News on Mobile OS Releases, March 2021

Android 12

Android 12 Developer Preview 2

Android 12 Developer Preview 2 is here with better notification security and picture-in-picture enhancements. The Preview is still intended only for developers.

Notification visibility controls have been updated in this new preview release. Now you can configure notification actions so that they will always generate an authentication challenge when triggered from the lockscreen. For example, a messaging app now requires authentication before deleting a message or marking it as read.

Android 12 Developer Preview 2 has also added support for a simpler, more efficient way to obtain the checksum of an installed app.

Full content and details (external sources): XDADevelopers, AndroidDevelopers

Android 11

OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7T series

OnePlus recently released the fourth Open Beta version of Android 11 for the OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7T series. That build was mostly to fix system and Bluetooth-related bugs. 

Full content and details (external sources): XDADevelopers

Samsung Galaxy A70 

Samsung Galaxy A70 is now receiving the Android 11 update with One UI 3.1. The update is currently rolling out in Ukraine, with more countries to follow soon, undoubtedly.

Full content and details (external sources): GSMArena

Samsung Galaxy A50 

Samsung Galaxy A50 joins the Android 11 family. It might be a two-year-old smartphone, but the company has promised it will get Android 11 with One UI 3 on top and it has now delivered. The international SM-A505F units are the first receiving the software update. The package has a model number A505FDDU7CUBC and is relatively huge - over 1.8 GB.

Full content and details (external sources): GSMArena

Samsung Galaxy A51 5G, Galaxy A71 5G

Samsung Galaxy A51 5G and Galaxy A71 5G appear to be the latest smartphones from the company to receive the Android 11-based One UI 3.1 update. The smartphones have started receiving the update in South Korea recently, as per user reports, with other regions expected to follow soon. 

Full content and details (external sources): Gadgets

Apple iOS 

iOS 14.5 release date, public beta and top new features for your iPhone

The next iOS 14 update — iOS 14.5 — currently sits in beta form. Apple already seeded this beta to developers, giving them a strict timeline on implementing the new app tracking transparency requirements into their apps. The iOS 14.5 contains face mask unlocking and a lot more.

Full content and details (external sources): Tom’s Guide, 9to5Mac

Apple releases iOS 14.4.1 with security updates for iPhone users

The release notes for the update simply read: “This update provides important security updates and is recommended for all users.” Apple says that iOS 14.4.1 patches a vulnerability in WebKit, the browser engine that powers Safari and third-party browsers on iOS. The company explains:

• Available for: iPhone 6s and later, iPad Air 2 and later, iPad mini 4 and later, and iPod touch (7th generation)
• Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution
• Description: A memory corruption issue was addressed with improved validation.

Full content and details (external sources): 9to5Mac

HarmonyOS 2.0

Huawei HarmonyOS smartphone upgrade plan allegedly leaked [First Batch List]

Huawei is set to launch its operating system, HarmonyOS AKA Hongmeng OS in April for mobile devices. Huawei pushed the second HarmonyOS mobile beta for the developers and it’s likely that the company may soon release the third developer beta before launching the public beta programs for general consumers in April. Related to this, a tipster previously shared a model adaptation based on the Kirin processor, which suggests a list of support devices that will install HarmonyOS but the fact is we still don’t have an official confirmation on this matter.

Full content and details (external sources): HuaweiCentral

Huawei P50 series 

A now deleted Weibo account let it slip that the Huawei P50 has completed the testing period of running HarmonyOS 2.0 Beta 2 and is moving on to Beta 3. The P50 will be the first phone to come with HarmonyOS pre-installed.

Full content and details (external sources): GSMArena

EMUI11 

Honor 20 and V20 

Alongside EMUI 11, Huawei also revealed the Magic UI 4 OS skin for its former subsidiary brand, Honor. Following the launch, Honor began recruiting its eligible under the Magic UI 4.0 beta program. The first batch of testing includes the flagship Honor 30 and V30 series. Moving on, the Honor 20, 20 Pro, and V20 devices were recruited in the second round of the Magic UI 4 beta program.

Full content and details (external sources): HuaweiCentral

Huawei EMUI 11 completes 100 million upgrades, HarmonyOS update will be next on focus

The Chinese tech giant has now confirmed that the latest EMUI version has completed over 100 million upgrades in total, which is a big milestone.  Huawei also confirmed that the next step in software updates will be to bring HarmonyOS (Hongmeng OS) to the users and upgrade older devices. According to the information, Huawei will launch HarmonyOS for smartphones in April and the first batch of devices will surely include the latest foldable phone, Huawei Mate X2.

Full content and details (external sources): HuaweiCentral