(ThyBlackMan.com) Google has broken a long-established pattern and put a lot into the latest Android update. The company has dropped the sugary naming scheme used for all its Android OS versions. The dessert-based names are now gone!
The latest Android update is simply called Android 10 as Google has started following a simple numerical naming scheme. It is boring, of course, but the rebranding doesn’t really make any change to the quality and functionality of the new version of the Android OS that powers a very small number of smartphones as of now and will be rolled out for numerous devices across smartphone brands.
Here are some of the most interesting Android 10 updates that you probably missed.
- Live Caption
Live caption is an interesting Android 10 feature which was announced at Google IO 2019. This new feature captions audio and video live in real-time. You do not need an active internet connection to use this feature as live caption transcribes text from your smartphone’s NLP and speech recognition system.
- Sound Amplifier
The Sound Amplifier app makes hearing better by improving the sound quality, canceling the noise, and enhancing the speech. This app uses the microphone of your phone or the headphone and enhances the frequencies and reduces noise. This feature helps you hear better without raising the phone’s volume even if you’re in a crowded place or watching TV.
- Dark Theme
The blue light from your phone is one of the key reasons why you suffer from frequent headaches or find it difficult to sleep at night. In the last two years, smartphone makers, especially Apple and Google have started focusing more on digital wellbeing. The Android 10 update brings a dark theme feature to help you save battery life and also reduce the amount of light your phone’s screen emits.
- Smart Reply
Smart Reply feature in Android 10 is actually an improvement of the Quick Replies feature. It uses the same idea but now it is backed by a more powerful AI integration that suggests replies in a far better way than before. Google has confirmed that the Smart Reply feature is not just limited to Android messaging. The feature can also be used in apps like Signal. The suggestion it provides can be based on the conversation. For instance, your phone may now suggest you to send location or approve disapprove something with a single emoji.
- Gesture Navigation
Android 10 is now available on many smartphones, however, Google is still rolling out Android 10 updates and if you have received it, you will notice that navigation has become faster and easier than before. Google has introduced gesture navigation with Android 10 updates. This new feature uses taps and swipes to help you access your smartphone’s features and apps. A swipe up from the bottom works as the home button, while a swipe across the bottom lets you check the apps you were using.
- Family Link
Google showed Family Link as a part of its digital well-being initiative in 2017 to give parents more access and control over what their children use their smartphones for. With Android 10 updates, this feature now has a lot more for both parents and children. Parents can set screen time and can also check and restrict content that reaches their kids. The location-sharing option is also available in Android 10 Family Link which means parents can track their child’s location. Another useful feature added by Google is a per-app time limit.
- Focus Mode
To curb smartphone addiction and to keep you away from distractions, Google now lets you pause apps. The new Android 10 update brings this feature to a large number of users, however, those on Digital Well-being beta can access this feature. By simply selecting the distracting apps, you can put a temporary pause on them which means you won’t see any notifications for these apps for the time being. With just a single tap, you can enable and disable Focus mode in Android 10.
Staff Writer; Corey Shaw
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