Drive is the first Google app to adopt Android 12’s animated splash screen

Every app open on Android 12 is accompanied by a launch animation to make “startup a more consistent and delightful experience.” One aspect of this is an animated icon on the splash screen, with Drive being the first Google app to support this on Android 12.

This whimsical aspect of Android 12 starts when you tap an application. The app will expand out from where it’s located on the homescreen (or grid) until it takes over the four corners of the screen. When you open an app you haven’t launched in a while (cold or warm start), you’re also greeted with a splash screen that features the icon. As such, users are not subject to extra delay when getting back to an app they just opened (hot start).

Developers are able to customize the logo that appears, including the ability to use an animated icon. Another interesting aspect is how animations “can have an unlimited duration,” but Google recommends keeping it to 1,000 milliseconds.

When Google first announced the Splash Screen API in Developer Preview 3, Google provided a Gmail example, likely as that animation already appears on the desktop web client. Developers can find full implementation details here. 

However, the first Google app to actually adopt this animation is Drive. You first see Drive’s six-sided shape empty and hollowed-out. Once the splash screen takes over the entire display, the dark green, yellow, red, blue, dark blue, and green colors slide in from the edge.

Version 2.21.222.06.40 is widely rolled out today and the animated splash screen is live for all Android 12 users. It does not appear on early versions of the operating system.

Developers have long been able to design their own custom splash screens (e.g., YouTube TV), but Android 12 allows any app to easily do it as part of standardizing the opening experience.