Android Q Beta 5 is landing today

Android Q Beta 5 formally lands today. As anticipated, it does not ship a ton of adjustments or new options, representing the primary so-called “release candidate” for builders to check their apps towards earlier than the ultimate launch later this summer time. There are a few new tweaks in Beta 5, although.

The corner-in gesture to activate the Assistant (tied to the brand new animation that was noticed simply yesterday) is now official. A brand new “peek” conduct for the again gesture will higher work with apps that use slide-out navigation drawers, as Google revealed earlier. That edge swipe to return beforehand conflicted with triggering that menu in lots of apps.

Google has additionally acknowledged that it is planning on shifting third-party launchers to the previous three-button navigation system by default within the close to future. (Google claims in Beta 6, although the change was noticed in an early launch of Beta 5.) A “post-launch update” will ship gesture help to third-party launchers, so we’d see an replace to Q (Android 10.1, perhaps?) land later this 12 months. We’ll have extra information on exactly what all this implies for customers and builders later.

Developers fascinated about testing their apps can take a look at the weblog publish for extra particulars relating to API adjustments and advisable options to implement of their apps for Android Q: issues like new biometrics and codecs, in addition to Dark Theme and gesture navigation help. Consumers fascinated about attempting issues out early are inspired to learn the Release Notes for recognized points with Beta 5, together with some Location permission oddities, odd conduct with darkish mode, WebView points, and an Android Enterprise bug.

System picture downloads for handbook flashing can be found, and OTA downloads for sideloading have additionally been posted. Those that did not already decide in on the Android Q Beta Program can nonetheless enroll their gadgets, and an replace for Q Beta 5 is anticipated to roll out shortly. We’ll let you recognize after we see the OTA hit for ourselves.