Android 11 has starting rolling out and is being made available to Google’s Pixel phones and some select devices from other brands. Lately, Google has been upbeat about the number of devices using its latest operating system.

According to Google, Android 10 was installed on 100 million devices in the first five months of its release. At last year’s I/O developer conference, Google announced that there were 2.5 billion active Android devices. It’s difficult to compare this figure to iOS updates because Apple has full control over its devices. For example, 92 per cent of all devices introduced in the last four years now use iOS 13, according to Apple. Nonetheless, it’s good to see Android being rolled out actively. Here are some of the top Android 11 features.

More music controls

While playing music, there is usually a notification with music controls in the notification drawer. But some apps leave their controls in the notification section even after you are done with it. Here’s a pleasant change. Music controls are now better integrated. Swipe down from the top of the screen and there is a cleaner looking music control panel. You can skip, go back and play-pause. There’s more: Instead of a stack of media controls, you can swipe through the cards horizontally. One can also choose the device playing the music, like choosing between the earbuds and Bluetooth speakers.

Chat bubbles

Probably the most useful feature. We are already familiar with Facebook Messenger chat heads that can be made to float anywhere on the screen. Google calls it chat bubbles. Say you are using Android Messages. Messages can float on the screen like a ‘bubble” so that you can quickly reply to a friend without having to switch between apps. To turn it on, visit Settings > Apps & notifications > Notifications > Bubbles and toggle it on. You’ll now see your messages appear as floating bubbles, though not all messaging apps work at the moment. To remove a ‘bubble’, drag it to the bottom of the screen.

Screen recorder

If you are using, say, Samsung phones, this is a feature you already know about and it’s super useful when trying to explain something to your family members. Say your tech-challenged uncle wants to know how to use a certain feature on the phone. You can quickly record the screen and send the video across. All you have to do is swipe down the notification shade and find the Screen Record quick settings tile. Tap to start recording. You can choose whether to record audio via microphone or device audio.

More restrictive permissions

Android is trying to catch up with Apple on privacy features and it’s a step in the right direction. When you install new apps, it asks for certain permission, like whether it can use the microphone, camera or GPS. Obviously a video messaging app needs access to the microphone and camera to work but there are apps which have misused the permissions. Now there is the option to force an app to ask for permission each time it wants to use a component on your phone. And then there are apps which you have permitted to use certain components but somehow you don’t use these apps often. Certain permissions can get revoked over time for these apps until you allow them the same again.

Better conversation notifications

We often switch between multiple messaging apps to stay connected. In Android 11, conversations across messaging apps are getting moved to a dedicated space in the notifications section, “making it easy to manage your conversations in one spot”. The user can prioritise conversations from important people, so an important message is not missed.

New power menu

A long-press of the power button will take you to the new power menu, which has gone beyond the usual restart and power off options. There is now quick access to things like Google Pay and shortcuts to smart home controls that have been set-up through the Google Home app, which is very useful if you control TVs, lights and so on.

How to access Android 11

Android software updates are known to roll out slowly, except on Pixel phones. So manufacturers like Samsung will take time to send out Android 11 on all their devices. The good news is if you have a Google Pixel 2 or anything newer, Android 11 can be enjoyed almost right away. Further, on some select OnePlus, Realme, Xiaomi and Oppo phones, the update will be available, besides on Android One devices, like the Nokia-branded phones from HMD Global. The best way to check if an update is available is by visiting Settings > System and then Advanced > System Update.