Android 14: The Final Information

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Some firms have already up to date most of their flagship telephones and a few even began to replace their entry-level gadgets to Android 13. There are already guarantees of even quicker updates in 2023. With that in thoughts, let’s examine what to anticipate from Android 14.

Desk of content material:

Android 14: When to count on the brand new Google OS?
Android releases comply with a reasonably predictable schedule by this level, with particular phases laid out to assist app builders and system producers to arrange for the brand new launch, which normally occurs across the third quarter of the yr.
The primary official announcement occurs with the discharge of the first Developer Preview (DP), which showcases options which might be nonetheless in improvement for the system. The following milestone occurred with the launch of the primary beta model, forward of Google I/O—the corporate’s occasion for builders, historically held in Might—the place the second beta was launched for Pixel telephones and gadgets from manufacturers like OnePlus, Xiaomi, and extra.

Android has been following an analogous improvement schedule for a number of years / © Google

After round three to 5 Beta releases, Google declares that the model “features a launch candidate construct of Android”, which implies the characteristic set is ultimate, and a minimum of for app builders, all of the app interfaces (APIs) are prepared for testing purposes and video games.
After some bug fixing—largely associated to stability points for Pixel telephones—Google releases the secure model, coinciding with the announcement of a brand new Pixel technology, which occurred between August and October since Android 6 (Marshmallow, again within the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P period).

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Previous Android launch schedules

Model
Announcement / Preview
Beta
Launch Candidate
Secure launch

Android 14 (2023)
February (DP1)
April
August (Beta 5)
 

Android 13 (2022)
February (DP1)
April
July (Beta 4)
August

Android 12 (2021)
February (DP1)
Might
September (Beta 5)
October

Android 11 (2020)
February (DP1)
June
August (Beta 3)
September

Android 10 (2019)
March (Beta 1)
March
August (Beta 6)
September

Android 9 Pie (2018)
March (DP)
Might
July (Beta 4)
August

Android 14: How will or not it’s known as? Dessert?
Despite the fact that Google dropped utilizing the Android codename within the official advertising and marketing marketing campaign after Android 10, the custom nonetheless lives among the many OS builders and engineers.

Android 14 carries the codename “UpsideDownCake”. / © nextpit

For 2023, Google’s builders did not actually have many choices for desserts beginning with the U letter, and so, already in April 2022 the Android repository received an replace hinting at Android 14’s dessert codename: The wrong way up cake. Even so, count on to see advertising and marketing supplies utilizing solely the “Android 14” branding.

An upside-down cake is baked with the toppings on the backside of the pan, giving it a flat look. / © Nelea Reazanteva/Adobe Inventory

Android 14: New options
With the beta releases rolling out, particularly after Google I/O 2023, we count on to see extra options popping out of the Android Open Supply Undertaking (AOSP) repositories into the check variations. Among the options under could change or be dropped fully earlier than the secure launch, so ensure that to return again to this web page for updates.

Android 14 Easter Egg
After reaching platform stability within the earlier beta, the Android 14 beta 4 introduced the standard replace to the working system’s Easter Egg. The steps essential to unlock the brand new model’s secret are unchanged from earlier editions, however as an alternative of simply presenting a enjoyable animation, Android 14 affords an intriguing house sport with vector graphics.

To recap: Settings > About telephone > Android model > Faucet on the Android model repeatedly. / © nextpit

Diverse profile footage
Though not a highly regarded characteristic—with many manufacturers merely skipping the choice—, person profiles might be fairly helpful in gadgets shared by completely different folks (or used for each private {and professional} ends). Till Android 13, Google merely provided a generic picture with completely different colours. With Android 14, nonetheless, the default choice provides a splash of persona. And as prior to now, customers can select their very own picture and even take a selfie.

Till now, all built-in profile footage had been merely a distinct colour model of the default picture (heart). / © nextpit

Auto-confirm unlock
This new choice underneath the Display screen Lock menu units the telephone to robotically unlock after correctly typing the PIN, if it has six digits or extra, as an alternative of requiring the person to press the Enter key to unlock the telephone. The system notes that enabling the choice is much less safe than the default choice, so proceed with warning.

Unlocking the telephone can optionally require one much less faucet on the display. / © nextpit

In addition to that, the fourth beta up to date the mute icon within the notification bar to be the identical one within the quantity slider, added a number of interface tweaks to the share sheet, added an choice to checklist the system’s “Manufactured yr”,  and introduced a few modifications to the Pixel Pill expertise.
On Android 14 Beta 5, Google principally did a bugfix launch, with one small exception: One of many lock display clocks was eliminated, as 9to5Google reported. Beta 5 was introduced to be the final check launch earlier than the ultimate model launch, anticipated anytime now.

Platform stability in Beta 3
Google introduced that the third beta for Android 14 brings platform stability. For finish customers, it shouldn’t matter a lot, however for these creating and updating apps, the information implies that system instruments, libraries, and different system interfaces usually are not anticipated to vary till the ultimate launch.
“Platform stability” does not imply, nonetheless, that Google will not add new user-facing options, which is able to nonetheless be added till the beforehand talked about “launch candidate construct” nearer to the secure model.
Lock display designs and customization choices
Already teased within the earlier check variations, the lock display now has completely different design choices from the fashion inherited from Android 12. By lengthy urgent the house display, you may choose Wallpaper & fashion (the choice identify can change till the secure launch) to discover a new Lock display tab with a mode carrousel with completely different clock types.

Say goodbye to the default Pixel lock display! / © nextpit

The brand new choices may also be opened straight from the lock display, by merely long-pressing an empty a part of the show and choosing the Customise lock display choice.
A further Clock colour & dimension button lets you additional customise the clock, together with the colours when you do not like the mix derived from the wallpaper and an choice to drive a small clock dimension, or a dynamic one to adapt in accordance with notifications and different parts on the lock display.

The clock might be coloured otherwise from the remainder of the design parts. / © nextpit

Toggle design replace
One design change that not everybody will discover is the brand new search for the Materials design switches, as famous by. Discover on the screenshot under the off state within the Darkish theme choice.

Tiny change: The off toggle received a skinny define on Android 14. / © nextpit

New navigation tutorial
For these holdouts on the 3-button navigation (me included), Google added a brand new tutorial for the gesture navigation. Not solely is the brand new information extra colourful and pleasant, however it’s also now not buried within the Gestures sub-menu underneath the System choices, requiring one much less faucet to (lastly?) be a part of the cool children swiping their method by the interface.

Will this new tutorial convert old-timers nonetheless utilizing the navigation bar? / © nextpit

Further settings within the Developer menu choices
Some additional hidden settings had been uncovered by Esper’s Mishaal Rahman within the Developer choices. Word that some could also be eliminated earlier than the secure launch, whereas others might be included into different elements of the system:

Allow ANGLE: Makes use of ANGLE because the system OpenGL ES driver.
Pressure allow Notes position: Prompts a brand new app position for note-taking—for use with display captures, for instance.

Among the new options introduced throughout Google I/O 2023 are nonetheless not out there on Beta 3, such because the emoji wallpapers, so there are nonetheless options to look out for in future beta releases.

Font dimension shortcut within the Fast Settings
A setting that many individuals change, however not regularly, Font Dimension can now be set straight from the Fast Settings menu (the one accessed by swiping down from the highest of the display). It isn’t displayed by default, however beta testers can simply add the brand new shortcut.

It will not be used regularly by most individuals, however it may be useful in some conditions. / © nextpit

The brand new choice is simpler to make use of as an alternative of going to Settings > Accessibility > Show dimension and textual content. And apart from being an accessibility characteristic, might be helpful whereas utilizing a foldable telephone with apps that do not adapt properly when switching between completely different screens, for instance.
Record of apps that change location knowledge entry
For customers with computerized updates set on the Google Play Retailer and who fear about apps sharing location knowledge with third events—an choice which will change with none prompts if the person offers an app unrestricted entry to the system’s location—Android 14 now has a web page within the Settings app underneath the Privateness choice to checklist apps that modified their location knowledge sharing practices on the Google Play Retailer.

The brand new privateness choice is determined by apps reporting their data-sharing insurance policies to the Play Retailer. / © nextpit

For instance, if a GPS app was already granted entry to geolocation knowledge however abruptly began sharing that info with advertisers or analytics platforms, on Android 13 there is no such thing as a clear technique to find out about that change, except by checking the Information Security part on the app’s Play Retailer web page. On Android 14, any modifications needs to be reported on the Settings app however provided that the app developer discloses that first.
Separate settings for Languages and Keyboard
Perhaps because of Google’s renewed curiosity in tablets—and the everlasting promise of utilizing them as productiveness gadgets—the present Languages & enter web page on the Settings app is being changed by separate sections in Android 14.

An indication of issues to return? “Keyboard” is an unbiased settings web page on Android 14. / © nextpit

The change could also be associated to raised assist for devoted keyboards in Android, each wired and wi-fi, and likewise gesture navigation with touchpads, which additionally received a devoted settings web page for suitable gadgets.
Modifier keys remapping on exterior keyboards 
Instantly associated to the change above, exterior keyboards can have their modifier keys—Caps lock, Ctrl, Motion, and Alt—default habits modified within the new Keyboard settings web page.

Change how the modifier keys work on Android 14. / © nextpit

Small clipboard notification 
When copying a textual content whereas the on-screen keyboard is displayed, Android 14 now reveals a small clipboard notification above the keyboard. To show the contents—and likewise contextual choices such because the share shortcut, just like the default habits in earlier variations—, merely faucet on the small icon.

The brand new notification would not take as a lot display house however requires an additional faucet to entry extra choices. / © nextpit

Simplified distinction settings
One Android 14 change that may solely be discovered on the Developer choices, for now, is a brand new simplified Distinction choice toggle. The brand new popup menu shows three choices with an instance illustration. 

Work in progress: A brand new Distinction settings panel. / © nextpit

We count on to see the brand new choice to be listed on the Accessibility menu for the secure launch, so Google could also be nonetheless experimenting with the design and choices.
Improved granular entry to photographs and movies
After including the choice to grant entry solely to particular photos and video recordings through the DP releases, the Android 14 Beta 1 modified the interface. Google moved the granular entry choice to the highest of the menu, with Permit all because the second choice.

File entry permissions modified somewhat bit from the DP to the Beta launch. / © nextpit

Subsequent time the identical app request entry to the identical file varieties, Android 14 will show a dialog (proper image within the above picture) to vary the entry permissions, maintain the present settings, or grant the applying full entry to photographs and movies on the system. That dialog lacks the choice to take away the permission altogether, so count on extra modifications within the coming betas. 
Language change affirmation dialog
Beforehand, modifications to the system interface language had been computerized, simply reorder the language checklist on System > Language & enter > Languages, and the system modifications immediately. On Android 14 Beta 1, Google added an intermediate affirmation dialog to keep away from accidents. The nextpit editorial group is grateful for that!

Yay! No extra unintentional Langue/Sprachen modifications! / © nextpit

Privateness safety for PIN unlock
One other welcome change on Android 14 Beta is the Enhanced PIN privateness choice. The “Disable animations whereas coming into the PIN” label would not fairly describe how the characteristic works, which principally hides the alphanumeric preview briefly displayed after typing the PIN on the lock display. The result’s that different folks round you can not peek at your display to study your PIN.

No extra PIN peeking over the shoulder. / © nextpit

New toggle to cover the climate widget on the lock display (not working)
One interface change that’s not at present engaged on the primary Beta launch is the Present climate choice within the lock display settings. Based on Mishaal Rahman, the setting requires altering a hidden system property first.

The choice to cover the climate widget on the lock display would not but work on Beta 1. / © nextpit

Usability enhancements on the Share menu
When attempting to share greater than 4 photos on Android by the default Share menu, Android 13 and former variations don’t show all of them for house causes, exhibiting a “+” indicator on high of the third shared picture. On Android 14, the menu is expanded horizontally, permitting customers to scroll to verify the photographs earlier than sharing them.

Android 13 (left) and 14 Share menu with greater than 4 footage. / © nextpit

One other change on the Share menu is the choice to edit captions on photos that have accompanying textual content or URLs on them. Much like the picture preview characteristic talked about above, this alteration will assist keep away from points with sharing delicate info or non-public notes.
Restrictions on closing apps (i.e. no extra “Velocity Up” apps)
One change introduced by the Android 14 DP2 that just about went unnoticed was the restriction on the “killBackgroundProcesses()” system name, which is able to solely be legitimate for the app itself. As Google (and Esper’s Mishaal Rahman) famous, the change will cease apps from closing/killing different apps.
The sensible impact is that these apps that declare to enhance efficiency by force-closing background apps will cease working. As Google has been saying for some years, Android is designed to handle apps within the background and kill them every time the system wants extra reminiscence. Pressure-closing apps can affect battery life and efficiency, as a full utility reload takes longer and consumes extra assets.
Separate quantity controls for notifications and ringtones
Relying in your present telephone, this Android 14 change will seem like outdated information. One small change introduced by the DP2 launch was the choice to individually set quantity ranges for ringtones and notifications, one thing that some manufacturers’ OSs have been providing for a number of years.

Android 14 DP2 (proper) separates notifications quantity management settings from ringtones. / © nextpit

The tiny however vital change was documented by Mishaal Rahman on Twitter and might be seen by opening the Settings app after which choosing the Sound & vibration choice. Pixel telephone homeowners at present on Android 13 might activate the separate controls by altering an elective flag within the system, so it’s potential the brand new characteristic might come to Android 13 on a future Characteristic Drop.
Font customization and most popular default language
Beginning with essentially the most evident, Google is stretching the utmost font zoom stage whereas utilizing non-distorting and non-linear scaling. Initially set at 130%, the setting will now permit as much as 200% font dimension improve, producing extra readable texts that can vastly assist the visually impaired and seniors.

Font dimension can now be elevated by as much as 200 %. / © nextpit

As well as, builders can now give the power to customers to pick their most popular default language per app. On the identical time, grammatical gendered languages equivalent to French and German are given emphasised by the assist of recent particular phrases and addresses.

With Android 14, the language might be modified per utility. / © nextpit

Granular entry to photographs and movies
Google is enhancing knowledge safety when it comes to picture and video entry. Thus, along with common entry, or blocking, extra entry to chose photographs and movies can now be granted underneath Android 14.

Extra granular management over picture entry on Android 14 DP2. / © nextpit

Additional design optimizations
Along with a revised wallpaper view, there may even be new and revised lock display widgets with Android “UpsideDownCake”. Moreover, one of many subsequent variations will supply a so-called emoji lab, which is able to understand customizable wallpapers.
Funnily sufficient, there’s additionally speak about customizations of the digital camera and notification LEDs. Right here, customized LED patterns and colours will likely be made potential, so long as an RGB notification LED is obtainable.

Extra choices to customise your Android expertise. / © nextpit

Area-dependent settings
For the journey fans amongst us, Google then additionally affords regional settings with Android 14, which makes use of your most popular metric no matter your present location. For instance, when you really feel you belong to mainland Europe, then you definately’re extra prone to work with millimeters, centimeters, and Celsius as an alternative of Fahrenheit, which is extra widespread within the US.

Combine and match regional settings in Android 14. / © nextpit

Listening to aids
The truth that Google desires to handle the subject of listening to aids a bit extra profoundly additionally matches into the “senior” class. Listening to aids can already be arrange through Bluetooth, however an additional space is predicted underneath Accessibility, the place settings like Compatibility choices are supposed to collect so as to optimize the streaming high quality of the listening to aids.
Quick Pair Service setting
As noticed by well-known developer Mishaal Rahman, the Quick Pair service is sustained to be a magnet for the search large. This characteristic is now added to the Related gadgets preferences underneath Settings. Going additional you may be seeing the Quick Pair choice together with UWB, Bluetooth, Forged, NFC, and Printing. Tapping it would present a toggle to scan for Quick Pair gadgets.

Android 14 brings some modifications to Quick Pair. / © nextpit

Visitor mode, or slightly multiuser
There’s additionally a small change for visitor mode, or multiuser, the place the Permit visitor to make use of telephone choice has been moved to the top-level menu. Beforehand, this selection was behind the visitor account itself, which wasn’t the very best place for it.

Android 14 simplifies visitor account settings. / © nextpit

Improved battery setting interface on Android 14
The battery setting sections have earned minor to modest tweaks. For the utilization space, the display on time is now labeled with a interval of the final cost whereas under it’s an choice to point out utilization by a breakdown of apps or techniques. Within the Batter Saver, entry to Excessive Battery Saver is added on the principle web page in addition to the Adaptive battery toggle. There are modifications to the schedule and reminder part too.

Android 14 brings a brand new interface in your battery settings. / © nextpit

Higher battery life and optimized apps on giant screens on Android 14
Behind-the-scenes enhancements on Android 14 DP1 embody streamlined broadcast. This can be a deeper a part of the Android system, however Google has indicated the change so builders are conscious. For end-users, this will likely imply a extra environment friendly course of leading to longer battery life total.
As extra type components are launched equivalent to foldable and flip telephones, Android 14 is continuous to deliver optimizations that can assist completely different display layouts. It additionally implies that the app might be simply supported no matter display dimension or type.
Satellite tv for pc connections
Much like the characteristic debuted on the iPhone 14 household, the satellite tv for pc connectivity characteristic can also be coming to (a minimum of some) Android telephones in 2023. The brand new connection choice was introduced by Google’s SVP, Hiroshi Lockheimer, however he did not elaborate on the way it will work, just for emergency calls, solely SMS, or with low-speed knowledge connections.
RIP, Android Beam
With Close by Share promoted to a first-class citizen in current Android releases, its predecessor will lastly be faraway from the Android codebase—after being faraway from most distributions prior to now years. Though not many individuals will miss Android Beam, the characteristic had one benefit over Close by Share: not counting on Google Cellular Providers (GMS), which made it potential for AOSP-based distributions like EMUI/HarmonyOS, and FireOS to probably embody assist for the info switch characteristic.

Close by Share will get much more first-class remedy. / © nextpit

Safety certificates unbiased of system updates
A welcome change for homeowners of outdated telephones was talked about by Android Police relating to updates for safety certificates. These are digital certificates used for on-line connections, amongst different issues, have expiration dates, and are refreshed with system updates. And that poses not solely a safety downside but additionally impacts fundamental connections over HTTPS (the S stands for safety, as you need to have guessed already).
Based on Mishaal Rahman, the certificates will likely be renewed sooner or later by normal Play Retailer updates. Serving to homeowners of gadgets that had been deserted by their producers to remain related and use fundamental on-line companies. Regardless, will probably be some time till Android 14 gadgets would require certificates updates.
Higher safety and privateness usability
Not a giant deal, however the Safety and Privateness part has now obtained dropdown menus for higher usability.

Safety and privateness dropdown menus. / © nextpit

Higher again gesture performance
The state of affairs isn’t unusual to these utilizing gesture navigation: you swipe again and once more, attempting to return to a particular app display, and abruptly find yourself on the Android dwelling display. Based on Google, this will likely be a factor of the previous, with the final window displaying a preview of the house display through the again gesture.

The brand new performance might be seen across the 34min mark within the video embedded above. Hopefully, that can finish the times of closing an lively app by mistake…
Necessary AV1 decoding assist
A welcome, however on the identical time worrying, change was noticed by Esper’s Mishaal Rahman, suggesting that AV1 decoding assist will likely be necessary in Android 14. AV1 is the next-generation royalty-free video codec backed by Google, Amazon, Netflix, Mozilla, and plenty of others as an alternative choice to the fee-based MPEG LA video codecs (AVC/H.264, HEVC/H.265, and VVC/H.266).

As per android cdd 14, sec 2.2.2 and sec 2.6,Handheld and Pill system implementations should assist decoding AV1

Because the quote above from a September decide to the Android supply code repository, the Compatibility Definition Doc (CDD) will drive gadgets to assist decoding the AV1 codec. It’s unclear if Google will take the arduous stance of not permitting gadgets supporting AV1 to be up to date to Android 14, or if the requirement will solely apply to newly launched telephones and tablets.
That requirement might be simply fulfilled within the flagship market, by which the most recent Qualcomm, MediaTek, and even Exynos SoCs supporting AV1. However that might exclude mid-range and low-end gadgets, lots of which launch with processors launched a few years in the past…
Higher consistency within the share (intent) menu
Android energy customers already seen this, however the share menu—often called the intents menu—varies wildly between purposes, one thing that’s made worse relying on the producer’s pores and skin. A change in Android 14 guarantees to deliver somewhat little bit of consistency, as reported by developer Mishaal Rahman.

Android 13 share menu inconsistencies. / © Mishaal Rahman/Esper

Based on the Esper developer, Google moved the share menu code to an updatable module, liberating the menu from OTA updates, and likewise limiting the variety of customizations utilized by the completely different manufacturers ( you One UI).
Block outdated APK installs
One other decide to the Android repository, this time uncovered by 9to5Google, signifies that Android 14 will block the set up of apps concentrating on outdated working system variations. The same management is already utilized on the Play Retailer, the place app builders should goal a minimum of Android 12.
If applied, the change would cease customers from sideloading—or putting in from third-party shops—outdated app variations, and people who are adamant about utilizing an outdated app model might resort theoretically to utilizing the command line. In any case, the Android repository would not checklist a minimal API goal for the change, so Google could solely be making ready modifications additional down the street.
Android 14: Anticipated gadgets
Because it normally occurs with every new Android launch, Google’s Pixel line would be the first to get the brand new model. Android’s releases are normally timed with a brand new Pixel technology line, so a “Pixel 8” smartphone is predicted to be the primary telephone to be launched with the system.
The replace is predicted to be out there on the identical day for different Google smartphones, from the Pixel 4a and newer.

As traditional, Pixel smartphones are anticipated to be the primary to obtain Android 14. / © nextpit

The replace availability for different manufacturers and fashions will wildly fluctuate, so we suggest checking our information on every producer’s replace coverage:

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This text will likely be continually up to date main as much as the Android 14 secure launch, together with all of the check variations. Ensure to comply with nextpit on Fb and Twitter to be alerted on new options, improvement releases, and system assist!

This text was up to date in August with new options out there within the Beta 4 and 5 releases.

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