Google has finally had its fill of sweet treats. The next version of Android, Android Q, will be called Android 10. Not Quality Street, not Quiche, not even Quavers. Android 10. Plain and simple.
It’s an unexpected change of tack, but to be honest Android Pie was probably the low point. KitKat and Nougat weren’t great either.
Related: Android Q features
Google broke the news in a blog post that went up this afternoon. “We’ve heard feedback over the years that the names weren’t always understood by everyone in the global community,” it explains.
“For example, L and R are not distinguishable when spoken in some languages. So when some people heard us say Android Lollipop out loud, it wasn’t intuitively clear that it referred to the version after KitKat.
“It’s even harder for new Android users, who are unfamiliar with the naming convention, to understand if their phone is running the latest version.”
The post continues: “As a global operating system, it’s important that these names are clear and relatable for everyone in the world.”
Fair enough. Though I for one will miss the predictable but entertaining annual speculation that precedes the launch of each new version of Android.
Google has also tweaked the Android logo, slapping what appears to be the Android robot mascot’s decapitated head on it.
Chilling. Here’s a video that puts all of the changes under a microscope.
The sixth and final beta version of Android Q rolled out to users earlier this month, and Google has promised to drop the final release of Android 10 “in the coming weeks”.
Related: How to install Android Q
Some of the biggest new features include a system-wide dark mode, gesture navigation, new privacy tools and Focus Mode, will let you temporarily silence apps which you don’t want to be disturbed by.
Android 10 will also play nicer with folding phones like the Samsung Galaxy Fold and Huawei Mate X… if they ever make it to market.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.