Android 14: What to anticipate from this yr's replace

We’re nonetheless a few months away from the official unveiling of Android 14 at Google’s annual I/O occasion. Nonetheless, that doesn’t imply you may’t get your arms on the replace (or at the very least an early model of it) proper now. 

Google gave followers their first peak at Android 14 throughout February’s developer preview. Now, Pixel customers have been invited to obtain the upcoming working system as a part of Google’s beta course of. 

This implies anybody utilizing a Pixel 4a all the best way as much as a Pixel 7 Professional can expertise the most recent model of Android forward of its launch, giving them an early glimpse at among the new options coming to the OS in 2023. 

To find all the things we find out about Android 14 up to now, together with our predictions for the working system and which units it’ll be supported on, preserve scrolling. 

When will Android 14 be revealed? 

Like Apple with iOS, Google releases a serious Android replace yearly and Android 14 isn’t anticipated to be any completely different. 

As we talked about within the introduction, Google kicked off the yr with a developer preview and, extra lately, invited builders and early-adopters to put in the primary beta model of the working system on Pixel units. 

“Right now we’re releasing the primary Beta of Android 14, constructing round our core themes of privateness, safety, efficiency, developer productiveness, and person customisation whereas persevering with to enhance the large-screen system expertise on tablets, foldables, and extra”, mentioned Android’s VP of Engineering Dave Burke. 

“We’ve been making regular progress refining the options and stability of Android 14, and it’s time to open the expertise as much as each builders and early-adopters”. 

You possibly can go to our information to discover ways to set up the Android 14 beta proper now.

In the case of the total launch, Pixel homeowners may count on to be first in line after the working system is formally unveiled at Google I/O this summer time. If final yr’s announcement is something to go by, you may count on the occasion to happen in Might and the total model of Android 14 to start rolling out round August.

Which units will help Android 14?

That’s the million-dollar query proper there. As famous, the improve course of is way from easy relating to Android smartphones – even for many who ought to get the Android 14 improve as a part of a multi-year OS improve promise.

It’s near-on inconceivable to listing all units that’ll help the improve, particularly because it hasn’t been introduced by Google simply but, so we’d advocate checking your producer’s improve promise on your smartphone. Samsung, Google and Oppo are main the pack with multi-year OS upgrades, however it’s not commonplace amongst all producers simply but. 

What to anticipate from Android 14

Whereas Google has but to formally reveal Android 14, it has launched the primary developer-only preview. Now, don’t get too excited because it doesn’t characteristic any consumer-focused options – it’s primarily for builders preparing for the replace later this yr – however it does give us a good suggestion of what Google is prioritising with the replace.

Improved help for tablets and foldables

As confirmed by Google with the discharge of the primary Android 14 developer preview, this yr’s software program replace ought to vastly enhance help for big-screen foldables and tablets, with the previous desperately needing some TLC to get apps to help the generally odd type components. Because it stands, most apps on Google Play merely aren’t optimised for the boxy side ratio of inside foldable shows, and that features some massively fashionable apps like Instagram. 

Google says that it’s persevering with work that began with Android 12L and Android 13 to vastly enhance the big-screen expertise on Android, with a brand new set of instruments for builders that ought to make it simpler to optimise their apps for various layouts. 

“With each launch, our objective is to make it simpler so that you can optimize your app throughout all Android surfaces,” Android engineering chief Dave Burke says in an Android Builders Weblog about Android 14. Let’s hope that’s true. 

Improved battery effectivity

Latest iterations of MediaTek and Qualcomm chipsets have made enormous positive factors in battery effectivity, however that hasn’t stopped Google from eager to additional optimise the Android working system to be as environment friendly as it could presumably be.

Google is attempting to do that by streamlining the background work of apps, permitting, for instance, builders to make sure background duties are carried out solely when customers are linked to Wi-Fi and never the extra power-hungry mobile connectivity. 

Different options are on the best way

As famous, the above are solely the primary few developer-focused options to be introduced by Google, and we’re assured that the corporate has just a few tips up its sleeve to permit it to proceed to compete with Apple’s iOS. 

We’ll hear extra about it at Google I/O later this yr, however we’ll additionally replace this part as rumours about Android 14 start to seem on-line.