Google Android 12 is here: personalized design based on wallpaper color, long screenshots, new status bar indicators...

On October 20, Google released the new Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro mobile phones early this morning. At the same time as launching the new phones, Google also officially launched the Android 12 system for current Pixel mobile devices today. In addition to Material You, improved quick settings, and a series of other new features of Android 12, it also has the October security patch. If your device has not yet been installed, Google has just released the official OTA and factory image.

The official version of Android 12 can now be installed on Pixel 3 and later models, including Pixel 3A, Pixel 4, Pixel 4A, Pixel 4A 5G, Pixel 5, and Pixel 5A. It will also be launched on Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. Android 12 will be available on Samsung Galaxy, OnePlus, OPPO, Realme, Tecno, vivo, and Xiaomi devices later this year.

In its latest Android Security and Privacy Year in Review, Google noted that “no critical security vulnerabilities affecting the Android platform were publicly disclosed, and no security updates or mitigations were provided for Android devices.” Additionally, security patches increased 84% year-over-year in the fourth quarter of 2018 compared to the previous year.

On a Pixel 5 phone already running Android 12 Beta 5, the final Android 12 OTA is less than 5MB, with the October security patch dated on the first Monday of the month. Many users, especially those in the Beta program, only have to wait two weeks to get the final version of Android 12.

The most notable feature in Android 12 is the new Material You design, which lets you dig a little deeper and tweak the look of your home screen to your liking. It's more expressive than previous versions of Android, with tools that let you coordinate colors that extend to app icons, drop-down menus, widgets, and more. Many widgets have been updated to match the new look, and Google shared today that by the end of October, it plans to offer more than a dozen new or upgraded widgets for its first-party apps.

Google calls Material You a "Pixel-first" feature, though it will come to "more device makers and phones soon."

Pixel phones will likely get more "Pixel-first" features in Android 12 in the future. Over the past few years, Google has released features that make being a Pixel user more unique. Some features are only available on newer Pixel phones, though, so that's all the more reason to consider buying a new Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro phone. Google said at its hardware event that these phones will be supported with updates for at least five years, which is impressive.

To get the update, go into your Pixel phone's Settings app, tap "System," then find "System update" and tap it.

Here are the Android 12 updates for Pixel phones

Introducing Android 12

More personal, more secure, and easier to use than ever before.

Your device will update to Android 12. For more information, visit android.com/12.

New features include:

• Personalized design that can be adjusted to the wallpaper color
• A widget that displays your important conversations
• Long screenshot
• When the microphone or camera is in use, an indicator appears in the status bar.
• Quick controls for turning off the microphone or camera
• More privacy control settings