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What is Android Q and how do I get it?

  • 15 July 2019
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What is Android Q and how do I get it?
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Find out more about Android Q – What is it? What new features will it have? How do you get it?

What is Android Q?

To put it simply, Android Q is the next update to Android’s operating system. We’ve got no idea which tasty treat it’ll be named after this time, but we’ve heard it’s got plenty of exciting new features.

What’s new in Android Q?

Rumours have been flying around for the last few months about what kind of features we can expect from Android Q. But thanks to Google I/O, we’ve got our first real glimpse inside Android’s next OS update.

Here’s our rundown of the standout features coming to Android Q:

Live Captions


This works a bit like ‘automatic captioning’ on YouTube, it can recognise speech in any video and display captions in real-time. Great for anyone who’s hard of hearing, or for those times when you want to watch a video without sharing the audio with everyone around you.

Google Focus Mode


This is a handy little feature that shuts down any apps that might distract you from the task you’re focusing on – great for getting stuff done.

Universal Dark Theme


Dark themes are great for when you’re using your phone in low light conditions because they’re a little easier on your eyes, they can improve battery life too.

There are a few apps that already come with dark themes included, (Twitter, for example). But what if you want to apply a dark theme to everything? Soon, you’ll be able to do just that.

Parental Controls


Keeping kids safe online can be a constant worry. Thankfully, Google is bringing a version of its “Family Link’ to Android Q, so you’ll be able to set usage limits on your child’s device and apps.

Incognito Mode on Maps


Handy for those concerned about privacy. Incognito mode makes sure that no tracking cookies or browsing data are stored on your device. You’ll be able to turn it on or off whenever you like.

How do I get it?


If you weren’t lucky enough to get one of the Beta versions from the Play Store, don’t worry, you won’t have long to wait. Google is due to start rolling out the final version in August.

As always, when you’ll be able to get it depends on your handset. If you’ve got a Pixel 3 or Pixel 3a, you’ll almost certainly be the first to get the update. As long as you’ve got automatic updates switched on, you’ll just need to wait until you see the little icon at the top of the screen, telling you there’s an update waiting. Then, just make sure you’re connected to Wi-Fi and you’ve got plenty of battery.

It’s likely to be a big update, so it will use a lot of data and could drain your battery.

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