Google released the first Developer Preview of Android 14 in early February. It gave a sample of what to expect from this upcoming operating system.
There are many improvements in the works for the Android 14 operating system. These improvements will make the user experience better. It includes long battery life, easier accessibility, and a new way to navigate back in apps. Keep reading this article to learn exciting information about the upcoming Android 14.
When Android 14 will release?
As of February 2023, Android 14 is only a developer-oriented beta. However, a more user-friendly beta with a taste of the new features will release in April, with regular beta updates to Pixel phones leading up to the official launch in August.
Google will release the first Android 14 beta in April. It will be in the beta phase till July. It will allow developers to start programming their apps with the new features and APIs without worrying about further changes. Android 14 will be available for public use at the end of August 2023.
Expected Features in Upcoming Android 14
The release of Android 14 will bring exciting improvements and new features to the mobile operating system. Here are some of the expected features in the upcoming Android OS.
- Larger displays
- Better accessibility
- Battery and performance
- Security and privacy
- App cloning
- Regional preferences and grammatical changes
- Health Connect
- Interface changes
Find the latest and upcoming mobile details.
Larger Displays
Google continues its quest to make Android and its app ecosystem a perfect match for all screen sizes, whether on smartphones, foldables, tablets, or Chromebooks. The big-screen optimization is part of Android 13, and things will be the same with Android 14.
Android 14 might allow you to remap modifier keys like Ctrl, Alt, and Meta. You can also map more commands for different system-level options to keyboards, like access to the recent screens, mute, and zoom.
Better Accessibility
Google has improved the accessibility of the Android 14 system by allowing users to scale text up to 200%. Moreover, a new hearing devices section will be part of the Accessibility panel within settings.
It allows users to pair a new hearing device using Bluetooth and collect relevant toggles in one place. It includes the hearing aid compatibility option, which improves streamed audio to these devices.
The font scaling feature of Android 14 is not just limited to boosting the font size for users with visual impairments. Increasing the font size makes the smaller text grow faster than the big-size text using a technique called “non-linear” scaling.
It provides additional accessibility options under Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). This feature will be especially beneficial for phones with larger displays.
Battery and Performance
Android 14 will improve the efficiency of the mobile operating system by optimizing background processes and minimizing unnecessary power usage. The operating system will only present actionable requests to applications when they are out of a cached state. It will help reduce power draw and increase efficiency.
In Android 14, Google is reserving foreground services for only the highest priority user-facing tasks. It means that apps will not be able to use a phone’s full power when running in the background. It will help in improving efficiency and reducing unnecessary power usage.
Google is planning more restrictions for apps that use exact alarms on Android. Newly installed apps targeting Android 13 or higher will need permission to set alarms. However, alarm and calendar apps are exempt from this restriction. Google encourages developers to avoid using exact alarms whenever possible.
Moreover, Google is optimizing how the internal broadcast system in Android works. This system communicates specific app events, such as battery levels or airplane mode changes. This optimization should lead to better standby battery life, as the system will need to wake up less frequently to send broadcasts.
Security and Privacy
Android 14 is introducing an impressive range of security updates to protect users’ privacy and security. It includes malware-fighting features that block app installations unless they meet specific criteria.
The targeted SDK feature will prevent apps from being installed on phones if they are too old. It will prevent hackers from exploiting vulnerabilities in older Android SDKs.
Another feature in Android 14 is the Passkeys. It will replace passwords as a more secure biometric authentication method. Users can sign in to any device with a swipe after enrolling in a Passkey.
Furthermore, Android 14 will mark dynamically loaded applications as read-only to prevent them from being changed by injecting code, closing another door for malware and various exploits that wrongdoers often utilize.
App Cloning
Google might consider adding an app cloning feature to its Pixel phones with the upcoming Android 14 update. This feature could make it more convenient for users to use multiple accounts for the same app.
Regional Preferences and Grammatical Changes
Google’s Android 13 allows users to change the language for each app. Android 14 offers more per-app customization options to tweak how apps display information. For instance, users can select their preferred units and number system, calendars, and much more.
Developers also get new tools to make the process easier. With Android 14’s Grammatical Inflection API, developers only need to provide inflected versions of each relevant term in a translation, and the API takes care of the rest.
This new API will come in handy for languages with grammatical genders. It allows displaying of the appropriate gender depending on the app user seamlessly.
Google is also updating its accessibility features. These changes will help people who speak languages other than English. The updates will adapt the text to reflect the unique language characteristics of non-English speakers.
The device can change the languages in an app’s settings to match the region. It can also adjust the keyboard based on the language used in the app. These changes happen automatically. These changes will make it easier for users to customize their devices to their needs and preferences.
Health Connect
Android 14 may also come with Google’s optional app, Health Connect. It serves as an interface between different fitness-tracking apps to share their data. This app may be pre-installed in the upcoming Android version.
Fitness-tracking apps can work better together and share data more seamlessly. It provides users with a more integrated and comprehensive fitness-tracking experience.
Interface Changes
Some changes are unrevealed in Android 14 Developer Preview 1. One new feature is a toggle to turn on/off fast pair. It helps avoid unwanted Bluetooth prompts. This feature is useful for people working in busy places or crowded buildings.
Another change is a minor tweak to the Multiple user’s settings screen, where the “Allow guest to use the phone” option is moved to the top-level menu. It makes it easier to enable phone calls for anyone using your phone.
Conclusion
Android 14 will unleash the potential of smartphones of 2023 and later. Some expected features are privacy and security, voice assistants, and customization options. Moreover, Android 14 will focus on optimizing performance and improving battery life. It will be exciting to see what new features Android 14 will bring to the table when it is released.
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What is the name of Android 14?
Google had a tradition of naming its Android versions after sweet treats. For example, Android 6.0 was Marshmallow, and Android 8 was named Oreo. However, starting with Android 10, Google decided to use a simple approach and only refer to the versions by their number.
Despite the official change in naming conventions, Google continues to use dessert names internally for Android versions. Android 14 will be known as Upside Down Cake. However, it is crucial to note that this is not the official name for Android 14, and Google might not use it in its marketing or public communications.
Which mobile devices are going to have Android 14?
Google follows a pattern of releasing a "developer preview" exclusively for their Pixel devices. It ensures their cell phones are the first to benefit from any new features or optimizations in the upcoming release.
Several devices that will have Android 14 include:
- Pixel 7 Series
- Pixel 6 Series
- OnePlus 11
- Google Pixel 8 series
- Samsung Galaxy S23 series