Android's future: 11 predictions for 2022

Image: quietbits/Shutterstock

It's astir the extremity of yet different year. I went to furniture connected December 31st, 2020 and it seems I woke up and it was already the extremity of the year.

How did that happen? 

Let's not sermon the relativistic quality of time. Instead, let's crook clip to our volition and foretell what's to travel for Android successful 2022.

If my connections to the tone realm are speaking the truth, it's going to beryllium an breathtaking year. Let's excavation in.

Android 13

While Android 12 was groundbreaking for the platform, I deliberation Android 13 is going to spell the harmless route. The squad of developers and designers volition walk overmuch of their effort refining Material You to not lone hole bugs but to refine it for much stableness and performance. The UI volition travel retired of the upgrade looking and performing amended than ever.

But Material You won't beryllium the lone condiment successful the adjacent release. I deliberation Google has a fewer different tricks up its sleeve, immoderate of which volition beryllium astir invited and immoderate that whitethorn not beryllium (more connected this successful a bit). I person a feeling Google is going to travel retired with immoderate beauteous game-changing information exertion for the adjacent iteration of Android. This caller information portion volition beryllium aimed astatine preventing malware and ransomware and volition travel successful the signifier of a caller benignant of app and permissions sandboxing.

SEE: BYOD Approval Form (TechRepublic Premium)

Pixel 7 volition adhd look unlock biometric

I deliberation the large alteration for the Pixel 7 won't travel successful the mode of a wholly caller facelift for the device, but the summation of look unlock biometric authentication. I judge this volition beryllium successful summation to the fingerprint scanner (instead of arsenic a replacement). With look unlock added, users volition past person 4 options to take from for authentication:

• PIN
• Pattern
• Fingerprint
• Face ID

This summation should appease each of those Android stans who bemoaned the nonaccomplishment of look unlock with the Pixel 6.

More curved displays

When the Pixel 6 Pro was released with the curved display, my archetypal thought was that it felt a spot backward. But that creaseless feeling successful the manus and classy look cannot beryllium beaten. I deliberation we're going to spot a resurgence successful the inclination this twelvemonth and the curved show volition trickle down from a flagship-only diagnostic into the realm of midrange devices. With possibly a fewer exceptions, these curved displays won't relation arsenic they did with the Samsung Galaxy models that displayed contented connected the broadside of the phone. Those makers who determine to spell that gimmicky way volition find displaying contented connected the curved edges to neglect beauteous quickly. Either way, the curved show is going to marque a large comeback.

Folding telephone fixed

Up until now, the biggest contented with the folding telephone was that, inevitably, the displays would extremity up with a imperishable crease astatine the folding point. Once the crease appeared, users recovered their precise costly phones to beryllium little than desirable. 

This occupation has prevented galore a idiosyncratic (such arsenic myself) from purchasing a folding phone.

I believe, however, this coming twelvemonth we'll spot a shaper lick that problem. When they do, the folding telephone volition dilatory go a mainstay successful the Android world.

That institution looks to beryllium Oppo. They proved it's imaginable with the Find N and I judge 2022 volition spot them cleanable that design. 

Pixel Watch

We've been waiting connected the Pixel Watch for immoderate clip now. I'm reasonably assured 2022 volition spot the merchandise of this unicorn wearable. Why is this important? Because Android smartphones inactive lag successful popularity to Apple's instrumentality connected the tech. The Pixel Watch could alteration that but lone if Google plays it smart. What they request to bash is merchandise 2 antithetic versions of the Pixel Watch, a midrange and a flagship. 

One of the reasons wherefore Google's mobile level is truthful ascendant crossed the globe is that of inexpensive Android phones. If they privation to spot the aforesaid happening successful the smartwatch space, they request to cater to those with little expendable income arsenic good arsenic those with wealth to burn. If they bash this, the Pixel Watch volition beryllium a monolithic hit.

SEE: Android 12 cheat sheet: Everything you request to cognize (free PDF) (TechRepublic)

WearOS artillery beingness volition transcend each others

As a effect of Google's effort connected the Pixel Watch, WearOS volition person a batch of love. I judge 1 large selling constituent volition beryllium the artillery life, which volition demolish the competition. Right now, Android smartwatch artillery beingness is not large (by a agelong shot). If Google wants to marque large strides successful the Android smartwatch space, it's going to person to code this problem. 

I judge 2022 volition spot Android smartwatch artillery beingness treble … astatine slightest for those devices that enactment the latest mentation of WearOS.

Samsung Galaxy 22 volition beryllium the champion telephone of the twelvemonth

As overmuch arsenic I'd similar to spot the Pixel 7 go the telephone to person successful 2022, I judge that rubric volition onshore squarely successful the thigh of Samsung. The merchandise of the Galaxy 22 won't spot overmuch of a departure design-wise, but the telephone volition beryllium powerhouse (maybe sporting a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset) and mightiness precise good spot wireless charging coming successful astatine 45W (making it 1 of the fastest charging phones available). 

Voice unlock volition go a happening

This mightiness dependable a spot excessively futuristic, but I've been waiting for this for immoderate time. I deliberation 2022 volition yet spot sound-based biometrics connected an Android smartphone, truthful dependable unlock volition go a thing. I besides judge this authentication method volition beryllium to beryllium the astir unafraid enactment available. And to assuage those who are overly paranoid astir Google listening 24/7, I judge this volition beryllium handled locally with the assistance of the Tensor Chip. With dependable unlock handled onboard, there's nary request to beryllium acrophobic astir Big Brother watching (listening to) you.

At slightest not for instrumentality unlocking.

Sideloading apps volition nary longer beryllium allowed

This has been a agelong clip coming and volition beryllium the happening to choler a bully fig of Android users. I deliberation 2022 volition spot Google simply unopen down the sideloading of applications. And erstwhile this is done, there'll beryllium nary going backmost and nary getting astir it. 

Google volition bash this successful the sanction of stopping malware and ransomware. When it does, it has to past recognize the onus volition beryllium wholly connected its shoulders to support users from malicious applications.

Midrange phones volition adjacent the spread with flagship devices

2022 volition beryllium the twelvemonth of the midrange phone. Not lone that, but immoderate midrange devices volition dramatically adjacent the spread betwixt theirs and the flagship space. We should commencement seeing much and much midrange devices look and behave similar flagship phones, portion inactive selling astatine midrange prices. This volition person the added payment of forcing manufacturers to little the prices of their flagships.

First graphene artillery for a smartphone

Finally, I deliberation 2022 volition bring astir the archetypal denotation of a graphene artillery for a smartphone. I judge Samsung volition unveil a prototype astatine immoderate point, but it won't spell into accumulation until the pursuing year. These types of batteries volition revolutionize smartphones due to the fact that they're smaller and acold much almighty than the options we presently have. These batteries volition not lone beryllium capable to clasp exponentially much charge, but they'll besides beryllium a batch safer than Li-ion batteries.

This volition person the added bonus of allowing instrumentality manufacturers to plan thinner, lighter smartphones.

And determination you person it, my Android predictions for 2022. I deliberation it's going to beryllium a banner twelvemonth for Google's smartphone platform.

Also see

• Android 12 cheat sheet: Everything you request to cognize (free PDF) (TechRepublic)
• IT disbursal reimbursement argumentation (TechRepublic Premium)
• Wi-Fi 6: A cheat sheet (TechRepublic)
• The iPhone, iPad and Mac users usher to Microsoft 365 (free PDF) (TechRepublic)
• Smartphones and mobile tech: More must-read coverage (TechRepublic connected Flipboard)