Google Releases Android Q Beta 6, Final Release Soon

Google today announced the 6th and last beta release of Android Q and says it is just weeks away from the final release.

“Now is the time to make sure your apps are ready, before we bring the official release to consumers,” Google VP of engineering Dave Burke writes in a post aimed at developers. “Take this opportunity to finish up your testing and publish your app updates soon to give users a smooth transition to Android Q.”

Android Q Beta 6 is available now on Pixel handsets, and those who previously enrolled for the beta should get the over-the-air update soon. (In an unusual development, my Pixel 3a XL actually received it already.) Beta 6 includes all of the features, system behaviors, and developer APIs that Google will ship in the final platform, so developers have everything they need to be ready for the final release.

Beta 6 also includes many new fixes and optimizations, the most important of which is a set of further refinements to the Gesture Navigation feature that Google introduced earlier. There are two major changes: A 200 dp vertical app exclusion limit for the Back gesture and a new sensitivity preference setting for the Back gesture. Google says that it will document these changes in more detail soon.

Android Q adds a number of important new features to the Android platform, including a new Dark theme, the aforementioned support for Gesture Navigation, optimizations aimed at foldable devices, more interactive notifications, improved biometrics, improved screen recording, and much more.