Android 12 will make it easier to update the operating system: you can update it through the app store

Google has launched Project Mainline to improve the way Android updates, and in Android 12, updating the operating system may be easier. XDA developer luca020400 noticed that Google is converting Android Runtime (also known as ART) into a Mainline module, making it possible to push updates to key system components through the Play Store.

ART compiles the bytecode of Android apps into native machine instructions. If Google wants to change the way Android 12 (and future versions) compile code, it can make adjustments at any time instead of relying on traditional operating system updates, and users don't have to wait weeks or months for feature improvements or security fixes.

The move could have a tangible impact on the devices and apps you use, even if not necessarily for the better. XDA notes that Google could provide more consistency for apps by making ART behave the same way on all Android devices. However, this would also deprive device manufacturers of some of the customization they're used to, and if they tweak ART for performance or flexibility, you could lose those perks.

However, Google may feel that this is worth the sacrifice. Android 12 can partially solve the problem of OEMs lagging or skipping operating system updates, and of course improve compatibility. This still won't solve some problems with Android updates, but if there is a zero-day vulnerability that needs to be fixed before the traditional patch arrives, this new change will make a difference.