Thanks to some recent leaks, we already knew that Android 12 would be getting new universal splash screens for its apps. It's a slight touch, but it certainly helps keep everything feeling a little more uniform in design. With Android 12 DP3 now out in the wild, we've finally gotten to check out these splash screens in action, complete with support for dark mode depending on your system preferences.
These new opening animations replace any previous versions, simplifying everything to a standard app icon without additional text or logos. Developers can customize their splash screens further if they wish, but implementing a universal option helps ensure a consistent experience across Android.
Left: Android 12 DP2 / Right: Android 12 DP3
Of course, the real improvement here is recognition for your system theme. These splash screens switch from white to grey once you've enabled dark mode, a godsend for checking your email at night.
Left: Android 12 DP2 / Middle: Android 12 DP3 / Right: Android 12 DP3 with dark mode enabled.
Not every application seems to support the switch to Android's new animations. Twitter, for example, kept its blue backdrop, while Facebook Messenger opened with a white screen regardless of whether dark mode was toggled on or off. Considering we're still on developer previews, however, the feature is off to a great start, as plenty of apps seem to be already using the new splash screens.
For more about Android 12, check out our ongoing series coverage here, or bookmark our regularly updated changelog and check back in later. If you want to install the developer preview on your own device, find out how in our Android 12 download guide.