14 DAY TRIAL // Despite coming with pretty hefty price tags, both the Surface Duo and the Surface Duo 2 are still running old versions of Android, as Microsoft has apparently failed to deliver the software updates that everybody expected on such a premium device.
The Surface Duo, for instance, was originally projected to get the Android 11 update in 2021, but obviously, this didn’t happen. As a result, the device is still running Android 10 at a time when the rollout of Android 12 is already underway for so many devices out there.
Then, the Surface Duo 2 is currently on Android 11, the operating system that was pre-loaded out of the box. Again, Microsoft is believed to be working on the Android 12 update already, but on the other hand, nobody knows precisely when it could finally get the go-ahead.
Hello, Android 12L!
But as it turns out, Microsoft might actually skip the release of Android 11 and Android 12 altogether, as the company is reportedly planning to launch Android 12L for both devices.
What’s Android 12L? The answer is as simple as it could be: it’s a special version of Android 12 that’s specifically optimized for large screens. It was announced last year, and the first beta got to see the daylight in early December.
“With 12L, we’ve optimized and polished the system UI for large screens, made multitasking more powerful and intuitive, and improved compatibility support so apps look better right out of the box. 12L also includes a handful of new APIs for developers, such as for spatial audio and improved drag-and-drop for accessibility,” Google says.
“Multitasking is also more powerful and intuitive - 12L includes a new taskbar on large screens that lets users instantly switch to favorite apps on the fly or drag-and-drop apps into split-screen mode. Remember, on Android 12 and later, users can launch any app into split screen mode, regardless whether the app is resizable. Make sure to test your apps in split screen mode!”
Of course, there is no ETA as to when Android 12L could launch for the two Duos.