Android 12 is officially out for the Pixel phones, and it will soon be making its way to more smartphones in the coming months. While we already know most of the major features and improvements that Android 12 brings along, there's much more to the latest Android release than meets the eyes.

Android 12 packs a lot of smaller improvements and changes that aren't easily noticeable. At this week's Android Dev Summit, Google detailed some of the underhood enhancements and quality of life changes introduced in the latest Android version. One such small but useful change in Android 12 is how it now handles App Links. For starters, App Link is a type of deep link that enables web URLs to open content in supported apps.

Starting with Android 12, verified links now automatically open in the corresponding apps for a more streamlined and faster user experience. Google has also changed the default handing of links that aren't verified through Android App Links or manually approved by the user. Google says Android 12 will always open such non-verified links in the default browser instead of showing you the app selection dialogue.

If you're an app developer and want to learn about how to add verified links to your app, check out Google's official documentation. Google first introduced this new behavior in Android 12 Developer Preview 3; however, the option to manually add links wasn't working at the time.

To learn more about other compatibility changes in Android 12, be sure to check out the Android Dev Summit session linked below.

At Android Dev Summit, Google also announced Android 12L, a special version of Android optimized for foldables, tablets, and Chrome OS devices. Android 12L is currently available as a developer preview, with the official public release slated for Q1 2022. The new version packs several UI refinements and changes for foldables and tablets, including a two-column layout for the notification shade and lockscreen, improved multitasking experience, and more