Updating Android can be a bit of a hassle for an inexperienced user. Indeed, today there are many different versions, and many of them work successfully on devices and are in demand. If updating to the latest version has become a problem for you, don't worry - in this article we will tell you what is the latest version of Android and how to update Android to the latest version.
Major versions of Android are typically released once a year (though this is not always the case), with monthly security updates released in between. Sometimes Google also releases updates, they are numbered with non-zero numbers after the period (.1, .2, etc.). For example, Android 8.0 is the full version, and Android 8.1 is its addition. Often updates are more significant than the versions themselves.
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Along with each version of Android there is a codename that many people use instead of a version number. Each one is named after a dessert or some other form of confectionery, which is more for fun than anything else.
A Brief History of Android Versions
Let's briefly recall the release history of Android versions, their names and release dates:
- Android 1.5, Cupcake: April 27, 2009
- Android 1.6, Donut: September 15, 2009
- Android 2.0-2.1, Eclair: October 26, 2009 (initial release)
- Android 2.2-2.2.3, Froyo: May 20, 2010 (initial release)
- Android 2.3-2.3.7, Gingerbread: December 6, 2010 (initial release)
- Android 3.0-3.2.6, Honeycomb: February 22, 2011 (initial release)
- Android 4.0-4.0.4, Ice Cream Sandwich: October 18, 2011 (initial release)
- Android 4.1-4.3.1, Jelly Bean: July 9, 2012 (initial release)
- Android 4.4-4.4.4, KitKat: October 31, 2013 (initial release)
- Android 5.0-5.1.1, Lollipop: November 12, 2014 (initial release)
- Android 6.0-6.0.1, Marshmallow: October 5, 2015 (initial release)
- Android 7.0-7.1.2, Nougat: August 22, 2016 (initial release)
- Android 8.0-8.1, Oreo: August 21, 2022 (initial release)
- Android 9.0, Pie: August 6, 2022 (initial release)
- Android 10.0: September 3, 2022 (initial version)
- Android 11, September 4, 2022
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As you can see, the update system didn't have any regularity early on, but since the Ice Cream Sandwich era, OS updates have started coming out annually.
It's also interesting that:
- Honeycomb was the only version of Android for Android, and it worked alongside the Gingerbread build for phones only. The separate phone and desktop OSes were combined, starting with Ice Cream Sandwich.
- Ice Cream Sandwich was perhaps the biggest update to Android to date. He not only combined the tablet and phone versions of the OS, but completely redesigned the appearance of the system.
- Google initially released Nexus devices aimed at developers to differentiate each version of Android. This eventually evolved into the consumer-focused Pixel line of devices we have today.
- Android KitKat marks the first time that Google has teamed up with a commercial manufacturer to release Android. They did it again for Android Oreo.
New widget system and improved optimization
In addition to the redesigned core elements, the Android 12 interface has received a ton of new animations, and it is not yet clear whether it will be possible to disable them. They themselves will consume the hardware resources of the gadgets, but, as Samat , this is compensated by the optimization of the entire system. Samat said that Android 12 works up to 22% faster compared to Android 11, including due to improved use of CPU resources.
Google also redesigned the widget system, redesigning it in accordance with the new design code. If previously the widgets of different applications looked haphazard, now they will have a single style.
Widgets in Android 12 will be able to decorate the interface
For example, as you move around the screen, their background will change to more closely match the part of the desktop image it's placed on top of. For now, this innovation only applies to standard Android widgets, but third-party developers can also implement it.
Android 8.1, Oreo
The initial version of Android Oreo (8.0) was released on August 21, 2022, followed by Android 8.1 update on December 5, 2022.
Compared to its predecessors, Oreo offers a number of updates and new features, including a new download policy, limited background app data, notifications for apps running in the background or battery usage, picture-in-picture, autofill passwords in apps, improved battery life and loading times, Project Treble and more.
Collaborate with other devices
Google programmers spotted one of the proprietary features of Xiaomi smartphones. Now Android 12 has a standard ability to interact with other devices - for example, they can be used as remote controls for TV set-top boxes on Android.
Detailed analysis of changes in Android 12
In addition, smartphones running Android 12 will turn into keys for modern cars thanks to the Digital Car Key function. It can be used to automatically lock and unlock the car, but for now this feature only works on 2022 and 2022 cars and only from the BMW brand. Only Google Pixel smartphones and a few Samsung Galaxy models are supported.
How to find out the Android version
To find out what version of Android is installed on your mobile device:
- Go to the "Settings" menu.
- Scroll down to the bottom.
- Go to About Phone or About Device. If your phone doesn't have this option, it probably already runs Oreo. In this case, look for the "System" option.
- Scroll to "Android Version". If your device already has the Oreo version installed, you can find information about the version in the “System Update” section.
Increased security
Android 12 now has an indication that an app is using the camera and/or microphone. The corresponding icons will be located in the upper right corner of the screen, and the user can quickly limit the “spy”’s access to them in the quick settings menu (top curtain).
It will become more difficult to eavesdrop on the user and spy on him
Android 12 also introduces a feature to hide your exact location. The user can provide programs with access only to his approximate coordinates and thereby significantly complicate surveillance of him.
Privacy Dashboard Menu
The developers have also added a new Privacy Dashboard menu. This is a control panel that contains the permissions of all applications installed on the smartphone. The user can view and change them, opening and closing access to certain programs, for example, to storage or contacts.
How to update to the latest version
It all depends on the manufacturer of your device. Mobile device manufacturers are responsible for processing and delivering Android updates, i.e. Samsung handles updates for Samsung devices, LG handles updates for its phone, and so on. The only updates that Google itself handles are those for Pixel and Nexus devices.
Those. You may not be able to update your device today if your device manufacturer has not yet processed the update.
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To find out if an update is available for your device, go to Settings -> About Device -> System Updates (or similar). Again, this may be in a different location depending on your phone. For example, Samsung installs the System Updates option at the root of the Settings menu.
Clicking this option will check for an update on your device. If an update is available for your phone, it will usually notify you of this fact and prompt you to download and install it right away.
Interface features
Android 12 now features a more customizable Material You design concept. Google replaced with it the previous Material UI concept, which debuted back in the days of Android 5 Lollipop (in 2014).
A brief overview of the innovations in Android 12
The first thing the OS received was an adaptive color scheme for the interface. It adjusts to the colors of the main screen image, and the user can select primary and secondary colors.
New lock screen
The lock screen has also received changes. The designers have noticeably increased the size of the clock and placed it in the center - now it takes up a significant part of the screen if there are no notifications. If they are present, the watch becomes slightly smaller. Their color now also depends on the selected color palette.
The quick settings menu (top curtain) now resembles a similar menu in Apple iOS.
Quick settings menu
All the sliders have become several times larger to make them easier to move with your finger, and Google’s buttons have increased in size for the same reasons.
What's new
The Android R operating system (that’s what the OS was called during its development) received a number of distinctive features. The addition of new features is associated with the gradually changing principle of using a smartphone, as well as the appearance of cool features in custom firmware like MIUI, OneUI and EMUI. All this is outlined in the review of new features.
Increased level of privacy
As with any other update, Android 11 developers tried to improve the protection of user data. In particular, when an application requests to provide information about its location, the smartphone owner can give one of three answer options:
- provide one-time;
- give permission while using the program;
- prohibit geodata tracking.
Of course, similar response options are present in the case of issuing other permissions for applications. For example, a camera, call log or storage device.
Google has also made sure that all previously issued permissions are automatically removed if the program is not used for a long time. And finally, in the new version of the operating system, a smartphone protected with Face Unlock will not unlock if the owner’s eyes are closed.
Notification panel optimization
This includes several Google innovations. First, in Android R, unread notifications are grouped thematically. That is, notifications from conventional messengers are located nearby, regardless of the time a new message is received.
Secondly, there is a reason for joy for those who often communicate in instant messengers and social networks. Now you can give a response directly from the notification panel without additionally launching the program.
5G support
Despite the fact that phones supporting fifth-generation networks are already on the market, before the 11th version of Android, devices received only custom solutions with communication modules. Now 5G support is built into Android smartphones.
First of all, owners of phones running bare Android 11 (Google Pixel) will appreciate the benefits. Well, for owners of OnePlus, Xiaomi and Samsung devices, where 5G has already been integrated, the Android update will bring increased stability in the operation of the communication module.
New Bluetooth features
Until recently, the Bluetooth sensor was automatically turned off after the smartphone went into airplane mode. But in Android R, users will find an innovation that will completely eliminate the problem. Now, while on an airplane, you can freely listen to music through a Bluetooth headset or exchange files between devices.
Music lovers will also appreciate the ability to select a codec when pairing with wireless headphones. And in the next generation of the operating system there is a feature that allows you to play audio via Bluetooth on several gadgets at once.
Screen recording with sound
Another feature that was clearly underdeveloped in Android 10 has undergone major changes in the eleventh generation of the operating system. The next smartphone update will add a screen recording feature with audio. In addition, in Android 11 the ability to select the audio source will become available. This capacity can be either an application or a microphone.
Wireless interaction with PC
In this case we are talking about the Android Debug Bridge function, which is better known by the abbreviation ADB. It is used by those who reflash a smartphone via a computer. In Android 11, it became possible to perform operations without using a wire using Wi-Fi.
Dark theme reimagined
Dark theme is an important phone mode that everyone uses differently. Firstly, mirror replacement of colors allows you to look impressive and unusual. Secondly, it saves energy in conjunction with the AMOLED screen. But in Android 11, dark theme can be used by those who turn it on to relieve eye strain. The new generation of OS introduced a setting for activating color mirroring on a schedule.
Functional food menu
Typically, when you press the power button, a window opens in front of the user from which he can perform 3 actions:
- turn off your smartphone;
- reboot the device;
- turn on airplane mode.
But from now on, the so-called food menu will become functional. In Android 11, you can use it to activate Google Pay or control smart home devices. As a result, all the primary needs of a modern phone owner will be collected in one place.
Manually updating Android firmware
Almost all service centers use this method, but we can easily update ourselves, using exclusively available means. The Odin system application is used for updating. You can download it on many web resources (for example, on the same w3bsit3-dns.com). Using this technique, you can only install a new version of the official firmware, but not a custom one.
1. download the Odin program. We're looking for version 1.83 (or later) - it's very popular among techies and works for the vast majority of products.
2. find and download an archive on the Internet with the firmware we need. After extracting the contents from the archive (you will need it first), you should have 3 files on hand: PIT, PDA and CSC
3. connect the smartphone to the PC. It is critical that the phone is detected correctly in Windows
4. launch Odin. If the device connection was successful, the port name in the program will light up in yellow in the corresponding field
Indication of successful connection of the device to the PC for updating in Odin
5. turn off the mobile device and switch it to Download Mode by pressing the home, power and volume down keys at the same time
6. Confirm activation of Download Mode by holding down the “Volume Up” key
7. in the central Odin window, select the downloaded files so that they correspond to the PIT, PDA and CSC objects
8. In Odin, click the Start button and wait until all files are updated.
If the Android system update went smoothly, a field with the inscription PASS in green will appear on the application screen.
Successful system update via Odin
to update Android to 5.0 using any of these two methods (automatically through a program from the manufacturer or manually through Odin).
List of devices that will receive Android 11
After studying the information about what innovations the next version of Android will bring, one question will arise. Will all phones eventually be updated? Of course, not all, but most of the current devices will be based on Android 11:
- Samsung Galaxy series S10, S20, Note 10, Note 20;
- OnePlus Nord, 6, 6T, 7, 7 Pro, 7T, 8, 8 Pro;
- Xiaomi Mi 9, Mi 9 SE, Mi 9 Lite, Mi9T (Pro), Mi 10, Mi 10 (Pro);
- Redmi 9, 9A, 9C, Note 9 (Pro);
- Poco F2 Pro, X3;
- Oppo Find X2 (Pro), Reno 3 (Pro);
- Realme series 3, 5, 6, 7, X;
- Huawei P30 (Pro), P40 (Pro), Mate 20 (Pro), Mate 30 (Pro).
Of course, this is not the entire list of devices that will receive the update. The lineup is so wide that it is impossible to list absolutely every device. Therefore, all that remains is to note: all smartphones of 2022 and flagships of 2022 will receive Android 11.
System update via Samsung Smart Switch
Since in the manner described above you can only update your mobile device to the minor release build, you should also use a special utility from the manufacturer (for Samsung gadgets this is Smart Switch and KIES, for LG - PC Suite, etc.) or update over the air "(most of the companies that produce smartphones or tablets have such a proprietary feature).
The latest Android update, if it is already available on the server, can be downloaded to your device at any time using just such a program.
1. Download Samsung Smart Switch (there is a version for PCs running Windows and Mac OS).
2. Install Smart Switch and launch the program.
3. Connect the mobile device to the PC via a USB cable (you may need Samsung drivers for correct connection). The phone will display this window:
4. More > Settings.
5. In the Software Update tab, check the “Last preliminary” checkbox and activate the device to download updates.
6. Click OK. Ready.
Precautions before updating Android
Although automatic updating is a simple and safe process, there is always the possibility of force majeure. Therefore, be sure to pay attention to this checklist.
Make a backup
Be sure to back up all the data you need (address book, notes, photos) to a reliable external storage device before taking any of the steps in this guide. This could be an external drive, a hard drive on a PC (as a last resort, a memory card, but not advisable).
Be sure to read it! How to backup data on your phone before updating.
Charge your phone
Since updating the operating system will take some time (from 5 to 10 minutes, and sometimes more), be sure to charge the phone to 70-80% of the total battery capacity so that the update procedure is not interrupted due to problems with the phone’s battery.
Check available phone memory space
When backing up your phone data, check how much space is available on your device. You may need to remove unnecessary apps, images, and other data to free up space needed to unzip the update files. By the way, Android shows you in advance how much space is needed to download the update.
Here's a great guide on clearing junk files from your phone.
General impressions
The system has indeed received a lot of new features, but is it worthy of updating the new license plate? In my opinion, no. At the moment, it seems that Google is just “polishing” its OS, and not introducing something major. And numbered parts are usually associated with large-scale innovations. Yes, Pixel smartphones up to Android 12 will regularly receive Feature Drops (exclusive updates), but other devices will remain left out and are unlikely to receive additional features in this generation. Therefore, now, it seems to me, there are not enough chips to give the update a new figure.
It is commendable that OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro devices will receive the update along with Google Pixel smartphones. This is an indicative step towards reducing system fragmentation. But, of course, the company will still have to work a lot on this issue - the same Samsung releases updates only a few months after the release of a new version of the OS.
