Today’s smartphone industry is fully capable of having its OS update over the air (OTA). Let it be any Android Smartphone manufacturer, the aim is to have updates happen over the air. This is what makes your Android device more refreshing so you can stick to it for a longer time. Google is one such core Android developer of its remarkably awesome operating system called Android. The tech giant launches a new Android version every year and this time it’s targeting Android 14. Here’s techdecipher brings you Android 14 and features so you can get to know your device well.
In today’s post, we are going to check what is Android 14, what is new in Android 14, why the upgrade is the only way forward and Android 14’s availability. Without further due, let’s get started!
What is Android 14?
Android 14 is the next Android-based operating system provided by Google. Each year Google comes up with a new version of its Android operating system. Google codenames every OS they work on or release, which is a cycle they introduced with Android versions over the periods. The successor of Android 12 is called “Tiramisu” which is also referred to as Android 13. Android 14 is codenamed “Upside Down Cake” and it is really interesting how Google makes use of codenames.
Every year Android Super users and geeks are excited about what’s new with the upcoming version they are going to release. The Tech giant has begun providing the preview builds for quite a few months now. These preview builds are there to verify the final product is flawless and stable. This is a classic software development approach. The first preview build for Android 14 OS was available in February 2023. The Preview 2 was released in March and its beta release is under testing which would be most likely the final release.
Why upgrade is the only way forward?
Nowadays if you purchase new Android smartphones, you would get planned 1 or 3 Android upgrades. Basically planned upgrade means your Android device would get future Android OS version updates over the air which Google lanuches. This was the special case for high-end premium OEMs. However, now more and more OEMs are making sure that their mid-range devices should also include 2 to 3 OS upgrades. The question is why they are even doing that? Here are the 5 points to consider.
1) Original Equipment Manufacturers are those who design the hardware and manufacture it and then ship their devices with Google’s mobile operating system Android. The OEMs do give planned upgrades because this helps them get end users’ trust to keep the user with the brand for longer and longer times possible.
2) You have used your phone for a couple of years, and some time past that, it would feel so normal like any other phone. However, with new OS upgrades, you as a user get more flavor to your phone.
3) Every new upgrade comes with major or minor changes along with some tweaks and more optimization to the OS.
4) Nowadays the developer’s team focuses on more RAM management, and head management in newer OS builds, upgrading to a new OS ensures you have all those included in it.
5) Security is probably the second advancement in new OS builds. OS builds would have fewer security flaws than it is on your existing operating system.
What’s new in Android 14?
Android 13 has tons of significant changes we have seen last year. Some of the changes that were implemented in Android 13 are expanded and properly addressed in Android 14. Let us check all the improvements down below.
1) Restricting Photo and Video Access
A major step in privacy and security with respect to media and files is seen in Android 13. We have seen the feature called “The Photo Picker” that restricts the app from being able to access the amount of photos and so on. However, The Photo Picker is a rudimentary approach as there are some flaws in it, and can cause issues when the third-party app is using the picker API. Android 14 is bringing an enhanced way of Restricting Photo and Video Access which would make sure all apps are going through the security process which is the initial goal of this feature.
2) Notification Flashes cues
We might miss important notifications when we are working or watching Netflix in the living room but the phone is next to the table. The notification flash cue is a feature that would flash lights like haptics do to ensure you don’t miss it. A variety of OEMs have already achieved this however this time it’s gonna be a part of OS now.
3) Non-linear font scaling to 200%
You might have seen some users might require large font sizes due to low vision issues. With Android 14, you get this amazing Non-linear font scaling to 200% feature. Earlier, the OS like Android 13 or 12 and so, when the scaling increased the small text font would increase at the same rate as the bigger ones. This would cause readability issues for obvious reasons. With Android 14, this has been fixed and scaling is hiked to 200%. This new improvement in Android 14 is more for the app developers’ side too, this would allow the app developers to manage their apps for users who have low vision.
4) Predictive back gesture
Suppose you are using app one for some task, such as many apps for many tasks. When you wish to go back to the previous task, till now the existing OS had no better management. Android 14 has a predictive back gesture that gives a preview of the app that is in the stack indicating whether the user wants to switch back to that app or not. Okay, this is something a normal user won’t bother much but it is worth it that it is settled.
5) Wallpaper dimming in Battery Saver mode
We have all used night modes, or reading mode which we have seen in many OEMs that brings wallpaper dimming. Custom ROMs have included this wallpaper-dimming feature for quite of time now. Google has implemented this feature in their new Android 14 which would help the system save battery.
6) Regional preferences
A user from India might prefer the starting day from Monday or might prefer a temperature unit as Celsius rather than in fermentate if they travel to the US or make a living there. Well, now Android 14 has that taken care of for you. With regional preferences, users would be able to get a predefined number system based on their regional preferences. This is a small tweak however it is really impressive and a step towards perfection.
7) Smoothly Update apps
Smoothly updated apps help you have a disruptive experience while you are using the app. Until now, the apps would be auto-updated in the background if the settings were set to be. Suppose you are using the app while it is being updated through the Play Store, then it would first close the app and complete updation and then you can get back in the app. Android 14 would now make sure the app is not in use and then perform the update. It is just like Active hours in Windows OS where we get to decide when we want to restart our Windows 10 or 11.
8) Find and Remove bloatware
Ask anyone, No matter which budget phones we have we still see phones shipped with preinstalled apps, and bloatware and there are some scenarios where carriers can let some background activities in the form of their custom apps. Does not this remind you of Xiaomi / Redmi phones? well now many OEMs are understanding and limiting its usage but it is still there. With Android 14, there is a hidden section where you get to see which apps are running without you knowing it or the bloatware you always wanted to get rid of. Feels good to finally hear that Core Android has taken these steps. If OEMs include this in their modified version of Android, then this would be a real deal for budget phones.
9) Precise Share menu
A share menu is getting a new fix in Android 14. If you notice, in your existing device, you try to share a file from the gallery, you would get a share menu with all of the mixed menu options. With Android 14, share menu items are getting more precise with what the file is about and what menus should be there with respect to the file.
Android 14 availability and release builds
The Android 14 beta program is near its end. With August or September 2023, the final builds for Android 14 will be reviewed. Further, these builds would be finalized as a stable release and then shipped with Google’s own mobile brand Pixel. In simple words, Google Pixel is going to be the first device that gets Android 14. After this, the Original Equipment manufacturers like Oneplus, Samsung, Motorola, Realme, and such like mobile device manufacturers take the core Android OS and mix it with their flavors. Like Miui for Redmi, funtouch OS for Vivo, and so on.
Android 14 is going to be launched anytime soon in September or October of 2023. Note that these dates are tentative and are completely upon Google. After Android 14 becomes available, these Partner brands will work on it and make it available in the first quarter of 2024. You can get to know the new preview builds and more on the link from here.
Conclusion
Android operating system holds 70% of the market share globally. The OS has been most used by users and dominating. Google has been very active in developing Android to its full potential with this latest development of Android 14. Although some of the features are already introduced in Android 13 are extended in Android 14. This concludes Android 14 and its features. What OS version do you have now and what Android 14 feature you are interested in? do let us know in the comments section below. If you need any help or have any suggestions to make, then do reach us via the contact page here. Happy California Admission Day!
