Google has continued its tradition of releasing a new Android Version every year. This year we are going witness Android Q and its first beta is already out and available for download. You can install Android Q beta on your Google Pixel devices. However, if you don’t own a Google pixel device or if you do but don’t want to go through the process of installing Android Q Beta on your device than this article is for you. This article is about Android Q vs Android Pie. After going through the whole article, you will know everything about Android Q and also know how Android Q is different from Android Pie. Without any further ado let’s dig into the latest features of Android Q.
Table of Contents
Android Q vs Android Pie
1. Dark Mode Toggle Gone
Google has removed the dark mode toggle from the settings in the first beta of Android Q. Don’t worry, Dark Mode is still part of Android Q. Google has only removed the toggle. Anyhow, we think that it will be reinstated in future releases of Android Q and definitely is going to be there in the final release.
2. Improved Share Menu

Share Menu in Android Q is much more improved compared to Android Pie. The Share Menu is a lot faster now because unlike in previous versions of Android where the share menu had to poll each app individually to figure out the actions they might support, Android Q uses a push-based solution resulting in a very noticeable speed bump.
3. New WiFi Sharing Options
Now with Android Q you can share your WiFi Networks with other devices by using a QR Code. It means all you have to do is to get the other device to scan the QR Code in your WiFi Settings and Boom, it’s connected. Now need share your password with them.
4. Notches are now part of Screenshot
Notches are now part of modern devices. However, as far as Android is concerned, they were not part of the screenshot until Android Pie. In Android Q, Google has made them part of the screenshot. Which means if you’re taking a screenshot on any phone that has a notch), your screenshot will also show the notch, along with the rounded corners of the phone’s display. It’s a bummer and I hope Google takes this back.
5. Theming Options
Android Q brings theming options to your phone. Unlike Android Pie, you won’t have to rely on third-party apps to satisfy your theming needs. Currently, Android Q’s theming options are at the very end of the Developer Options. There are only limited theming options available at the moment. You only get to change things like the accent color, the icon shapes, and the font. We hope that Google will add more options very soon.
6. More Control Over Location Permissions
We have got more control over Location Permissions now with Android Q. Unlike Android Pie, where you could only Allow or Deny the Location Access to Apps, Android Q gives more options regarding how you want your phone to behave about Location Permissions. Now you have 3 options Allow all the time, Allow only when the app is in use, and Deny. All three options are self explanatory. Moreover, instead of arranging apps alphabetically like Android Pie did, Android Q categorizes apps by ‘Allowed,’ ‘Denied,’ and ‘Allowed only when in use’.
7. Notification Swipes Behavior Changed
In Android Pie, you had the liberty of clearing the notification by swiping all the way to the right or left. This has been changed in Android Q. Now the left swipes are reserved for snooze and notification options, and you can only clear notifications by swiping to the right.
8. Quick Settings now show expected Remaining Battery Life

In Android Q, when you drop down the notification shade, you will be able see the expected remaining battery life of your phone. Remember, in Android Pie you had to go to the Battery Settings in order to see the expected remaining battery life.
9. Long Pressing Notifications Shows More Settings

Android Q brings a new option to the table when you long press the notification. Previously in Android Pie we only had two options: “Stop Notifications” and “Keep Showing”. However, if you long press the notification in Android Q you get the options to “Block”, “Show Silently”, and “Keep Alerting”.
10. Redesigned Files App

Most you must be using third-party File Managers on your phones. But I must tell you here that there’s a built-in file manager that ships with Android. Google has redesigned that Files App in Android Q and it looks pretty awesome now. There are tags up top to quickly look for videos, images, and other files. Overall the app’s experience has been improved.
11. Undo Home-screen Deletions

This addition here is a life-saver for those with kids. Because the people with kids must be aware of the fact that how often they have to face accidental home-screen deletions. The Google now let’s you Undo the deletion. It’s a small but very useful feature added in Android Q. This small utility has not been part of any Android version in the past, including Android Pie.
12. Battery Icon’s Position in AOD (Always On Display) Is Changed
In Android Pie, the Battery Icon along with percentage used to show up at the bottom of the always on display. The position of Battery Icon is now changed in Android Q, battery icon, along with the percentage, now shows up at the top-right.
13. New Gesture for Switching Apps
Google introduced the gesture-based navigation in Android Pie where you could switch between recent apps by simply flicking the navigation pill to the right. Android Q brings a new gesture for switching between apps. Now you can slightly swipe-up-and-right on the navigation pill. This gesture will show the last most recently used app on your phone.
14. Built-in Screen Recorder
Now you don’t need any third-party Screen Recorder app. Android Q finally includes a built-in screen recorder. Here’s a guide on How to Enable Screen Recording on Android Q. The screen-recorder is in its early development stages, so it might not work perfectly at the moment.
15. Currently Playing Music is Shown in Always on Display
More information is added Always on Display in Android Q. Unlike Android pie which only showed things like notifications, weather, and the clock, Android Q now also displays currently playing music on the always on display.
16. Blurred Lock Screen in Background when Playing Music
Android Pie used to show the album art as lock screen background when playing music on the phone. However, this has been change in Android Q, the lock screen background in Android Q is blurred while there’s music playing on the phone.
17. More Haptic Feedback
Google has added more haptic feedback in Android Q. Now, whenever you long press on a website to select the text, you will get haptic feedback. Scrolling to select more or less text also gives a haptic feedback.
18. Recent Apps Have More Rounded Corners

The recent apps screen has also changed in Android Q. In Android Pie, recent apps had slightly rounded corner but in Android Q they are more rounded and prominent.
19. Floating Settings Panel
Android Q brings support for third-party apps to pop-up floating relevant Settings Panel that the app might need you to enable, or configure. For example, if you are not connected to the internet and you open Google Chrome it will pop-up the Internet Connectivity Panel. This way, you won’t have to leave the app in order to turn on the Wi-Fi. This feature is also get refined with the time, it’s in early development at the moment.
20. App info page has changed
App info page has also received some new things in terms of design in Android Q. In new app info page design the App Icon and Text is aligned in the center of the page. Also, the app name is in Bold Letters now. Further, three options: “Open”, “Uninstall”, and “Force Stop” are added right under the app icon and name.
21. Accented Enter Key On The Lockscreen
Android Q now colors the Enter Key on the lock screen with the accent color you have chosen. By default this color is blue, however, you can choose any color of your liking and Android Q will use that to color the enter key on the lock screen. This feature is entirely missing in Android Pie.