With Android 12 we’ll be able to use all the apps in the world

Thanks to an automatic translation system, which will be built into Android 12, we'll be able to use apps written in a foreign language without any problems.

There's great anticipation for Google I/O 2021, particularly for a key element that could make its debut to the delight of industry experts and users alike: Android 12. Among the updates, already highlighted through the Developer Preview, one has collected the interest of a concrete slice of the public: it is the ability to use all the apps in the world thanks to automatic translation.

To find the interesting news, hidden within the code of the release dedicated to developers that anticipates the official one for the public, was the group of technicians of the site XDA Developers waiting for the official presentation. Among the many features brought to light, the ability to automatically translate the app interface could prove to be of significant importance, especially for smaller third-party app development teams with limited resources, who may not have translation staff for all the languages of the globe.

Android 12, all languages in one app

It's clear that the introduction of automatic translation could be one of the key features of the Android 12 update. To make this possible, XDA Developers has identified a new framework that could prove to be the key to the development of this feature, thanks to the ability to allow the change of language based on the operating system in use, without any user intervention or additional packages from the developers.

References to the framework are already present in the Android 12 build for developers through two specific permissions. The two codes are closely related, as the first one uses SystemUI to link to an additional app that has the second one among its permissions.

These references could, therefore, call Google Translator or other similarly functioning services to translate the textual part of the apps materially during use. Neither Big G's translation app nor Device Personalization Services currently contain this particular API, but this doesn't rule out the possibility that this feature could be introduced exclusively for Google devices.

Among the options for the future, there could also be the possibility for manufacturers to use different translation services, excluding Google Translate and opting for third-party or proprietary services. This wouldn't be a total novelty, as there are already some applications that allow for massive UI translation, but through more complex frameworks, such as Xposed Framework, which actually represent an obstacle for many developers.

Android 12, the recycle bin

Among other new features, there's the likely appearance of a recycle bin, as already present on major operating systems, which would allow for an additional step before permanently deleting files. So far, only a few apps have shown similar functionality, such as Google Photos, which allows you to use a special folder to prevent automatic deletion of documents.

With Android 12, however, there could be not only a real recycle bin (albeit without the creation of a special folder, but only a virtual binder), but there could also be a display of the space occupied by the files in it and the emptying with a single command or restore the content.