with 21:9 aspect ratio, 409ppi pixel density, 90Hz refresh rate, and HDR10 support.

However, there’s seems to something going on with the dual hole selfie cam punch-cutout in the display and yeah, there are some thick bezels at the bottom end of the device too.

As mentioned, the phone is powered by the Snapdragon 765 octa-core SoC paired with 6GB of RAM and up to 128GB of storage. The storage is further expandable using a dedicated microSD card slot (up to 1TB).

Yeah, you heard it right no mincing words, “up to 1TB of smartphone storage space”!!!

Moving on to the camera department, there is a quad camera setup at the back of the Moto G 5G Plus sitting inside a square ‘boxy’ module.

Truth be told, was expecting some design upgrade to the Pixels’ sqarish setup from Motorola but, to have so much space around the lenses and not find space for the camera flash is utter ridiculous.

The phone has a 48-megapixel rear camera with f/1.7 aperture, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide angle lens with 118 degree field of view and f/2.2 aperture, a 5-megapixel macro lens with f/2.2 aperture, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor with f/2.2 aperture.

Up front, the Moto G 5G Plus has a dual selfie camera setup inside the dual hole-punch cut out. It houses a main 16-megapixel main sensor with f/2.0 aperture and an 8-megapixel ultra-wide angle lens with f/2.2aperture. There’s support for Screen Flash too.

Furthermore, the Moto G 5G Plus has a large 5,000mAh battery and supports 20W TurboPower fast charging. Motorola values the battery life at more than two-days on fair usage.

There is also a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, and connectivity options include USB Type-C port, 5G SA/NSA, 3.5mm audio jack, Bluetooth v5.1, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, NFC, and more.

The Moto G 5G Plus weighs about 207 grams and measures 168x74x9mm and it weighs 207 grams. Sensors on board include accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity, ambient light, sensor hub, and e-compass.

Motorola Moto G 5G Plus Price and Availability

Moto G 5G Plus is priced at EUR 349 (roughly NGN153,700) for the 4GB RAM + 64GB storage model and EUR 399 (roughly NGN175,600) for the 6GB RAM + 128GB storage model.

The phone has been launched in a single Surfing Blue colour option. It is set to be available in Europe from today, and Motorola clarifies markets like Saudi Arabia and UAE will see the launch in future. Motorola has announced that the Moto G 5G Plus won’t launch in the US, but another sub-$500 phone will make it to North America in the fall.

However, if you’ll want a unit of the ‘cheapest 5G smartphone’ yet here, best option could be through major smartphone major smartphone outlets and official Motorola stores.

To recap, here’s a quick review of the Motorola Moto G 5G Plus key specifications.

Moto G 5G Plus Key Specifications

• Display: 6.70-inch

• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 765

• Front Camera: 16-megapixel + 8-megapixel

• Rear Camera: 48-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 5-megapixel + 2-megapixel

• RAM: 6GB

• Storage: 64GB

• Battery Capacity: 5000mAh

• OS: Android 10

• Resolution: 1080×2520 pixels