Introducing Android 10

    It’s here! Android has gotten its big annual update and the name for this milestone version is called Android 10. It may not have a tasty dessert name, but it’s still full of sweet new features and tweaks to help make your Xperia device more intuitive and easier to use.

    Big changes have been made to provide more control over privacy. There are features that help you balance the time you spend online. There are also lots of helpful new features like buttonless gesture navigation and the long awaited Dark theme.

    So scroll down and check out the cool new features of Android 10!

    Turn the lights down

    Looking at a brightly lit screen in a dark place really strains the eyes. This is why the new system wide Dark theme is one of the most welcomed feature of Android 10. Dark theme sets the background to black instead of white, making it easier on your eyes. If your device has an OLED screen, turning on Dark theme will also use less energy and may prolong battery life. And let’s be honest, it looks really cool!

    A good thing to remember though is that Dark theme may be harder to see in brightly lit places. You should try it in different lighting conditions and see what fits you best.

    The easiest way to switch to Dark theme is to add the Dark theme icon to quick settings. Then all you have to do is swipe down and tap the Dark theme icon to quickly switch to Dark theme.

    Full gesture navigation

    Perhaps the biggest change in Android 10 is the introduction of the full gesture navigation. You can now control your device with just a few simple intuitive gestures. The new gesture navigation also frees up screen space where the buttons used to be, giving you a more immersive smartphone experience.

    To navigate to the Home screen, just swipe up from the bottom. To change apps, swipe up from the bottom and hold it for a second before releasing. To go back, swipe in from either sides. To activate the assistant, swipe up diagonally from the bottom corners. Once you get used to it, it’s a much more simpler, more natural way to control your device.

    To change to full gesture mode, go to Settings and search for System navigation. There, choose Gesture navigation and you’re set to go! If you miss the classic three button controls, fear not! You can always revert back to buttons.

    Gesture navigation feature may not be available on some models.

    Keeping things private

    The privacy of the users of our devices are of the utmost concern to us and with Android 10, there are big improvements in this department. For instance, there is now a section called Privacy right under Settings where menus concerning privacy are all gathered into one.

    Here, you can see in detail what information you want or don’t want to share with apps that are installed in your device. You can see and choose which apps use the camera or microphone, which apps can use your location information, your calendar information, and so on.

    Speaking of location information, when choosing how apps use your location information, you can now choose from three states, always allow, allowed only while in use, and never.

    A healthy digital lifestyle

    In this digital age, we are relying more and more on our mobile devices which inevitably means more and more screentime. So when Android 9 Pie was released, Digital wellbeing menus were introduced to help you manage the time you spend on your device.

    Now, those menus come pre-installed for Xperia devices with Android 10. With App Timers, you set a timer to limit how much time you can spend on a certain app. With Wind Down, you can set a timer to make the screen turn monochrome to remind you it’s time to get some rest.

    However useful your mobile devices may be, you don’t want to over use it. These Digital wellbeing features may help you strike a balance with your real life and your digital life.

    Sharing Wi-Fi is a snap

    Let’s say you’ve invited your friends over and you want to make them feel right at home. You want to let them use your Wi-Fi, but wait, where’s the password? Sounds familiar, right?

    With Android 10, there’s a way to share your Wi-Fi connection with QR codes. All you have to do is go to Settings and find and tap the Wi-Fi network you want to share. When you tap on the QR code icon, a QR code with all the information including the password will show up on your display. All your friends have to do is snap the QR code with their smartphone camera and they’re connected to your Wi-Fi! No searching for the right Wi-Fi network and no typing in frustratingly long passwords. Smart and simple!

    Silent notification

    Having trouble with notifications constantly ringing or buzzing your device? In Android 10 there’s a new feature called Silent notifications that can help you sort the important notifications from, well, the not so important ones.

    Silent notifications won’t be displayed on your lock screen, won’t buzz or pop-up over other apps. When you want to check, you can go to the Notifications bar and they’ll all be grouped under Silent notifications. Some of the notifications are automatically set from the start and others you can set manually by long pressing the notification on the Notifications bar.

    Please note that this article is not product specific. Features and functionalities described may therefore differ depending on your device and/or software version.