Samsung is kicking off the week with a software treat for
Galaxy S10 owners—the Android 10 beta is now available to download, with Samsung's retooled One UI in tow. This means anyone who owns a Galaxy 10 series smartphone can start playing around with Android 10 ahead of its official release on Samsung phones sometime later (Google already launched a shipping version of Android 10 on September 3).
This is not a total surprise. Samsung recently
revealed plans to release a beta build, saying it will initially be available on the
Galaxy S10+, Galaxy S10, and
Galaxy S10e. Samsung's announcement focuses on Galaxy S10 owners in the US, though it's reported to also be available in Germany and South Korea.
If you own a Galaxy S10 phone, you can see if you have access to the Android 10 beta by firing up the Samsung Members app. Eligible participants will have a notification about the beta.
Android 10 Beta And One UI On Samsung Galaxy S10 Phones
Samsung is understandably making a big deal of its One UI, which is intended to help users focus on the things that matter.
"Designed to simplify and streamline interactions, One UI has brought a unified mobile experience to Galaxy devices. Since its launch, Samsung has been refining the UX, while also expanding its capabilities to help users focus on the tasks that matter. Features are further enhanced to make the experience more natural, seamless and efficient," Samsung says.
The retooled One UI features a streamlined design, part of which entails having notifications take up less space. It also expands Dark Mode to the home screen, and allows the Smart Lock screen to automatically adjust the color and format of the clock and notifications.
As for
Android 10, it's not a huge rethinking of the operating system, but it does bring a bunch of improvements and refinements, such as a system-wide gesture system.