The Android P Developer Preview 2 is now available for downloading and installing on the select Android devices. If your Android phone is on the list of the compatible phones to get Android P, then you can get it right now. Android P comes with a number of changes both in the system and user interface. So, let’s discuss the new changes on the user interface of this Android P Developer Preview 2.
- Return of Paginated Quick Settings Panel
In the first Android P Developer Preview 1 beta build, the paginated quick settings panel has been removed and it’s turned into a scrolling list. But in the Android P Developer Preview 2, Google has brought it back.
- New Volume Menu
There were also some aesthetic changes made to the Volume Menu, which is first introduced with the Developer Preview 1. In the newer build, the menu looks cleaner since it has come with a slimmer profile and eaten up less space. The Android P UI also welcomes a new action that allows you to easily activate the mute or the vibrate profile without the need of unlocking your phone.
To activate the menu, first, launch the Settings app on your phone, tap on Sound and then choose Shortcut. From there, choose if you want to activate the vibration or mute mode. The feature still works well even when your smartphone is locked.
- New Home Screen Rotation Toggle
One of the great features in the Developer Preview 1 was the rotation toggle that lets you change the phone’s orientation just by tapping on a button appearing when you rotate your phone. In the Developer Preview 2 version, that feature has offered extra powers. Previously, it only worked if you rotated your device when it’s inside an app, but it now even works on the home screen.
Also read: New Gesture-Based Navigation On Android P. It’s Not Great
- Long Press Home Screen Menu
The UI on Android P Developer Preview also has a long press home screen menu, which is not much different from the power and volume menu. When you long press on the home screen, instead of the home screen fading back, it will appear a popup menu. However, the actions still remain the same.
- New Lock Screen
In the Android P Developer Preview 2 of Android P, the lock screen is now more interesting. Previously, if users unlocked their smartphone with the PIN code, password, or pattern lock, the lock screen would not show anything. Now, the phone will display a lock screen clock on the unlock screen.
- New Calling UI
There are also changes to the calling UI in the Android P Developer Preview 2. The call receiving widget will look blockier with pronounced Answer and Decline buttons. Additionally, when accepting a call, and hitting the volume button, it will appear an option that allows changing the call volume, along with the default media volume which is very great.
These are the new changes on Android P user interface. We’ll continue to discuss other changes in the Android P Developer Preview 2 in the later posts.