Along with the trash can, Android 12 appears to add a new app hibernation feature to Google's mobile OS.

XDA Developers recently obtained a leaked build of the Android 12 beta version and found a new "remove permissions to free up space" toggle for individual apps. This appears to be an extension of the automatic revoke permissions feature introduced in Android 11, which also adds the ability to delete files.

Android 11 allows users to select the "Remove permissions if app is not in use" option for certain apps. If selected, Android will automatically revoke the permissions set for that app if it is not used for several months. This Android 12 upgrade apparently works very similarly. After a long period of inactivity, the OS deletes the temporary files stored by the app, freeing up storage space on the phone.

Basically, this puts the app in a dormant state and you will not receive any notifications for it. This may be a useful upgrade for those who have a phone full of rarely used apps but don't want to go through the hassle of uninstalling and reinstalling them every time they need them again.

It is important to note that this information is from a leaked version of the beta OS and does not necessarily reflect how Android 12 will function when it is finally released. However, Google has definitely put enough thought into this feature to make it a practical form. It is also not likely to be an obtrusive or controversial feature, so there is a good chance that it will be a finished product.

We do not know if Android 12 will be released exactly, but given that Android 10 and Android 11 launched in September 2019 and 2020, respectively, it would not be surprising if Android 12 launches in September 2021. Also, more details about Android 12 may be revealed at the next Google I/O developer conference, which begins on May 18 and ends on May 20.