Today beings the roll-out of Android 10, Google is officially unveiling the final version of Android 10 to Pixel for starters. If you don’t have a Pixel phone don’t worry, as Google is promising that it is “working with a number of partners to launch or upgrade devices to Android 10 this year.”
Android 10 comes with some features, a new Dark Mode, a whole new gesture system, stricter permissions and privacy controls, a new “Focus Mode” for disabling distracting apps, simpler notification controls and better integrated family controls.
Not all of Android 10’s features are fully available, however. Focus Mode is launching only in beta today. Another headline feature called “Live Caption” will allow users to get real-time captioning for any audio or video on their phone. But unfortunately, it won’t launch until later this year, and it will be Pixel-only for a time.
Google will support all its first party apps with the new Dark Theme, but not all of them have made the deadline for Android’s release. Gmail, for example, will not support Dark Mode for now.
Google recently made the switch in the name of being more globally inclusive and not, it says, because picking a Q-named dessert was too difficult. Thus the change in naming.
There are a few other features in Android 10 that didn’t get much attention back when it was originally announced at Google I/O in May. Google is highlighting more gender-inclusive emoji, app timers for specific websites, and support for streaming audio to hearing aids.
Google typically rolls out major operating system updates over the course of a few days if you have no Pixel phone, you will have to wait for Samsung, Huawei, Tecno, Nokia to send release for your phone. It should be noted that not all Android phones will get Android 10.
