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The first beta version of Android Q contains many new features (and some features removed). We have already documented about 50 major changes. There are also a lot of small settings that do not warrant separate coverage, so let's look at them here. Without further ado, here are all the minor changes in Android Q Beta 1.
Bluetooth device details
The details screen of Bluetooth devices has been slightly modified to match the appearance of the new screen of the application information. The device name is now more visible and the buttons to forget or connect to a device are larger.
Left: Android pie; Right: Android Q
Enter the key on the lock screen
If you use a PIN for your lock screen password, the Enter key now looks like an Enter key, not a check mark. Exciting, I know.
State of charge on the permanent display
On Android Q, the current charge status is now displayed at the top right of the permanent display, instead of being displayed at the bottom center. This assumes that the battery status is in the same position as when the phone is unlocked.
Notifications on the always active display
Speaking of permanent display, notifications look different. Instead of blending into the rest of the black screen, the alerts now look the same as those found in the normal notification bar – white background, and so on.
Left: Android pie; Right: Android Q
Playing information
Pixels 2 and 3 have a function called "Play in progress," in which the phone always listens to music and tries to determine the name of the song and its artist. For some reason, this information is heavily truncated on Android Q
a
Android pie
Stupid stupid thing in Android Q: the small notification box that indicated the full name and the artist of a passively detected song is now truncated.
This same box was used to display calendar events earlier, which seems to be a new feature, but it's odd to cut that so short. pic.twitter.com/41XHINS1NG
– Eric Ravenscraft (@LordRavenscraft) March 14, 2019
Android Q
New "pill" on the lock screen
Another lock screen change in Android Q is that upcoming calendar events now appear in a tablet at the bottom of the screen, instead of being grouped into the "In Brief" widget above notifications.
Left: Android pie; Right: Android Q
As pointed 9to5Google, this area at the bottom is also used to display traffic information.
For phones with gesture navigation enabled, the animation speed is changed according to your scans. If you do a quick scan between applications, the animation is fast and if your scan is longer, the animation is longer.
9to5Google provides a video illustrating this effect, starting with a quick scan and progressively using longer scans.
When you hold down the Android Q power button, a new "Emergency" button appears at the bottom of the list. Tap to open a dialer, with a button at the top to access emergency information (drugs, allergies, contacts, etc.). This should, hopefully, help first responders to more easily obtain the information they need.
Information about the application in Pixel Launcher
When using the Pixel Launcher search feature in Android Q, tap and hold an application to display an Info button. Previously, the only way to access the information screen of an application was from the application drawer (or from the Settings application).
Development options for Smart Lock
Android Q offers two new settings for Smart Lock, hidden in the developer's options menu: "Trust agents only extend unlocking" and "Lock screen when trust is lost". The first allows trusted agents (like Google's Smart Lock) to keep your phone unlocked longer, and the second locks the device when the last agent loses trust.
New application installation dialog box
When installing an application from an APK file, the confirmation message no longer covers the entire screen. Instead, it's a small popup.
Alternative lock clocks
Google is working on new models for the lock screen clock. XDA developers have found three alternative designs that can be activated using ADB commands: one with words instead of numbers, one with analog ball-like needles, and one with narrow analog hands.
None of the designs are displaying weather information at the moment, so this is definitely a work in progress. It also remains to be seen if Google will allow users to activate them via the settings or they will only be (officially) available for OEMs.
Availability of the device
The duration of use of your phone since the last shutdown / restart is now displayed in the Settings application, under "About phone".
Previously connected Bluetooth devices
Android Pie has moved the list of previously connected Bluetooth devices to a sub-menu under the main Bluetooth panel. This change was definitely annoying for me, because the re-pairing of my headset always required an extra level of navigation.
Left: Android pie; Right: Android Q
Android Q now partially cancels this change by displaying the last three devices connected to the main screen. The complete list of fixtures still requires another tap, but this is an improvement.
Screen for optimizing the battery
The battery optimization page of the Settings application has undergone a slight visual redesign. The blue drop-down menu has been replaced by a smaller drop-down menu. It always works exactly the same thing.
Battery Optimization on Android 9 Pie
Optimizing the battery on Android Q
Digital well-being in Pixel Launcher
XDA developers have found evidence that Google is experimenting with Digital Wellbeing's integration with Pixel Launcher. With the changes made to Pixel Launcher on Android Q, you can pause applications from the home screen, which prevents you from opening the application. Resuming the application requires some extra tapping.
There is a good chance that this feature will be made available to third-party launchers with the official version of Android Q, or even with the next beta release.
We will soon have a new post for minor edits in Android Q Beta 2, but some new features have been found in Beta 1 before the release of Beta 2:
Toggle and slider in parameter search
The Settings application has already been the subject of many improvements in Q, but another useful tip is hiding in the search. When you search for specific options, the Settings application displays the flip-flops and sliders directly in the results, instead of just creating a link to the appropriate sections.
Search settings on Android 9 Pie
Search settings in Android Q
Hide silent notification status icons
In Android Pie, you can set any application notification channel to "Show in silent mode" or "Show in silent mode and minimize". The first mask the pop-up alert and the second mask the pop-up alert and the status bar icon.
In Android Q, there is a new option "Hide silent notification status icons", which considers the channel "silently show" exactly as "silently show and minimize". I'm not sure of the benefit of that, but maybe it will connect to Digital Wellbeing one way or another.
Volume sliders in Q no longer make sounds
On all recent versions of Android, when you change any of the volume sliders in the Settings application, a short sound is emitted at the selected volume. This way, you know if your device is too loud or too weak.
In Android Q, no sound is output when changing the volume slider. I hope it's a bug, because it's definitely annoying.
This concerns just about every change in Android Q that we are aware of, apart from those that have already received separate publications. We will update this post if we find more small changes.
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