Google releases the first Developer Preview of Android 12

Google today announced the release of the first Developer Preview of Android 12, the next major update coming to Android devices. In this first preview release, Google has included a number of features around security and manageability. For example, Google has simplified password restrictions for managed devices with pre-set complexity levels of high, medium or low that will be used to access the devices. Google is also streamlining credential management for unmanaged devices. You can find the full details below.

Simplifying password complexity

For users on work profile devices, we’re introducing a more straightforward, modern approach to password restrictions. Instead of granular requirements that often result in easily forgotten passwords, we’re establishing pre-set complexity levels of high, medium or low that will be used to access the device.

Easily set up a work security challenge

We’ve improved the device setup process to prompt employees if their provided password doesn’t meet complexity requirements set by their admin. Users who receive a prompt can simply choose to increase the strength of their device password or set up a work security challenge to access apps in the work profile. If approved by IT, employees can also switch back to one password for both work and personal if they change their mind.

Certificate management on unmanaged devices

In Android 12, we’re streamlining credential management for unmanaged devices by making the process available to apps beside the device policy client. With this expanded credential management, more companies can extend secure access to employees regardless of their location, a key requirement in the COVID-19 era. Additionally, employees can avoid the cumbersome, manual process of installing certificates themselves.

Enrollment-specific IDs for personal devices

For employee-owned managed devices, we’re creating a new enterprise-specific device identifier that may help enhance privacy in the event an employee leaves their current employer. Instead of relying on hardware identifiers such as IMEI or serial numbers, personal devices will get a new identifier derived programmatically during enrollment.

If you have a Pixel device today, you can download the Android 12 Developer Preview 1.

Source: Google