The new year means it's time to start looking forward to the next version of Android. Google's popular mobile OS gets annual updates that are always exciting for android fans. And this year, Android will have to be 12 more dozen, with the release of Android1.

So far, we know very little about Android12, but that could change soon. On Android11 last year, Google released its first developer preview on May 2, but it seems likely that the company will follow suit this year.

We expect the public Beta to follow the Developer Preview, as everything will build up to the Android12 release later in the year. While you're sure to hear more about the new version of Android when the first preview release is released, here's what we know so far about Android12:

Google had linked the release of a new version of Android with the launch of its latest Nexus or Pixel phone, but the company has moved away from that pattern in recent years. The last 2 versions of Android were released in early May 9 — 2019/9/3 Android10 and 2020/9/8 Android11. (The latest pixel did not arrive until a month later in both cases.Even though the pandemic has hampered Android11's development cycle, Google still hit its 9-month mark.

That said, Android12 is also very likely to arrive on May 9 this year, but whether it's official or not, there's no word about it. Google is likely to announce a tentative timeline when the developer preview is released on May 2. We also expect to hear more about google's Android12 plan at the Google I/O developer conference, which usually takes place on May 5 (COVID-19 concerns canceled that event last year).

Google also likes to sprinkle Android developer previews throughout the year. In 2020, the first developer preview of Android11 was released in mid-2 and updated almost every month. I hope Google will do the same with Android12.That means you can get your first preview in the coming weeks.

There's no developer preview and only a handful of leaks, so we don't know much about Android12. However, we can make some reasonable assumptions about what Android12 includes.

Double-tap gesture: The double-tap feature codenamed columbus, which first appeared in the Android11 beta build, allows Pixel owners to double-tap the back of their phone, which allows them to perform other actions, such as opening notification shades, taking screenshots, pausing/resuming media playback, and opening Recent. We believe that we can switch to do the same.

Many users found this feature too sensitive in the Android11 beta, and Google removed it from its final release. According to reports, Android12 will be able to adjust its sensitivity to accept only solid taps. You can also turn it off if you want.

App Pair: App pair allows you to launch two apps simultaneously. This is not a new feature for Android phones, but it lacks an official, seamless integration with the operating system code base. Google seems to fix it with Android12 and allow users to launch 2 apps together. A pair of apps will be particularly beneficial to foldable phones that provide more screen real estate.

Theme system: According to the information obtained by 9to5google, Android12 includes the theme system. Users have been asking for this for years. Basically, it allows you to apply a preset color palette to the system as a whole. And if the app developer burns to support, this color scheme can be applied to other apps as well. For now, Google doesn't seem to allow users to create their own palettes, leaving it to the phone maker to create presets instead.

Keep narrowing down to Google's own pixels, as having an exhaustive list of all phones receiving Android12 is a nearly impossible task. Flagship phones like the Galaxy S21 and OnePlus9 in 2021 can also be expected to receive Android12 — hopefully by the end of the year.

Unfortunately, Pixel2 and PIXEL2XL do not receive Android12. That means Pixel3 and PIXEL3XL are next in the chopping block, and Android12 could be the last hurrah. Of all the pixels currently available, here's what you think you'll get when Android12 comes out:

Obviously, the upcoming Pixel6 may have Android12 pre-installed. If you got Pixel5a or Pixel5Pro this year, you can also add Android12 to the list of pixels you got.

In recent years, Google has made the next version of android available as a beta on some third-party phones. But that's generally when the public beta comes out - the developer preview is usually exclusive for Pixel phones.

Once available, Android12Developer Preview will be a big hit on Android land. It is exciting and good for developers to install as soon as possible to prepare the app for the final release, but if the Main de preliminary Pixel3 or higher is laid, proceed immediately.

Developer previews often break compatibility with some apps or make the phone unusable as a mobile phone until Google issues an update, at least initially, it's best to calm your excitement and wait for a release candidate or a final release later this year. Beta software can be a lot of fun, but it is not meant for use as a daily driver.

We don't expect Android12 to be full of user-friendly features like in past releases. Android is in a pretty good place right now, so Google could focus on underlying tweaks to improve system performance, battery life, and more.

Scroll Screenshots: A surprisingly still missing feature in stock Android, Scroll Screenshots allows you to use this to share the bulk of the articles, for example also currently displayed on the screen. We've seen phone makers implement their own take, but OnePlus is the best so far. It's not hard for Google to add this, and I hope Android12 will eventually get it.

Improved Media Control: Android11 makes for a completely clean interface and media control from notification shade to Quick Settings Bar We are a big fan of this change, but it's not perfect. The volume and cast controls are grossly lacking, so I'd like Google to make some adjustments in Android12 so that I can adjust the playback volume or cast it to the relevant hardware.

Game Modes: As more and more people play games on their phones— which is because it has a Play Store, Stadia, Xbox Game Pass, or whatever — we want Google to officially adopt it and add a dedicated game mode to Android12. You can get this on many other devices like OnePlus phones, but Pixels and Android One devices lack it. It's basically a setting to tweak incoming notifications so they don't get in the way, or just pass through certain notifications. It's great to see notification pop-ups can distract you from the game when you're in the middle of a match, boss fight, or intense puzzle