You Won't See These Three Android 11 Features On Every Smartphone

Google released the first public beta for Android 11 earlier this month, and now we're starting to see which features will be brought to every Android devices and which will not be available.

This information is according to the CDD (Compatibility Definition Document) which Google sends out to all of its partners. This document basically tells partners which features and parts of the OS that they have to integrate, and which they are strongly encouraged too, or which they should not implement.

There are three specific features that are not labeled as "MUST" implement, according to the latest version of the CDD, which XDA has acquired. It is worth mentioning that these could change between now and when Android 11 launches in Q3 (likely September). As some of these have changed since the first developer preview already.

The three features that we are referring to are: Device Controls, Conversations in Notifications and IdentityCredential – Mobile Driver's Licenses. The latter has not even been announced yet for Android 11, but there are plenty of hints within the software that it is coming.

Device Controls was initially set as a "MUST" implement feature for partners. But Google has since changed that to should implement. Meaning that partners do not have to implement it to get access to Google Mobile Services. That is pretty unfortunate, because of how useful it can be.

Now Conversations in Notifications is listed as "strongly recommended". So Google would really like its partners to add this feature, but it is not a requirement. There are a few manufacturers that we are sure will add it – OnePlus being one of them. Because they do stick to a rather stock Android look and feel on their devices.

Manufacturers are not required to support IdentityCredential, which is not a good idea by Google. This is essentially an API that will secure your Driver's License data, so you can leave your wallet at home. And the quicker more phones support this, the more likely people are to use mobile payments like Google Pay (or even Samsung Pay). There's no technical limitation for this either, so there's no real reason why OEMs shouldn't support it.

This is all pretty technical, but it's fragmentation at its best. Since we have not seen Android 11 on any skinned phones yet, it's hard to say what it will look like when it does launch on something like the Galaxy S20 or the LG V60 ThinQ.

All things privacy in Android 11

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