After Google first rolled out the update to the Pixels last September, Android 11 is still rolling out to qualifying devices across the globe, but the company is already working hard to bring together the next exciting version – Android 12. We’re also seeing tidbits of expected features from Google for the new update that will arrive later this year, including Wi-Fi setup upgrades.
Earlier today, we mentioned that as part of updates to iptables, the firewall utility for Android and Linux, Android 12 will possibly include a function called Restricted Networking Mode, to allow only those apps that have “restricted network permission to use” the network.
XDA has now discovered another feature, which is basically an enhancement to the ability to share Wi-Fi networks introduced in Android 10. As of today, users running Android 10 or Android 11 could simply use an automatically created QR code to share their Wi-Fi networks, which recipients would scan to enter instead of typing the password.
In most cases, though, this is not ideal, such as when you are having a party at home and don’t really want to print the QR code for all to see or have to continue opening the Wi-Fi settings on your phone and hope that the other person has a QR code scanner. Google is working on an extension to the Nearby Share AirDrop-like feature that was introduced last year on Android phones to allow safe sharing of wifi-passwords.
