advertisement
Facebook
X
LinkedIn
WhatsApp
Reddit

Leaked Android Q preview has dark theme, desktop mode & better security

While Android Pie is still to hit many Android phones, that hasn’t stopped some from looking forward at Google’s next mobile operating system – Android Q.

More specifically XDA Developers has been able to “acquire” a preview of Android Q, including screenshots of the OS in action.

This preview is a very early build of Q, and as such, could bear little resemblance to the fully fledged version which will be unveiled at Google I/O later in the year.

For now we can notice three distinctive elements to Android Q. Namely that fact that an OS-wide dark theme has been added to the mix, along with a desktop mode for multitasking and improved privacy and security.

Starting with the dark theme, there isn’t much to say other than the fact that it adds a dark grey and black design to the interface of the phone. Whether this will be limited to the pure version of Android remains to be seen, but it would be wise on OEMs’ parts to embrace the dark theme seeing as how popular they’ve become in software of late.

As for the desktop mode, it is said to work much like Samsung’s DeX or the Huawei variant, with an operating system appearing on compatible PC displays for users to perform more labour intensive tasks that just don’t translate well to the screen real estate offered by a smartphone. Unlike the dark theme, this mode will probably prove a more widely adopted feature by Android developers.

On the privacy side of things, the preview showcases how users can now adjust settings for location and other sensitive features so it only runs while an app is in the foreground. This is something that iOS introduced recently, and should offer users a bit more peace of mind when it comes to what information is being monitored on their device.

As we mentioned earlier this is only a preview, and an unofficial one at that, so what we’ve spoken about could not make it into the full version of Android Q when it arrives later in the year.

On a related note, any ideas what Google will be naming Android Q?

Our initial thoughts were Android Quiche, but that’s not a sweet snack. That’s why we’re holding thumbs for an Android and Quality Street collaboration akin to Oreo and Kit Kat in the past.

[Image – CC 0 Pixabay]

advertisement

About Author

advertisement

Related News

advertisement