Top 5 Android Q features: Location control, Bubbles API and more

Google recently released the fourth beta of Android Q operating system. With that, the release of the Android Q is closer than ever. The update finalises the API's developers will use to develop apps for the latest version of Android and prepare their apps to run on Android Q when the stable version launches this summer. Right now you can try Android Q on phones that are eligible in the Android beta program or you can easily find Android 10 based beta ROMs ported on to phones outside Android beta program.

Here are the top 5 features that are coming with the latest version of Android as of this date.

Bubbles API

Google is adding Bubbles API in Android Q. What this means is apps that easily show messages like the Facebook Messenger with the chat heads. The best part about is all of this will be done natively. That means the effort from the developer end will be minimal, and the load on the Android device will be minimal and the performance will be great. This will make things like messaging on Android so much more convenient.

As you can see in the attached images above, Bubbles is working with the Google Phone app. By leaving an active call, the bubbles API is triggered.  bubble appears on the screen which can be used to quickly perform actions in call without going back to the call screen.

Wifi and QR codes

Sharing your Wi-Fi network password when guests visit your home can be awkward. You might not remember the password or it may be too awkward to tell. With Wifi QR codes in Android Q you can easily share the Wifi with another person via a QR code. Just go on the Wifi settings, click on the connected wifi and then click on the share button. It asks for your password to make sure someone not intended cannot gain access to your wifi.

Location Control

Android is finally getting more hold over how apps can use the user's location. Right now, its whether the app has the user's location data access or the app doesn't have that. With Android Q that's all gonna change. The user can choose the third option to only grant access to the location when the app is open. This works much like the location permissions in iOS.

Better Notification Controls

When you long-press a notification alert, you're now presented with two different options, Interpretive and Gentle. Selecting Interpretive will allow the app to make sound with each new alert, as well as place an icon in the status bar, like it used to work. Gentle will not make a sound, and its icon will not appear in the status bar up top.

Live Captions

In the quest to make Android more accessible, Google has added something that is called Live Caption. It will display live captions on the screen without the Internet connection or any video playing on the screen. Sadly, we weren't able to get this working now. However, is Google lives up to its promises, it will be one of the most important features of Android Q.