All you need to know about Android 11!

Posted by Parija Rangnekar On Filed under Android App Development, Mobile App Development No Comments
All you need to know about Android 11!
“Android continues to remain the most widely-used mobile operating system across the globe with a market share of 72.92%” statesa report published in October 2020 by the popular online research portal Statista.
Android versions have garnered popularity because of their numerous goodies like the availability of multiple features, the flexibility of usage, freedom of choice, etc. Furthermore, the dedicated Android team at Google keeps releasing updated versions at regular intervals to complement the latest technological innovations. The most recent Android OS version, Android 11, was released on September 8, 2020. Although this version is not as major an update as compared to the earlier version, Android 10; it introduces new-age features that will enhance the convenience quotient of Android users. Thus, comprehensive knowledge about Android 11 is important for users, Android app developers as well as Mobile app development companies.
This article gives you a peek into the striking new features and enhancements in Android 11.

Android 11: Facts

Although, beta release of Android 11was delayed by Google, we now have a stable build based on their timeline. This update would be available to devices such as Google, Samsung, OnePlus, Nokia, Xiaomi, Motorola, Realme, Vivo, Oppo, etc.

Android 11: The notable Enhancements and Add-ons

Check out the new add-ons as well as enhanced features of Android 11!

Revamped notification functionality

Android 11 has brought about the following changes in the notification functionality.
  • Notification messages are sorted into relevant categories – conversations, alerting notifications and silent notifications – to enhance readability and save time. Out of these, conversations have been given priority.
  • The user can separate high-priority messages from the unimportant ones by categorizing them based on the sender’s thread. Once categorized all future messages received from similar threads will automatically get segregated as desired by the user. Users can also silence notifications coming from specific apps.
  • Every notification received is saved under the notification history for 24 hours so that users can retrieve certain notifications that they have accidentally swiped off.
  • The users can reply to notification messages that pop up, by tapping on it and can even send picture messages while replying from the notifications tab.
  • All notifications are muted during audio or video recording so that users enjoy an uninterrupted recording session.

Bubbly Conversations

Direct conversations are displayed at the top of the notification shade and are segregated from alerts concerning shopping, news, etc. Some conversations can be converted into bubbles. These bubbles appear in the form of round floating buttons and one can maximize or minimize the chat within a floating window by tapping on these buttons.

Add-ons in the Media Playback Widget

The erstwhile Media Playback Widget has some new changes and additions! In Android 11 the media player widget is available from the drop-down menu of the quick settings section. The new media player widget offers a background with matching colors to the album called art and provides a spectacular ripple animation whenever the users use ‘play’ and ‘pause’ button.

In-built Screen recording

Android 11 comes with an in-built screen recorder that captures the internal audio of a device while screen recording. This was not possible with earlier versions as third-party screen recorders had to be installed. To use this new screen recorder, one has to just tap the ‘screen record’ option available in quick settings.

Screenshot Visuals

Android 11 also introduces an iPhone-like feature. The screenshot taken is displayed within a small thumbnail at a corner below the display screen, for easy viewing. The ‘share’ and ‘edit’ buttons are available for hassle-free sharing. In case the user wishes to dismiss the screenshot the option ‘X’ needs to be clicked.

Updates pertaining to privacy and security

  • When a device automatically reboots post a system update, the apps by default resume and retrieve access to the credential-encrypted storage without the need for authentication.
  • External apps can only access files created by them that exists in the device’s external storage within app-specific directories. For accessing any other file, user intervention is needed.
  • Android 11 has removed the permission of setting a third-party camera as the default one; so that malicious apps cannot capture the users’ location. Hence, in case of camera usage requests by an app, the pre-installed camera of the app is used. However, cameras of apps like Snapchat can still be used and shortcuts for third-party apps can be also set.

Other noteworthy Updates

  • GPay shortcuts and smart home buttons appear when the power button is long pressed. The new smart home control functionality enables users to operate their smart home devices easily and speedily.
  • Android 11 empowers the users to schedule as well as automate the dark mode feature that was introduced in Android 10. Not only can the users switch on/off the dark mode manually, but also select default options that will automatically activate it at sunset and deactivate it at sunrise.
  • A new feature – Google’s voice access – enables users to perform tasks like composing messages, viewing photos, etc. by giving simple voice commands to the Android handset.
  • As many as 117 new emojis have been added. Some of the notable ones are Pinched Fingers, Smiling Face with Tear, Ninja, Disguised Face, Bubble Tea, anatomically perfect lungs and heart, etc.

Final Takeaway

The Google team has loaded Android 11 with futuristic features and has taken generous efforts to ensure the security and privacy of users. Therefore, upgrading to Android 11 is advisable for all the users to whom this version is available.
Planning to create a profitable mobile application for your business? Well then, reach out to the highly skilled and experienced Mobile app developers of Biz4Solutions, a reputed mobile app development company that excels in providing premium services to clients around the globe.

How to Accelerate Your App Project Discussion with a Mobile App Development Company?

Posted by Parija Rangnekar On Filed under Mobile App Development No Comments
How to Accelerate Your App Project Discussion with a Mobile App Development Company?
mobile app development services
You have an excellent app idea and can’t wait to get it transformed into a fully functional app! Sounds great, isn’t it? But, an excellent idea is fruitful only if it is executed properly by the right set of professionals. Needless to say, modern-day entrepreneurs investing in mobile applications, intend to gain a high ROI. As such, they need to focus on building an app that provides a rich UX and boosts sales. Consequently, they are hiring professional app developers or a mobile app development firm to architect their enterprise applications. However, companies hiring a development firm for Digital Transformation Services, are likely to face certain challenges in communicating their app development idea and getting things done as per their needs. Additionally, on-time delivery of the project becomes difficult if the scope of the project keeps on swelling over time, owing to app development complexities.
This blog pens down handy tips on how to initiate app project discussion with the development company you have hired. It will help you to eliminate the challenges and hence accelerate your mobile app developmental process.

Defining the Mobile App Development Deliverables Clearly

While hiring mobile app development services defining the requirements and communicating the expectations from the project play a crucial role. At times businesses are unable to clearly express their needs to the mobile app development company during the Mobile App Development Discussion. In such cases, the mobile app developers take a longer time to come up with the final version. So, continuous interaction with the app development team throughout the developmental cycle is necessary. The following details must be clarified during App Project Discussion before jumpstarting the development.
  • Do you need an enterprise application to be used by the employees or a consumer application?
  • How many layers of security would you like to have in your app?
  • How many platforms (Android, iOS, BlackBerry, Windows, etc.) will your app target, and which are they?
An undefined mobile app project leads to a mismanaged scope quite often. This not only lengthens the project delivery timeline but also may result in unsuccessful project execution or cancellation of the project altogether.

Setting a Realistic Deadline for Project Delivery

Before waiving a green signal to the mobile app development company whom you have chosen for crafting your application, discuss with their app development team while deciding the project deadline. Do not forget that communicating a deadline is quite imperative. The deadline provided by you needs to be realistic enough to be taken seriously by your tech partner. Besides a deadline, you must also consider deciding the budget to be allocated for the execution of your mobile app project.

Exhaustive Mobile app Testing through Developmental Stages

Exhaustive testing through various stages of the mobile app development project is an essential aspect. So, encourage your mobile app development partner company to test the app at regular intervals. This is because there are usually loads of bugs to be fixed, and several issues to be resolved. Continuous testing will assist in solving these problems well in advance, thereby reducing the time-to-market. You may even consider automating the testing processes to save time and effort. Moreover, advising your tech partner to keep the release cycles shorter will prove beneficial. This will enable you to get your hands on the released app features earlier than the final release. Therefore, you can use these features and suggest any alterations based on the feedback.

Frequent Mobile App Development Discussions

Every business out there would like to build an outstanding mobile app in the shortest time possible. But, it has been observed that app development companies begin the developmental cycle on an enthusiastic note, but slow down the pace as they proceed, resulting in a setback on account of missed deadlines. So, it is important to engage in frequent discussions with the mobile app development team you have hired regarding the ongoing processes. This will help you to get an idea of the bottlenecks being encountered at that point in time and at times you may have to incorporate other alternatives instead of the one that you had planned earlier. The sooner these roadblocks are attended to, the faster your project picks up. Staying updated with the project’s whereabouts also enables the app owners to demonstrate some flexibility whenever required, to speed up the app development process.
Thus, effective communications with your mobile app developers and necessary actions as per the need ensure that your project gets executed within the stipulated timeline.

Final Verdict

Thus, the success of a project depends on a thorough understanding of the project details, knowing what to look for in an app developer/development company, effective communication, as well as wise decisions while hiring app designers, choosing app developers, etc.
I hope this blog was enlightening. Did you face any challenges while doing mobile app development discussion with a software development firm?? Do share your experiences in the comments section below and feel free to reach us if you have any queries. For any technical assistance in developing mobile apps, contact Biz4solutions, a prominent IT firm with 11+ years of experience in delivering innovative solutions for diverse industrial domains.