Yesterday Google released Android 12L, a special feature drop for Android 12 designed for tablets, foldables, and Chrome OS devices. While the new update provides an optimized experience for large screen devices, it also gives us a glimpse at a new feature that Google is working on for Google Pixel and Google Nest devices: nearby calling.

As spotted by Mishaal Rahmaan, Android 12L comes with a new app called "Cross-Device Communication Service" and it provides a sneak peek at the new nearby calling feature that Google is working on for Pixel phones and Google Nest Hub.

By linking your phone, you can access calls from phone directly from Nest hub when you’re nearby.

As the name implies, nearby calling will allow you to receive incoming calls directly from your Nest Hub when you're home. In addition, you'll also be able to quickly transfer calls between your Pixel and the Hub and start calls with a voice command. At the time being, the feature isn't working and appears to be a work in progress. We don't know when Google plans to roll it out to everyone. We'll keep an eye out and let you know if more details emerge about the nearby calling feature.

Android 12L brings several UI tweaks and optimizations to make Android more usable on large screens. It introduces a two-column layout for notification shade, lockscreen and other system UI elements to get the most out of the extra real screen estate. Android 12L is currently available as a developer preview, with the official release slated for sometime in March next year.