Samsung today released its beta version of Android 12 for the Galaxy S21 phone. Activate eSIM and much more. Apple isn’t the only big phone maker to deliver big news today. Samsung has released its beta version of Android 12 for Galaxy S21, S21 +, and S21 Ultra phones, which brings a lot of new things, especially for people who read a lot of my work, eSIM compatibility.
This version of Android 12, which Samsung calls “One UI 4,” doesn’t offer all of the features Google promised in its Android 12 announcement. Most importantly, Samsung doesn’t use the “Material You” interface that Google teases with the Pixel. phone 6. Samsung has its own screens, icons, and widgets which it is quite proud of. You update them, but they’re all from Samsung.
I received the update this morning, and as you’ll see below, it includes new features that will affect many aspects of your S21 experience. Right now I really like the media search in the News app and how the camera now displays zoom levels as numbers instead of small pictures of trees. There are plenty of new widget options out there, and the Privacy Dashboard now lets you see which apps have requested which permissions in the past seven days.
How Do I Get the Android 12 (One UI 4) Update?
Access the Samsung Members app on your Galaxy S21 family phone. Touch Benefits. Then scroll to the end. You will see a panel called “User Interface Beta”. Tap it and sign up for the beta. Wait about 15 minutes. Then go to Settings> Software update> Download and install. The software must be available for installation.
According to some articles on the Samsung Member Forums, not all US S21 users will see the update. You’re more likely to see it if you have a T-Mobile or unlocked model than if you have a Verizon or AT&T model.
Does the Android 12 Update Enable eSIM?
IF POSSIBLE. The update enabled eSIM functionality on my activated S21 Ultra so that I could install a second service plan. However, it’s not as easy to use as it is on an iPhone or iPad, where you can choose a new carrier from a list. With this S21, you have to request a QR code from your second supplier and scan it.
Is Android 12 Buggy?
Yes. I have already frozen the Messages app in my first 10 minutes of use. It’s not so bad. I restarted it and everything was fine. But you wouldn’t download it if 100% stability was your priority.
What Are the Android 12 (One UI 4) Release Notes?
The new version of the software is full of improvements. Here’s what the release notes bring with some of my own screenshots.
Home Screen
Home screen widgets have been redesigned to give you more information at a glance while making your home screen more stylish. It also provides you with widget recommendations that you may find helpful.
Lock screen
You can now switch the audio output to another device like headphones or speaker directly from the lock screen. You also get custom controls based on the music app you’re using.
A new voice recording widget on the lock screen allows you to record voice memos without unlocking your phone.
A monthly calendar is displayed on the calendar widget so you can track your events from the lock screen.
Always On Display
You can turn on the Always-on display when you receive a notification option.
New animated stickers are available.
Quick panel
Manage your notifications more easily with an improved layout and a built-in section for alerts and silent notifications.
The brightness bar on the quick panel is larger, making it easier to see and adjust.
Dark mode
Background images, icons, and illustrations are now automatically darkened to provide a more uniform appearance and comfort to your eyes.
Charging effects
When it starts to charge, new visual effects will appear to help you check the charging speed.
Samsung Keyboard
Access your emojis, GIFS, and stickers right from the keyboard with just one button. Self-expression is at your fingertips.
Do you want to express something new? Combine two emojis, then add animation so you can really express your feelings.
New animated stickers are available for download.
Maintain your grammar and spelling with the new writing assistant powered by Grammarly (English only).
Tips
When you enter the Tips app, you will now see preview videos to help you learn everything your Galaxy can do.
Sharing
You can customize the list of apps that appear in the share box to make things less clear, and you can scroll left and right through the apps and people lists for faster access.
Whenever you try to share pictures with issues like poor focus or cropping, we will provide you with suggestions on how to fix them so that your pictures always look their best.
Camera
Enjoy a simpler, cleaner design with a preview that shows only the information you need. The Scene Enhancement button only appears in Low Light Photo mode or when scanning a document.
Portrait and night mode settings are now more intuitive.
Lens and Zoom – Displays the zoom level on lens icons for easy zooming, even in modes that only support a single lens.
The video that never misses a moment: Now recording starts immediately after you press the record button, not when you release it. In Snapshot Mode, keep the shutter button pressed to start recording a video. Slide your finger on the lock icon to continue recording without holding down the button.
Single Take: Add extra time when recording in a single take so you don’t miss any important moments. Once the recording is complete, the content selection menu has been improved to make it easier for you to choose the perfect shots.
Professional Mode – Settings have been rearranged for a cleaner look. When grid lines are on, horizontal level indicators help you line up the perfect plane.
Enhanced Scanning Features – After scanning a document, you can zoom in for precision editing. When scanning a QR code, you can choose from several options depending on the type of QR code.
Gallery
Stories now show a video preview on the cover and a featured video inside. You can also see where each photo in a story was taken on a map.
Other options are available for sorting albums containing many photos.
Album art now appears at the top of the screen when you open albums.
The search suggestions have been improved to make it easier for you to find images and videos. Current search queries are also suggested.
Remastered images can be reverted to their original version at any time, even after recording.
You can now change the date, time, and location where photos and videos were taken.
Photo and video editor
Add funny emojis and stickers to your photos and videos.
Create video collages by combining multiple images and videos from your gallery.
The new Light Balance option makes it easier to manipulate the color tone of images.
The featured reel editor has also been improved to give you even more control.
Restore edited videos to their original version anytime, even after recording.
Cut out a face, pet, building, or another object from one photo and paste it on another.
AR Emoji
Use an AR emoji as a profile picture in Contacts and Samsung account. You can choose from over 10 poses or create your own expressions.
New AR emoji stickers have been added to show only your face. Have fun decorating your photos and share them with your friends.
Create cool dance videos with your AR emojis. Choose models from 10 different categories including #Fun, #Cute, and #Party.
Use your own designs to create unique clothes for your AR emojis.
Multitasking
Freeze the Window Options menu at the top of a pop-up window for easy access.
Easily resize windows from image to image with a pinch of zoom.
Keep an eye on your current app while using the border fields. The blur has been removed so you can see more at once.
Settings
The new Safety & Emergency menu lets you manage your emergency contacts and safety information in one place.
Advanced search functions help you find the settings you need when you need them. Depending on what you are looking for, it will provide you with suggestions of related functions.
Digital Wellbeing
Keep an eye on the road with the new driving monitor. You will receive reports on how often you have used your phone and what apps you have used.
Clock
The dual clock widget now displays different background colors for each city, depending on whether it is day or night.
Calendar
The new calendar design allows you to add events instantly. You can also find events more easily with improved search functions.
A new home screen widget displays your monthly calendar as well as today’s events.
Create shared calendars and invite other Galaxy users to join.
Messages
Photos, videos, weblinks, and other content will now appear in the Messages app search results.
My Files
Search functions have been improved. You can find the files you are looking for even if you make a typo.
The Recently Used Files section has been expanded to make it easier for you to find recently used files.
Samsung Internet
Get more search suggestions when you enter text in the address bar. The results appear in a completely new design.
The new search widget helps you find what you’re looking for right from the Home screen.
To protect your privacy, Samsung Internet will automatically start in secret mode if you used secret mode during your last browsing session.
Samsung Dex
Application compatibility has been improved so that more applications can be resized.
Change the direction of the trackpad scroll in the DEX settings to suit your personal preferences.
Device Care
Battery and safety issues are displayed on the main screen, making it easy to resolve issues quickly.
The general health status of your phone is displayed as an emoji so you can check the status at a glance.
You can now access Samsung Member Diagnostics directly from Device Care. If something is wrong with your phone, try the diagnostic tests to find out what the problem is and get suggestions on how to fix it.
Samsung Health
A new tab at the bottom of the screen gives you easy access to the functions you need.
The new My Page tab displays your profile, a weekly summary, badges, and personal files.
For your genre selection, you can now choose “Other” or “Don’t say”.
It’s now easier to invite your friends to team challenges by submitting a link.
Additional snacks have been added to food tracking.
Bixby Routines
There are more conditions for your routines. Start a routine during a call or when a specific notification arrives.
Improve the functioning of your routines. You can now activate advanced treatment with a routine. There are also more options for connecting and disconnecting Bluetooth devices.
Rearrange actions by long-pressing actions on the edit page. Advanced options have also been added so that you can wait for an action to start, confirm actions, etc.
We’ve removed restrictions on certain combinations of conditions and actions so you can get the most out of your routines.
Create custom symbols for your workout with the camera or a picture from the gallery.
Accessibility
Act faster by moving the mouse pointer over one of the 4 corners of the screen.
Adjust contrast and size at the same time with custom display mode (high contrast or large screen).
Access accessibility features faster with an always-available floating button.
There are more visibility options available to meet your needs. You can reduce transparency and blur, or make the screen even darker.
Set different colors for the notifications of each app so that you can easily identify where the notifications are coming from.
The magnify window has been merged with the new magnify menu, giving you more options and more control for magnifying content on the screen.
Privacy
You can see in the permission usage history which apps are accessing sensitive permissions, such as location, camera, or microphone. You can deny permissions to any app you don’t know.
When an app is using the camera or microphone, you’ll see a green dot in the upper right corner of the screen so you can see if an app is picking it up without your consent. You can also use the quick panel controls to temporarily block all apps and prevent them from using the camera or microphone.
Take more control over which apps want to access your location. For applications that only need to know their general environment, eg. For example, in weather apps, you can allow access to your approximate location so that they cannot pinpoint exactly where you are.
Sometimes you need to copy sensitive information like passwords or credit card numbers, but you don’t want them to fall into the wrong hands. You can choose to be notified whenever an app accesses content that has been copied to another app’s clipboard.
