Back in March, Google came out and confirmed that Android 12L will be coming to the Surface Duo later this year. And now, it seems that we are edging closer to its release. Zac Bowden, a source usually reliable when it comes to Surface hardware has reiterated this and indicated that Microsoft is in its final stages and that the release is set to be made in the next couple of weeks.
While there is no expected hardware release to follow up the Duo 2 this year, many are expecting at least parts of Android 12L to hit current devices this Fall and among some of the features rumored to show up as per Bowden’s contacts. Among them is “a refreshed design with Windows 11-inspired “Fluent” elements”, like the settings app, the notification shade, and Microsoft Launcher activity feed. Unlike previous releases, Microsoft will allegedly apply its own Fluent design language to Android.
Furthermore, both blurred surfaces and effects are expected to feature throughout the OS. What’s more, users can expect more fluid animations when using gesture navigation to open and close apps. With this partcular update, some feature updates and enhancements are quite similar to those you’d find on a Windows PC. For instance, the quick settings area in the Android notification shade mirrors quick settings area in the Android notification shade.
According to the reporting, users will be able to select and apply a system accent color based on the prominent color in the wallpaper set as they would on Windows. There’s also a newly integrated “pen menu” that is quite similar to Windows 11’s pen menu, in that when you press the button at the top of the Surface Slim Pen 2 it pops up. You can also customize it according to your preferences and even add shortcuts to installed apps.
The update also reportedly features a new Duo Connect mode for enterprise customers which is designed to provide them with a “continuum-style experience” when linked to a a larger external display powered by the Windows 365 cloud PC service. Though it is not yet clear if the feature will be available once this update ships or it may roll out later on.
