What you need to know
- Google's new Android Canary build hints at fixes for long-standing usability issues in the OS.
- Separate Wi-Fi and mobile data toggles may return.
- A native App Lock feature could let users secure apps without relying on third-party solutions.
- Other UI changes like app bubbles, blur effects, and redesigned menus are also in early testing.
Google has released a new Canary build for Android, suggesting the company may finally address some long-standing annoyances in the OS.
Google has moved away from Developer Previews and shifted to a Canary-based release cycle. Now, before testing features with developers and public beta users, Google experiments with new changes through Canary builds. The latest Canary build (2603) introduces several features that could fix some of the more frustrating aspects of Android (via Android Authority).
One of the biggest changes is the return of separate Wi-Fi and mobile data toggles. Until Android 11, Google offered separate switches for both, but later merged them into a single Internet toggle. That change made it a two-step process to disable Wi-Fi or mobile data. With this Canary build, Google appears to be bringing back the simpler one-step controls.
Took them long enough. The merged internet toggle was always annoying, and going back to separate controls just feels like the right move.
In addition, Google is testing a new App lock feature, similar to what other Android skins and even iOS offer. This will allow users to lock apps using a PIN, pattern, password, or fingerprint, even on Pixel devices, without relying on third-party apps. The feature can be accessed by long pressing an app icon.
Google is also working on an app bubbles feature. This lets you open apps in floating windows by long pressing an app icon and selecting the bubble option. These bubbles can be moved around the screen and, when tapped, expand into a floating window similar to picture-in-picture mode. You can dismiss them by dragging them to the bottom or using a dedicated dismiss option.
These are the kind of features Pixel should've had by default. App lock is long overdue, and bubbles could be genuinely useful if done well.
Alongside these, Google is testing additional UI changes, including more blur effects across the system, a redesigned long press menu for app icons, and updated layouts for screen recording and permission dialogs. The new long press menu separates app shortcuts from system actions like App info, Pause, App lock, and Bubble into distinct sections.
If you want to try these features, keep in mind that Canary builds are not available through standard over-the-air updates. You will need to manually flash them using the Android Flash Tool, and installing these builds may wipe all data on your device.
