Android has long been the world’s most popular mobile software.
In fact, Statista has claimed by the second quarter of last year Android had 88 percent of global marketshare as far as smartphone operating systems are concerned.
In comparison, Apple’s iOS was said to have 11.9 percent.
Google updates Android with new numbered iterations every year that typically introduce a host of features.
The latest of which, dubbed Android 9 Pie, was unveiled in August.
It is expected Google will debut the next version of the software, codenamed Q, later this year.
Ahead of Android Q’s presumed reveal, XDA Developers has insisted it has tested an early version of the operating system and was keen to discuss new tools present.
The outlet declared Google’s new software will come with a system-wide dark mode and refined privacy settings.
Although Android 9 Pie currently offers users the option to enable a dark theme, it currently only applies to the software’s app drawer and notification shade.
That means once it is turned on Google applications such as Phone and Messages do not enable their respective dark themes.
Instead, the user is forced to turn them on manually.
While a number of rumoured changes in store for Android Q appear to be geared towards improving the user experience overall, it appears the software could also deliver a very controversial change for fans.
9to5Google recently noticed four commits posted on Android’s Gerrit source code management system.
The names for each were labelled “carrier restriction enhancements for Android Q”, suggesting providers could be given greater powers to lock a device to a specific network.
Moreover, the commit discussed a “list of allowed carriers” and a “list of excluded carriers”, adding further credence to such a claim.
Finally, it was also suggested carriers may soon have greater abilities to control how the second SIM on dual-SIM devices functions.
It was stated a carrier would have the ability to block the second SIM in a device if the first is not approved by the carrier in question.
If such features are implemented with Android Q, carriers would be given more power to choose how consumers use devices that are provided by them thanks to greater restrictions overall.
However, it is worth noting the changes listed may not be for the final version of Android Q that is expected to release at a similar time in the year to its predecessor.
Additionally, Google has not yet announced Android Q in an official capacity.