Google launched the 3rd beta of the latest Android version at Google I/O. At the conference, Google provided a sneak peek into some new features of Android Q, the tenth Android OS version which is slated to launch this year. Android’s 10th version is available on 15 partner devices. Let’s check out what the third Android Q preview brings.
Dark Theme
Google’s relationship with dark mode has not been easy in the recent past. While it did fiddle with the concept of full dark-mode for a while now, the Android Q dark mode is finally here.
Simply open the display settings, tap on Theme, and select Dark. Doing so will transform a majority of segments of the operating system completely back, right from the settings, folders, app drawer, to native applications such as Photos. Since the screen will be truly black, your device’s battery life will get extended due to the OLED display.
Google has also introduced a tile for quick settings so that the users can turn on and turn off the dark mode without having to visit the Settings app. Moreover, when the phone is in the battery saving mode, the dark theme gets turned on in case it is disabled.
Better Gestures
One of the most significant changes in the new Android version is the gestures. The Android Q gestures are comparable to iOS. To turn on the newly added gestures, you need to go to the navigation settings menu and enable fully gestural navigation.
- For going to the home screen, just slide upwards on the slim navigation bar.
- For going back, just slide in from any place on any side of the phone screen.
- For launching the app switcher, you need to swipe upwards and then pause.
- For quickly switching between different apps, slide rightwards or leftwards on the slim navigation bar.
- For launching the app drawer, you need to go to the home screen and slide upwards on the navigation bar.
Smart Reply works on any messaging app
The Smart Reply feature of Google intends to provide suggestions on what you are going to write before you write it. This feature makes use of machine learning to anticipate your responses. This was available in Google apps such as Messages. However, in Android Q, this feature will be available on all messaging apps like Messenger, Telegram, etc.
In addition to it, Google has made an announcement regarding suggested Actions, a brand0new feature which will improve the messaging experience of the users. For instance, if a user gets a text that contains an address, then apart from the reply option, the device will also offer a suggestion for opening maps, enabling the users to open Google Maps to view the address location directly.
Focus Mode
When you enable the Focus mode, all the apps that you feel are distracting when you work will get silenced. You can activate or deactivate the Focus mode from a quick tile. You just have to choose which apps you find distracting, and turn on the Focus Mode. These apps will now get greyed out, and you will not be able to open them unless you disable the Focus Mode.
Live Captions
The new accessibility feature is very impressive. It allows users to view a real-time transcript of what is being said in videos and audios, no matter which app they are getting played on, across the whole operating system. Since the Live Caption feature makes use of local machine learning, no data is sent to the cloud, and it can be used offline.
Turn in on from the accessibility settings, and play any video or audio. You will notice that a new icon will appear below the volume slider. Tap this icon, and a box will appear on the screen. The captions shall be provided in this box. This caption box’s location and size can be changed.
Davis Johnson is a Microsoft Office expert and has been working in the technical industry since 2002. As a technical expert, Davis has written technical blogs, manuals, white papers, and reviews for many websites such as office.com/setup.
