The Beta version of Android Q launched into the market a few weeks ago and people are already interested to get it installed and test the new features. It is the 4thtime that Google released the developer preview of the newly released Android. However Android Q Beta is not only a developer preview. It is tried out by developers as well as early adopters. Let’s discuss the features that the beta version of this OS has in store.

Privacy Protection

Privacy has always been a smartphone user’s primary concern. Android Q Beta takes care of this byadding features like file-based encryption, lockdown mode, encrypted backups, locking the backgroundaccess of audio recorder and camera and making it mandatory for apps to ask permission before theyare allowed to access sensitive resources.

Support for Foldable Screen

Developers now have the liberty to choose how their applications will be displayed on foldable and large screens. Newly launched foldable devices have also paved the path for innovative user experience. To help a user in managing the behavior of his app in a foldable screen, he resizable. The activity also got changed in Android Q. Developers also updated the emulators for supporting an apps’ switching onmultiple display ports.

Location Control

Android Q shows an advanced operating system that allows a user to restrict an app’s ability to detect auser’s location. For example, if you are using an online food delivery application, it will need yourlocation and ask for it. You can allow that, but if a suspicious app that has no purpose with your locationasks for it, you can simply deny it.

Shortcut Sharing

Sharing Shortcuts allow the users to instantly switch and start using another application for sharing content. Shared targets can also be published by the developers, each having a specific activity and can also be presented on the share UI.

Settings Panel

A brand new Settings API makes it possible for the operating system to show the system settings directly under the context of the application. This takes advantage from the Slices feature, already included in Android Pie. The Settings Panel is a floating UI which you can access from an application to change the toggles as well as the system settings.

Graphics and Media

Applications now have the ability to request images having Dynamic Depth. This includes JPEG as well as XMP metadata that provides the depth elements along with confidence maps. This increases the ability to add bokeh effects and specialized blurs in applications related to photo editing. This feature will also support AR photography and 3d image rendering in the future.

Faster Launching of Applications

Applications can now be launched in the much lessertime since Android have learned about thosesections of an application’s coding layer which can be used quite frequently. Developers are now able to process an application’s data relatively earlier and process it to the security container, making it fullyready to launch.

Improved ART Performance

Android Q Beta helps an application to perform with better agility simultaneously while using lessmemory, thereby boosting the ART runtime. Google Play has also delivered the APK’s cloud-basedprofiles.

Better Connectivity and WiFi

For wireless connectivity, Android Q Beta presents low latency along with high performance, thereby benefitting multiplayer gaming and a much-improved video and audio call over Skype, WhatsApp, etc. It also improves the privacy and performance of a device by refactoring the WiFi stack. With the Beta version rolling out these many useful features, users are eagerly waiting to see what the final product will have in store. We are still wondering what it will be called. Although a bit early, yet it seems to be heading in the right direction.

Before moving forward, we have to know what is material design. Material design, also known as Quantum paper is Google’s own design language developed in 2014. Introduced first inGoogle Now, the design system uses responsive animation, grid-based layout, padding, transitions and other depth effects like shadows and dynamic lighting. Recently, Google has rolled out a design update to Google Drive for both iOS and Android. The new design is done using material design, making the app easier to use on a mobile device. The main objective behind using material design is that it allows digital material to intelligently reform and expand. There are shadows and seams which provide meaning to any object that you touch. The core design is based on ink and paper, but its implementation is much more advanced

Supporting Operating System

You will need at least Android 5.0 to get the complete feeling of material design. However, that is not an issue because this is used in almost all Android devices released since 2009. Gradually this design will be extended to the entire range of mobile and web products developed by Google.

The ultimate aim is to provide a seamless and constant user experience across all platforms. Google is also aimed at creating a new visual language that combines scientific innovation and a great design. For third-party developers, some APIs have been released which will allow them to implement the material design in their applications.

What are the Changes?

The first change can be observed at the bottom navigation and the new home tab. Just like Google Drive web version, the home tab will consist of files based on last modification or access along with the frequency of file usage and file types. The bottom navigation will also have the option to switch between files, starred, shared files, home, and all files, allowing the user to access what he requires quickly.

The search bar can now be accessed anywhere inside the application. This includes the team drives page as well. Next, to My Drive in Files, there will now be a new tab, Team Drives.  A computer lab will also be there from where users can access the files where they have stored content from their local machine. The flawless switch account option will offer the users a seamless experience to switch between multiple accounts. Initially, it was at the left navigation menu but now it has been moved to the top right, next to the search bar.

What Did Google Say Regarding This?

The update is rolled out, Google Drive now joins Google Photos, messages, contacts, Gmail and other Google applications, all having the same white paint and a similar user interface. In a blog, Google said, they know that mobile devices are now quite important for doing our day to day job.

The drive is the only option which provides us an easy way to back up our files and easily share our daily task or any other file to the concerned person at the very last moment. It also helps us to access any files while the user is traveling.

The update was initially rolled out for iOS, while within March 18, it was rolled out for Android as well.