Android 10 release date: Android 10 has arrived, here’s what to expect

After months of dessert-based guessing, Android 10 has finally arrived for a handful of Pixel devices.

The new OS has launched just a few days before major tech exhibition IFA and suggests we might see at least one Android 10 phone during the Berlin showcase.

If you own one of these phones, you can install the new Android 10 OS now:

• Pixel
• Pixel XL
• Pixel 2
• Pixel 2 XL
• Pixel 3
• Pixel 3 XL
• Pixel 3a
• Pixel 3a XL

Update your OS by going to Settings | System | System Update.

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Android 10: Everything you need to know

A lengthy blog post on the Android Developers Blog introduces the Android 10 beta, explaining a little bit about what to expect from the update as well as how to access it.

Highlights include support for foldable phones like the Huawei Mate X; in-app “Settings Panels” for adjustments on the go; and a “Dynamic Depth Format” option for front-facing cameras.

If you’re a non-Pixel Android user and want to try out the Android 10 beta, you’ll need to download the latest Android Emulator and then a system image file for the new software “via the SDK Manager in Android Studio.” You’ll then need to enrol at the Android Beta Program website. Just don’t blame us if you brick your smartphone.

Android Q name: What will it be called?

We now know Android Q is Android 10, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a nostalgic look back at all of Android’s previous dessert-based names.

History of Android names

• Android 1.5 Cupcake (April 2009)
• Android 1.6 Donut (September 2009)
• Android 2.0 Eclair (October 2009)
• Android 2.2 Froyo (May 2010)
• Android 2.3 Gingerbread (December 2010)
• Android 3.0 Honeycomb (February 2011)
• Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (October 2011)
• Android 4.1 Jelly Bean (July 2012)
• Android 4.4 KitKat (October 2013)
• Android 5.0 Lollipop (November 2014)
• Android 6.0 Marshmallow (October 2015)
• Android 7.0 Nougat (August 2016)
• Android 8.0 Oreo (August 2017)
• Android 9.0 Pie (August 2018)

Android 10 features: What will it bring?

Android 10 has launched with a load of new improvements and a handful of exciting new features. There’s a system-wide Dark mode and Android 10 will support ‘screen continuity.’ In practice, this means that Android 10 will cater to manufacturers working on foldable phones like the Samsung Galaxy X, delivering compatibility for both the UI and various apps.

It has also been revealed that Android 10 will feature what Google is calling a ‘multi-resume’ function. This expands upon the split-screen capabilities of recent Android operating systems, and will allow you to run two apps side-by-side at the same time.

Google I/O 2019

During its 7 May presentation, Google announced a few key features and there was enough information littered about the place to make us sit up and pay attention.

As mentioned above we know you’ll be able to enjoy the much-requested Dark Mode on Android 10. The new operating system will properly support 5G for when it rolls out globally over the next year or so; it will also support folding phones, meaning your user interface will be displayed with the fold in mind.

Live Caption mode produces instant subtitles for almost all video or audio content, improving accessibility for deaf users. The Suggested Actions feature (those options that appear at the bottom of notification banners) is being reworked a little, so that it applies to any installed apps.

Gestural Navigation is being further implemented across new handsets with edge-to-edge displays. This removes the control bar on the bottom of your display and also means that more apps will be able to take advantage of the entire screen.

If you need to get some work done, you can activate Focus mode: this will disable a predetermined set of apps so that they don’t disturb you in any way while you work. In addition, Android 10 will support improved Digital Wellbeing features to keep you from going square-eyed.

You can see the complete run-down of Android 10 features on the Android Developers Blog.