Android Q Beta 1 is now rolling out for early adopters and developers who want to try out all the new APIs and features Google has added. We got it installed on our Google Pixel 2 XL, and have been exploring since then. We have stumbled across a number of new features that are part of the first Android Q beta release.
Among all the new features we will see at the final release of Android Q, please note, most notable are improved security and privacy options, better location / GPS controls for users, support for foldable phones and theming options. One thing to note here is, there is a good chance that all of these features may never make it to the final Android Q version which is expected to release sometime in Q3 – most probably with the launch of Google Pixel 4.
Read more: Download Android Q Beta 1 for Google Pixel Phones
Coming back to Android Q, in our time using this beta release on the Google Pixel 2 XL, we took some screenshots of all the new features added. You can take a quick tour of Android Q Beta with the following gallery of screenshots attached below:
For the most part, Android Q Beta looks and feels just like Android Pie. Visually, Google has not made any major changes to the UI or the overall user experience. The OS is still very white and for the weird part, the option to darken the UI has also been removed. We have seen new features getting removed or old features coming back with every new beta release, so expect that to be coming back.
Android Q Beta comes with a new feedback app (Android Beta Feedback) that allow early users of the beta software to report back issues easily directly from within the phone. The detailed form asks you all the details related to the issue you may have encountered and reports back to the Android team. You can now also request new features that you want Google to add in Android Q for the final release.
Since Android Q is still in development, there is a good chance new features will be added as per user demand.
Among new things, Android Q Beta brings a fresh new coat of paint for the Files app. This is the default files manager app in Android phones. It took a while for Google to update it, but a fresh new version with lots of whites and accent colours will be coming out with the final Android Q release.
For those interested, we have a handful of more screenshots from Android Q Beta:
