Frequent travelers know that Android's ability to create a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot anywhere is a lifesaver. But it's also best to use 5GHz Wi-Fi if at all possible, because the close quarters of use for a laptop result in higher speeds. The latest change spotted in Android 12 Developer Preview 3 really steers users towards that choice, going so far as to hide the 2.4GHz setting in another sub-menu.
If you go to the hotspot settings menu on an Android 11 device, you'll see an option to choose an access point (AP) band between the older 2.4GHz band or a dual mode labelled "5.0GHz band preferred." In Android 12 DP3, this choice is hidden under the "Advanced" drop-down menu, and it's re-labelled. The switch is now "Maximize compatibility," no mention of bands, and a warning that speeds will be lower and battery will drain faster.
