The newly-announced Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro come with Android 12 out of the box, and the two phones have introduced a centralized setting page for your security settings, that allows you to manage your phone, app, and Google Account. And now, 9to5Google reports that this Security “Hub ” has started coming to older Pixel phones running Android 12.
Older Pixel phones with Android 12 installed are getting the new Security page
Some Pixel 5 and Pixel 5a devices have now received the new server-side update with a centralized Security Hub page on Android 12. The Security Hub appears in the main Android 12 Settings list on Pixel phones, which is the same as it was before the update; however, it now features a large graphic top with four possible status messages, concerning your phone’s security.
The status messages are as follows: No problems found, Security can be improved (Green), Security may be at risk (Yellow), or Security is at risk (Red). Cards underneath the status message urge you to take action if something is wrong with your phone’s security.
The Security page now has a more user-friendly design in comparison to its previous look, and the use of checkmarks and its overall look can increase the chance of users taking action to better protect their phone or account.
Keep in mind this update is still not widely available, but it will be coming to more Android 12 devices other than the Pixel 6 soon, so stay tuned. As it is a server-side update, you cannot manually install it, but should rather wait to receive it.
Android 12 security and privacy
The new OS update, Android 12, brought the loved-by-many new design Material You, but alongside that, it also brings some important privacy features and controls that you need to ensure your phone and privacy are well protected. Back when Android 12 was announced during Google’s I/O online event, the tech giant did bring the focus not only on the new design but also on security and privacy. With Android 12, there are new privacy indicators in the upper right corner that indicate if your camera or microphone are being used by an app, so you can always know if an app is accessing them at the current moment. If you tap on one of these icons, the app that’s using it will be displayed.
There are also new tiles in Quick Settings that allow you to shut down access to the mic, the camera, or both from being accessed by the system.
Another important thing to mention here with Android 12’s privacy improvements in the Privacy dashboard, which is now more user-friendly and the information it presents is clearly and understandably displayed. The Privacy Dashboard shows you what data is being accessed, how often, and a list of the apps using it.
From it, you can also easily revoke permissions you have previously granted apps. Location access can also easily be revoked. When you first start an app, you have the option to either give it your precise or approximate location and this can be changed later if you change your mind.
And last but not least, Android 12 brings a new Android Private Computer Core feature, which enables Google to perform tasks on the device itself with less reliance on the cloud. Live Caption, Now Playing, and Smart Reply will now be processed on the phone instead of via Google’s cloud.
Android 12 is now on the new Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, and firstly, devices from the Google Pixel series will be getting the new operating system. Supported Pixel phones are the Pixel 3, 3 XL, 3a, 3a XL, Pixel 4, 4 XL, 4a, 4a 5G, Pixel 5, Pixel 5a, and the newest Pixel 6 and 6 Pro.
