A year after the last update, Google has released a new version of Android, this time called simply and without sweet names: Android 10 . This version of Android is immediately available for Google Pixel smartphones and will be slowly distributed on smartphones of other brands depending on the manufacturer (who will have to adapt Android to its devices). With this version, Google wanted to simplify the functions based on the automatic learning of smartphones, added support for new technologies such as Foldables and 5G, improved privacy and data security settings and added some system functions. interesting as the dark mode and improved battery management.
In terms of appearance, Android 10 changes quite little compared to Android Pie, with a more refined and accurate but not different graphics. Most of the changes are located under the hood of the operating system and are not visible to users.
The dark theme in Android 10 can be activated by the icon located in the quick settings of the phone, by pulling down the notification bar. Alternatively, you can find the switch in the screen settings.
The combination of dark colors can have a significant impact on battery life for OLED-screen phones and dark mode is automatically activated when you turn on battery saver mode.
You can then activate gestures such as:
In the gesture settings you can adjust the sensitivity of the scroll and other actions on the side screen.
Inside the notifications panel, you will find a new grouping for silent notifications, so you can quickly see what happened when the smartphone is set without a ringtone. The Notifications tab now shows an estimate of the number of notifications an app sends each week, so you can decide whether to limit them.
Privacy settings are much easier to find in Android 10 with a new Privacy menu in Settings, in which Google has collected a series of controls to limit the amount of data that the company can access. Most of the controls are also available in other menus (location history, announcements, lock screen content, etc.), but are now also grouped together in one place. There is also a new useful tab for using accessibility to find out if any app has full access to the device.
Inside the Privacy tab, you can also find a new authorization manager to see which apps access elements such as the camera, contacts and microphone. For location access authorization, there is a new option to allow it only while using the app, not to be monitored by an app running in the background. Google will also send notifications to highlight the privacy settings so that you can change them directly by touching the notification.
As in previous years, Android 10 will initially be available only for owners of Pixel phones, with other smartphones being updated later this year. Depending on the type of phone you have, it could take several months before you receive the new version of Android, and although Google has made progress in convincing phone manufacturers to send updates faster, Android still has an adoption rate of very slow update when for new versions.
In terms of appearance, Android 10 changes quite little compared to Android Pie, with a more refined and accurate but not different graphics. Most of the changes are located under the hood of the operating system and are not visible to users.
Most important Android 10 features
As we always do, we see here all the best new features of Android 10 (starting from the description of the Google blog) and how to start using them when we receive the update.1) Dark theme
Perhaps the most anticipated new feature of Android 10 is the dark mode or dark theme . With this option, all apps with a white background will be transformed and have a black or dark gray background. For some apps this modification will be automatic, while for others it will be necessary to activate the option in the settings of the application itself.The dark theme in Android 10 can be activated by the icon located in the quick settings of the phone, by pulling down the notification bar. Alternatively, you can find the switch in the screen settings.
The combination of dark colors can have a significant impact on battery life for OLED-screen phones and dark mode is automatically activated when you turn on battery saver mode.
2) Gestural navigation
Gesture navigation has already been technically introduced with Android 9, but is now perfected. The options for configuring gesture navigation is found in Android Settings, under the System section, under the name System Navigation . You will then be able to hide the three buttons at the bottom and use one of them just like on the iPhone or with a thin line and with the possibility to try the gestures.You can then activate gestures such as:
- Go to Home: Swipe up from the bottom of the screen.
- Switch apps: swipe left or right at the bottom of the screen.
- Overview of open apps: Swipe up from the screen button and hold your finger in the center of the screen for a second.
- Open the list of applications: swipe up from the bottom of the screen when you are on the main screen or swipe up a second time when you switch to the app selector.
In the gesture settings you can adjust the sensitivity of the scroll and other actions on the side screen.
Android 10 notifications
It wouldn't be a new version of Android without some changes to app notifications, which now allow you to silence notifications or tap a new simplified settings menu to find more granular options.Inside the notifications panel, you will find a new grouping for silent notifications, so you can quickly see what happened when the smartphone is set without a ringtone. The Notifications tab now shows an estimate of the number of notifications an app sends each week, so you can decide whether to limit them.
New sharing features
Sharing options have now been simplified. tapping the share button or icon inside an app you will find a faster menu with a different graphic that makes it quicker to choose where to share. In Android 10, sharing is divided into logical panes: frequent recipients of messages, suggested apps based on usage and an alphabetical list of all possible destinations.Focus mode
Android 10 has a new feature called Focus Mode which serves to keep the focus on what you're doing, the app or the game you're using. This mode can be activated quickly from the button in the phone's Quick Settings.Family Link
Parental control to limit the use of the phone to children or children, which Google provides through the Family Link app, is now integrated into Android 10. You can then quickly set up an account and set limits on children's activities or approve any requests for extra time to use and to play.Privacy
In the latest versions of Android, Google has worked to make the system more private and transparent and version 10 continues in this direction even if many changes are behind the scenes. For example, apps cannot access clipboard data or information such as the IMEI and serial number without requiring privileged authorization.Privacy settings are much easier to find in Android 10 with a new Privacy menu in Settings, in which Google has collected a series of controls to limit the amount of data that the company can access. Most of the controls are also available in other menus (location history, announcements, lock screen content, etc.), but are now also grouped together in one place. There is also a new useful tab for using accessibility to find out if any app has full access to the device.
Inside the Privacy tab, you can also find a new authorization manager to see which apps access elements such as the camera, contacts and microphone. For location access authorization, there is a new option to allow it only while using the app, not to be monitored by an app running in the background. Google will also send notifications to highlight the privacy settings so that you can change them directly by touching the notification.
WiFi password sharing
In Android 10, Google simplifies the sharing of wifi passwords by putting a new Share button in the network settings, in the section that lists the known wifi networks via a QR code.Automatic subtitles
Automatic subtitles in videos, podcasts and audio messages on any app, even when recorded. This allows, for example, and to read the audio messages received on Whatsapp.As in previous years, Android 10 will initially be available only for owners of Pixel phones, with other smartphones being updated later this year. Depending on the type of phone you have, it could take several months before you receive the new version of Android, and although Google has made progress in convincing phone manufacturers to send updates faster, Android still has an adoption rate of very slow update when for new versions.
