TECH

Android 10 stable update announced, rolling out already

It is official! Android 10 stable version is out and rolling out to devices.
Android 10 brings new features, key ones being a system-wide dark theme and a new swipe-based navigation. Below are 10 new features that Android 10 brings to your phone:

Live caption
This is a pretty interesting feature. With Live Caption, videos including those you record yourself, podcasts, and audio messages get captioned when activated. And the best thing is that it doesn't require Wi-Fi or data.

Smart reply
With Android 9 Pie, you received suggested responses when you receive a message or mail. Android 10 takes it even further with Smart Reply. A message containing a location or address will now include suggestions for open related apps such as Maps for directions to the place.

Sound amplifier
This is an app that boosts sounds, filter background noises and provides an overall better audio experience when you plug in your headphones to watch a video or listen to an audio file.

Gesture Navigation
Android 10 brings a new gesture navigation system that includes swipes and pulls. You now have to pull from the left to go back, swipe upwards to go home, and drag the bar to the left or right to switch between apps.

Dark theme
Google finally listened and has now added a dark theme to Android. Google says it uses true black for the dark theme which should bring improvements to battery life and also reduce strain on your eyes. Google Apps like Gmail, photos, and the calendar take on a dark theme when you switch.

New emojis
Android 10 brings up to 65 new emojis including gender-inclusive ones for pre-existing emojis.

Privacy Controls
With Android 10, users now have more controls over their privacy. You can customize which app gets access to your location and when. You can choose what data is stored and for how long. You can also opt-out of personalized ads.

Faster Security Updates
With Android 10, security updates and fixes will be rolled out via Google Play (Play Store) and you will receive them just the way your apps receive new updates.

Usability Enhancements
Android 10 brings a number of new ways to improve how you use your device. One of these is Contaminant Detection which will send a notification if there is moisture or dirt in your USB port.
Android Auto is also built-in now. All you have to do is plug in your phone and begin using Android Auto on your car's display.
Another feature is Dynamic System Updates which allows developers to load a different system image on their device for testing without affecting the original system image.

Digital Wellbeing
You can now set timers for websites and not only apps. There is also a new feature called Focus Mode which allows you to minimize distractions and pause preselected apps. Digital Wellbeing also gets parental controls allowing you to set screen time limits, see device location, and manage what they see.

G. C.