Android 10: Release Date, Features & Everything You Need to Know

Android 10 is expected to release in next week on 3rd September. Earlier this year, the first beta releases started on March 13 followed by beta 2, 3, 4, 5 and beta 6 before the final release next month. The biggest surprise for Android fans is that there will be no dessert naming for Android 10. Earlier it was termed as Android Q but now, it’s simply Android 10. With this version of Android, a lot of changes are expected apart from the naming thingy. Let’s dig in to see what new features you should expect in the upcoming release.

Android 10 Release Date

As the beta releases start from March, you can try out the beta updates in your smartphone if that is the part of beta testing and development. Here is the release date of Android Q beta versions before the final release:

• March 13: Beta 1
• April 3: Beta 2 (gave bugs fixes and app bubbles)
• May 7: Beta 3 (launched at Google IO 2019)
• June 5: Beta 4, finalized Android Q APIs & SDK along with dynamic system updates
• July 10: Beta 5, latest optimizations & bug fixes
• August 7: Beta 6, final release for testing
• Final Release: September 3

On August 22, Google announced the Android Q would officially be re-branded as Android 10 because the desert names were not inclusive to international users and some names were difficult to pronounce. Google ended its desert naming flow with Android 10 release.

Android 10 Supported Smartphones

Many smartphones were included in the beta testing of Android’s new OS version. The smartphones belong to several manufacturers including Google, OnePlus, Asus, Nokia, LG, Sony etc. Below is the list of devices which took part in Android Q beta testing and are expected to get Android 10 update soon after the launch. Check if your manufacturer is included in the list or not.

Android 10 Features & Updates

Although, a lot of changes are coming in Android’s major update. This includes Privacy enhancement, cool dark mode, app bubbles etc. Below is the list of all new features that you can enjoy in Android 10.

1. No Back Button

Yes, you heard it right. Google is finally saying goodbye to its iconic back button with Android 10 release. With the previous release of Android Pie, use of gestures has improved in Android smartphones and this allowed the users to get familiar with gesture-based navigation. Although, Android Pie had the option to turn navigation gesture ON or OFF and you could use back button. But, Android 10 is ditching the back button and you’ll be left with gestures. If you want to enjoy Android’s new release, make sure you get yourself comfortable with gesture-based navigation. Swipe up to go home, swipe up and hold to reveal multitasking menu, and a swipe from the right or left edge to go back.

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Ditching the back button is a major shift for Android navigation as most of the users are still dependent on the back button instead of gestures. The big reason to remove the back button is that Google is evolving app design and will allow opening a side menu with first swipe and double swipe for going back.

2. Complete Dark Mode

After years, Google is finally making system-wide dark mode available in Android 10. The system-wide dark mode will turn ON the dark mode everywhere in your smartphone and that includes your apps too. Now you won’t have to turn dark mode in some apps manually as Google has created an API for developers that will automatically make apps go dark when the system-wide dark mode is turned on.

3. Live Captions in Android Q

Live captions will transcribe the media locally in real-time and without having internet connectivity. Closed captions were a mess for deaf and hard-hearing people to understand any media (video, podcast, game etc.). Live caption in Android 10 will allow the captions to be virtually available.

You can turn ON live captions from accessibility settings and it will then provide real-time captions about anything on your phone when someone is talking. Isn’t it cool? The best part of live captions is that it doesn’t need any internet connectivity.

4. Strict Permission means Better Privacy

With the improvement in digital technology, privacy is becoming the biggest concern among users. Google is working on Android to improve privacy by implementing some new features and making it easier to secure your information. With Android 10, you will have a better understanding and control over any app permission.

New permission settings will reveal a new pop-up and give users three options to chose from. For example, if an app asks for your location then it will ask you if you want to grant location access all the time, only when the app is in use, or just deny. Hence, users will have more control over their privacy and no app will get access to sensitive information when it is not even in use.

5. New Theming Options

Those were the days when you needed third-party apps to customize your Android theme. Android 10 could fully give you the options to customize it. For example, you can change the accent color of the entire UI. The colors which are currently available up to 6th beta release are:

Blue (default), Ocean, Space, Orchid, Purple, Black, Green, Cinnamon.

After the release, you will get to know where to find the theming tools and how to use those in your Android smartphone.

6. Foldable Support

2019 is the year of foldable smartphones and there will be the support of foldable screens in Android 10 release new month. This will allow manufacturers to work on their foldable smartphones after the launch of Android Q next week. Google has also introduced, “foldable emulator” in Android Studio 3.5 for the developers.

7. Multitasking with ‘App Bubbles’

If you’ve used Facebook Messenger chat heads, then you might know what we’re talking about here. Google is planning to introduce App Bubbles in system-level for Android 10. App bubbles are an easy way to keep the active conversation on screen as small floating pics of the person. You can continue your other work on the phone and just tap on the pic when you want to switch back to the conversation. You may see this improved multitasking feature in Message and Hangout app.

8. No Android Beam

Along with the back button, Android is also ditching the Android Beam in Android 10 release next month. Android beam it the features in Android smartphones that allow data transfer via NFC (Near Field Communication). This allow rapid transfer of bookmarks, contact info, directions & other data.

This might be possible that Google will replace this sharing method with something else. But nothing is official yet and lot more can be seen in the upcoming final release in September.

9. Improved Share Menu in Android 10

Quick share in Android smartphones has proven a mess so far. No matter which device you use the share menu always seems slower and it is slower. Now with Android 10, the Share UI will launch instantly. Not only this, but Android 10 also introduces “Sharing Shortcuts” that allows you to create a shortcut for file/photo etc. to a user for instant sharing.

Those were some of the best features comping in the new Android version. There is a lot more to see after the final launch. Google Pixel phones will get the first hand on Android Q update which is now rebranded as Android 10. From now, there will not be any dessert naming, Pie is the last sweet you tasted from Android kitchen :D. We will be sharing more information about the new Android software after the official final launch.