Google has publicly released Android Q Beta, the newest version of Android. With it comes many nice-to-have improvements for users. Google has largely focused on privacy, security, and performance, while preparing for the latest trends like foldables. Without further ado, let's dive into the best features in Android Q.
Foldables
Foldable phones have made their great debut in 2019. Whether you love them or hate them, expect to see a lot of news about companies, developers, and users trying out this new form factor. Developers won't be able to test foldables on the existing Android emulator yet (Google is working on that).
Granular Control for Location Permissions
Google has responded to the outcry of users to protect their privacy. So long to the creepiness of giving away your location at all times. Now, the location permission option will have an additional option to only give location when the app is in use.
WiFI Performance Modes
Mobile gaming has emerged as a powerhouse in the app landscape. However, latency has remained an issue since many gamers rely on WiFi. Android Q will ship with the ability for apps to tell the device to use low-latency or high-performance modes. This will greatly improve the experience of mobile gamers everywhere.
Dynamic Depth Format
Android phones have come a very, very long ways in terms of camera quality. Android Q will usher in another significant advancement: Dynamic Depth Format. This new format will allow apps to provide improvements to blur and similar features. Dynamic Depth Format will give app developers with the tools to actually see depth, something they have been simulating to various degrees of success. Expect to see much greater Augmented Reality and 3D images too.
Interested in trying these features out on your own? Sign up for the beta!
Further reading
Official Post by Google: https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2019/03/introducing-android-q-beta.html
Top comments (2)
Idk... not including the ability to change theme accent colors seems like a big oversight ;)
I'm pretty excited to see where the foldable phone goes from here. There's certainly some interesting applications to it, but I can't quite figure out what that use is.
Personally, I don't find theming exciting. But I see your point and no doubt there's a lot of enthusiasts who will enjoy theming.
Foldables will be great for watching videos, especially in a few years once they get better and new video streaming companies (eg. Disney, etc) give us more reasons to watch on-the-go. Those with poor eyesight would certainly appreciate the larger screens. It's a demographic which isn't represented or supported well by the tech industry.