True to the rumours Android 10 arrives in stable form for Google Pixel (and Essential) phones

We have heard and seen many rumours that pointed to an Android 10 release on September 3 and now that it is September 3 in the US the rumours have been proven correct with the release of a stable Android 10.

Over at the Android.com website Google have redesigned it for Android 10, obviously to coincide with today’s launch of Android 10. In line with Android 10’s new dark and light theme when you want it various parts of the website can be changed from dark to light at the click of a button.

Google have listed their 10 favourite features, all based on making your everyday life easier. The new highlights for Android 10 include smart replies, gesture navigation which I urge you to give a chance as it is really good after a small learning period, dark theme, focus mode, new share menu and new privacy and security features.

At this stage, as expected, gesture support for third party launchers is also not available just yet but we expect an update in the next few weeks to provide this.

Google have also updated their developers blog with a quick run down of the new features and what developers need to do to make their apps compliant and work well with Android 10. There are also a lot of under the hood changes that can be seen here including ART optimisations and neural networks updates. Foldables are mentioned a few times and although we are still yet to see one released Google are obviously expecting a deluge of foldables to arrive in the next 12 months.

OTAs and full factory images are available now on Google’s download pages but if you have a Pixel all you need to do is head into settings, System, Advanced and System update and check for update there. The new Google Android version will be available there for you to download and install. If you are wary of data usage be careful as the update is over a GB in size.

The update is impressively available for all Pixel smartphones and, in what must be a first, for the Essential Ph-1 (yet another reason to buy minimally skinned phones if updates are important to you).

I have received the update on my Pixel 3a and Pixel 2 XL but only after prodding it in the System menu so if you love some of Google’s newest Android flavour go there and download and install it now. If you want to get a quick oversight of the new features check out the Android 10 website or the Google developers blog. Some of the changes may take some getting used to but there is reason behind all of Google’s changes so give them a chance and let us know what you think.