10 Best Features of Android Q (Continuously Updated)

Google has a long tradition of giving Android enthusiasts an early glimpse of what the next flavor of Android will look like, and we’ve been waiting for the debut of Android Q for weeks. Well, our wait finally came to an end last night when Google released the first official beta build of Android Q. This is pretty cool.

Android Q makes no changes to the core experience you’ve grown accustomed to with Android Pie, and adds many important upgrades and features. I’ve been using Android Q Beta 1 for a while now, and here are 10 exciting new features in Android Q.

What’s new in Android Q

Note : We tried these features on a Pixel 3 XL and a Pixel 2 running the first beta of Android 10 Q (build number QPP1.190205.018.B4).

1. Improved privacy

Google seems to have had enough of Android and iOS privacy jokes and is making big strides with the latest version of Android. Android Q has a renewed focus on privacy, adding control over the permissions assigned to specific apps in addition to runtime permissions for increased security.

Android Q also strives to improve the user experience by reducing interruptions . Starting activities in the background, especially those in full screen, will now be blocked, which will be a boon for Jio and Xiaomi users. This version also restricts access to non-resettable device identifiers such as IMEI and serial numbers.

2. Location information security

In addition to the privacy options mentioned above, Android Q also focuses on location and how you give apps permission to access your location. Previously, you could grant an app location permission once during app setup and always have access to that location, but that changes in this Android version.

Currently, if an app requires location permission, that permission is not granted forever. A pop-up will appear with an option to grant permissions only while the app is open and in use. This is similar to what Apple did with iOS back in the day, especially after allegations that taxi companies were tracking passengers even after the ride ended . Thanks to a more robust permission control system, you don’t have to worry anymore.

3. Dark mode is here

I agree. You’ve probably seen countless leaks about the system-wide dark mode coming to Android Q, and it’s true. However, the first beta build does not have an option to enable the same and instead even removes the dark theme option available on Android P.

There’s no dedicated option to switch to dark mode in Android Q’s settings, but you can check out the upcoming true dark mode (AMOLED users will be happy) with a few simple steps. We’ve put together a quick guide to enable dark mode on Android Q.

4. Theme options

Google’s mobile OS has also taken its first steps towards Android Q theming. A dedicated theme section has been added, allowing you to change the accent color (choose from blue, black, green, and purple), font (currently only two options). ), the shape of the icon was also possible in Android P.

You can see the theme features available in Android Q by going to Settings -> System -> Advanced -> Developer options and scrolling to the bottom. It’s minimal functionality in its current form (presumably meant for OEMs to use to differentiate their builds), but in order to provide a full-fledged theme customizer in an upcoming beta version, Google is adding it to I hope it gets some attention.

5. New navigation gestures

We all expected the back button to go away and Google to rely entirely on the Android Q pill , but the Beta 1 build didn’t bring the same. Navigation gestures are kept in the same current form as in Android 9 Pie, with the exception of small additions that make it easier to switch between apps.

Google seems to have taken a cue from the iPhone X’s super smooth gestures and added new gestures for switching between apps. You can right-flick the Android Pie tablet to navigate between recent apps, but it’s choppy and slow. On the other hand , this new arc-like gesture that pulls up the pill a little and swipes right is snappier, with less animation.

6. Force desktop mode

Yes, the rumors were true. Google is working on a Samsung Dex-like “desktop mode” feature that turns your smartphone into a PC experience. Apart from the average user, Android Q includes a “Force Desktop Mode” toggle under Developer Options and comes with support for freeform windows introduced in Android Nougat.

This feature is still pretty half-baked and isn’t supported on the Pixel series as the phone’s USB-C port doesn’t support HDMI output. If you still want to give it a try, the guys at XDA Developers have figured out a nifty way to get desktop mode on your PC or Pixel as well (see screenshot above).

7. Native screen recorder

This Android version may go down in history as it is the first to introduce a usable native screen recorder . Sure, Android Q hosts a screen recorder, but it seems like it’s still in development and the UI isn’t the best.

If you look at the screenshot above, you can see that it looks old-fashioned. However, it works well enough for now and may be improved in future beta versions. Would you like to try it? Check out our guide on how to enable screen recorder on Android Q.

8. New share pane

One of the big issues with Android, aside from the slow rollout of updates by OEMs, was the slow sharing pane, but that changed with Android Q Beta 1. Google has finally made the sharing pane snappier and loads surprisingly fast. Compared to Android Pie, the latest stable version of the OS.

In addition to the speed improvements, the share pane also includes small UI changes, a clipboard button at the top (with a link URL), and a share shortcuts feature that is only meant to speed up the sharing process. This allows users to share information directly from the share menu to certain features within the app (such as Instagram Stories).

9. Easy Wi-Fi connection

If you jump to the Wi-Fi settings pane in Android Q, you won’t notice any major design changes, but the beta update introduces an “Easy Connect” feature for sharing internet services securely and quickly. You can now share your Wi-Fi connection with a friend via a QR code, or connect to a friend the same way from the Wi-Fi settings pane .

Google’s focus on privacy also led to the birth of the Random MAC Address feature, which is enabled by default to hide your device’s original MAC address from others.

10. Restore accidentally deleted icons

The default Pixel Launcher that comes with Android Q Beta 1 also has a subtle but nifty feature that can solve your home screen troubles. If you accidentally delete an app icon from the home screen, a “floating undo button” will appear at the bottom of the launcher, allowing you to restore it.

This feature is limited to Pixel Launcher and does not work with third-party launchers. However, we expect major third-party launchers to add this feature in future updates.

Android Q developer-centric features

After all, this is officially the first Android Q Developer Preview, and its main purpose is to gather developer feedback from the community on what works and what doesn’t. Developer-centric features of this Android version include:

1. Foldable support

Google announced Android support for foldable devices late last year, and now it’s making similar improvements in Android Q by defining multi-resume and how apps are displayed on foldable devices. The Android emulator has been updated to also support multi-display type switching, so developers can try it out.

2. Dynamic depth format

Multiple camera setups on smartphones now capture large amounts of data, including depth data, which is very useful for portrait effects. Google says this data is typically discarded, but in Android Q it is not discarded and developers can request dynamic depth to provide custom bokeh options or create 3D images. The image will be saved .

Dynamic depth images contain JPEG, XMP metadata related to depth elements, and depth and confidence maps embedded in the same file.

3. Support for new audio/video codecs

Android Q also introduces the open source video codec AV1 for high-quality streaming, HDR 10+ for devices that support it, and support for audio encoding using Opus .

4. ART runtime improvements

Google has significantly improved the ART runtime to make your app load faster by identifying and precompiling parts that run regularly and reducing memory consumption the next time you open your app.

5. Balkan angle

Vulkan handles the graphics responsibilities for Android devices. Google is now extending its performance benefits and consistency by adding a graphics abstraction layer called ANGLE designed for high-performance OpenGL use cases. Experimental support for the same is already available in Android Q Beta 1.

6. Neural Network API 1.2

No tea party is complete without talking about AI. Especially when Google is involved. Android Q comes with an improved version of the Neural Network API (NNAPI), adding over 60 optimizations for object detection and image segmentation.

See also: How to install Android Q Beta 1 on your Pixel device

Android Q Beta 1: Enhanced Android Pie experience

With Android Q, Google seems to be more focused on privacy and security than the aesthetics of its mobile software. While the changes on the front lines are mostly negligible, there’s a lot going on behind the scenes, and I’m really excited to see Android morph into a better version of itself.

Have you installed the Android Q beta on your Pixel device yet? What’s your favorite feature? Let us know what you think in the comments below.