Back in September, Google officially released the newest iteration of its Android mobile operating system. Android 11 isn't the biggest update to the platform up to this point, but that's expected for an OS that's as mature as Android is. (The same can be said for iOS, yes.) So it's been a couple of months now since the update was released, which means it feels like it's a good time to ask how well it's going for folks out there in the wild who are actually using it.

Because, yes, there's still that same elephant in the room.

The newest Google Pixel smartphones were first to get Android 11, which is par for the course. Other manufacturers were quick to update, too, with some devices from Xiaomi, RealMe, and Oppo getting the update right away. Samsung started updating some handsets in October. However, some companies haven't been so open and transparent about when their handsets will get updated.

This isn't necessarily a negative remark in this regard. I think at this point, while Google has made some improvements to make updates for third-party manufacturers faster and easier, it's still just an expectation that software updates of this magnitude aren't going to be as readily available at launch.

But! The good news is that some devices out there do have the update, which means users can enjoy things like the new conversation bubbles, the new notification categories (Silent, Alerting, and Conversations), notification history, an easy way to record your screen, and brand new media controls. Plus a whole lot more, of course. 

I waited to write this up because of the fact I wanted to make sure that more than four smartphones (an exaggeration!) had the new software on there. Android 11 seems like a solid enough update for the platform as a whole, refining certain elements, improving others, and more.

So I want to know: how are you liking Android 11 so far? If you've been using it since launch (or close enough), is there anything that really stands out to you with daily usage? Are there elements of the OS you wish you could change in some way? Let me know!