Stable Android 10 is now available for the Google Pixel and the Essential Phone

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Update (9/3/19 @ 2:00 PM ET): Essential is also rolling out Android 10 to the Essential Phone today.

After six beta updates, Google is finally ready to release stable Android 10 (Queen Cake? Quince Tart? Who knows!). This has been one of the most interesting Android beta periods since Google started the program. The gesture navigation system has been the main focus and Google apparently thinks it’s ready for primetime. Android 10 is available now for Pixel devices.

Everything that we’ve covered in the Android Q betas has been polished and refined for the stable version, but that doesn’t mean Google is completely done. Of course, we’ll continue to see small improvements over the course of time. As a refresher, you can look back at the previous beta updates:

Here are some of the biggest features in Android 10.

Full-screen Gesture Navigation

Building upon the lightweight gesture navigation introduced in Android Pie, Android 10 brings “full-screen” gestures to the system. There is a small bar across the bottom of the screen that can be swiped up to go home. Swiping in from the left or right side acts like the “Back” button. Swiping in diagonally from the bottom corner activates Google Assistant.

System-wide Dark Mode

Finally, Android has a system-wide Dark Mode. You can now go into the system settings and toggle on Dark Mode. This will automatically enable the Dark Theme for all apps that support it. That means most Google apps and a growing number of 3rd-party apps will all go dark. You can also toggle this on with a Quick Setting tile.

Revamped Permissions

One big thing in Android 10 that may not be as noticeable as gestures or a dark mode is revamped permissions. Location access is a big topic of discussion and Android 10 allows users to confine it more. You can now make it so apps can only access your location when you are actively using the app.

“Roles” is another new part of permissions. A “Role” is essentially a group with preset permissions access. So for example, apps with the “Phone” role will automatically have access to contacts and making calls. Users can assign roles to specific apps if they meet the requirements.

These are just a few of the major updates in Android 10. There is also Smart Reply for all messaging apps, an improved sharing menu, more tools for Digital Wellbeing, and a ton of little details. As mentioned above, Android 10 is rolling out to the Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL, Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, Google Pixel, and Pixel XL. Download it now!

Download Android 10 OTA Files | Download Android 10 Factory Images

Update: Essential Phone

The Essential Phone is also getting updated to stable Android 10 today.