Ulefone Armor 12 Review

OS, UI and software

In a similar fashion to the past two Armor models, Ulefone Armor 12 runs on Android 11 that's almost purely stock. The Lock Screen has a very clean appearance with a simple Time and Date Widget and no icons for the shortcuts in the bottom corners. No matter which bottom corner you access by dragging, you will activate Google Assistant. Once unlocked, the device greets you with the Home Screen that begins with the Google Search bar including Assistant and Google Lens, a Time/Date widget, a favorite row of apps, and a docked row of apps. A notable difference is that the font is black, instead of the standard white, which looks quite good, actually. By default, there's no App Drawer and you can access the apps by swiping to the left from the Home Screen. However, from the Display settings, you can opt for an App Drawe from the Launcher Settings. These can also be accessed from the Widgets menu. Desktop shortcuts are supported. The Task Manager tiles the apps horizontally and for each, you get shortcuts to app info and split-screen mode (if the latter is supported). A clear-all option is also provided.

The Notifications cards and the Quick Settings shade have a classic Android design with all toggles listed on one screen. From here, there are two options that cannot be accessed from anywhere else's - Underwater Camera and Nearby Share. The Widgets menu allows you to manage the widgets, screen transition effects, themes, wallpapers, and the Launcher settings. The latter include options for the notification dots, icons grid layout, app name and icon customization, icon size, activating the Easy Launcher, layout lock toggle, App Drawer on/off, etc. A swipe to the right from the Home Screen opens Google Discover. The Ulefone Armor 12 has a standard set of applications and no bloatware at all. For starters, there's the Google set of apps with the Assistant, Calendar, Chrome, Drive, Duo, Files, Gmail, Discover, Maps, Play Store, Photos, YouTube, and YT Music. The second group comprises the default Android ones namely Phone, Contacts, Calculator, Camera, Clock, FM Radio, Messenger, Notes, Sound Recorder. Finally, there are a few additional apps that are gradually becoming a standard - Easy Launcher, Children Space, Security, and Tools. The System Settings of the Armor 12 are the same in terms of design and layout as those on the Ulefone Power Armor 13. The list begins with a dedicated search bar followed by six groups of options, each separated from the other by a thick, light gray line. As usual, the first group is about connectivity and many of the options are made available on the first access level. You get a Wi-Fi menu with Wi-Fi preferences and Wi-Fi Direct settings once you click on it, Bluetooth, Android Auto, Mobile network, Hotspot & tethering, which also include an NFC toggle, and More network settings. The latter comprises the usual Airplane mode toggle, Mobile plan, Data saver, VPN, and Private DNS settings.

The second group is about managing the device. It begins with the Display settings, which we have already discussed in the Display section of this review. The second menu here is about the type of navigation. You can choose from an on-screen navigation bar that can be customized and on-screen gestures. The third menu is about managing the Sound in all of its projections - media, ring tones, vibrations, DND mode, sound enhancement, notifications, etc. Apps & Notifications is next and contains all possible settings in this context - lock screen notifications, notification dots toggle, history and bubbles, conversations, screen time, app management. The third group of settings is dedicated to privacy and security. The Biometrics & password menu is about setting and managing device lock, fingerprint ID(s), and a face ID. The group continues with the Privacy settings for managing app permissions, autofill services, location history, activity controls, ads, usage, and stats. The Security menu is next and includes the four default services - Google Play Protect, Security Update, Find My Device, Google Play System Update. It also manages the app lock, children's space, device admin apps, app pinning, and others. The fourth group of settings contains five menus. The first is about managing the Custom Key options. From here you can choose what happens if you single-click, double-click, or long-press the button on the left frame of the smartphone. The second menu is called Intelligent Assistance and contains plenty of options for customization. It is here that you will find additional functions for the fingerprint IDs you've saved such as answering calls, snapping photos and videos, returning back or home, etc. This menu also contains toggles for functions such as flip to silent, smart answer, three-finger screenshot, gloves mode, quick camera access, wireless reverse charging, lift to wake, single-hand mode. Finally, there are further expandable settings about sensor calibration, accessibility, emergency settings. Smart Touch is the third menu in the fourth group of settings and is a floating dot with various functions that can serve as an alternative to the other types of navigation. Finally, there are the Battery and Location menus. The fifth group of settings comprises three menus - Accounts, System, and About phone. The System menu is where you can check for OTA updates, manage the languages and input, dates and time, backup and reset options. The Storage stats and manager are hidden here as well. You can also opt to manage multiple user profiles on this device from the System menu. The Accounts and About Phone are standard. The sixth group of options includes the Digital Wellbeing & Parental controls, Google options, and DuraSpeed.