In the ever-evolving world of Android, each version brings its own set of enhancements and improvements. The past couple of Android versions brought some of the major upgrades Android has gotten since its inception. Android 12 introduced Material You, which brought much-needed UI changes, and Android 13 added quality-of-life improvements over Android 12, making it a more polished experience. Much like Android 13, Android 14 may seem like an incremental upgrade, but you would be surprised by just how many internal changes it brings to improve the overall Android experience.
Throughout this blog post, we will delve into the Android 14 new things you need to know as an Android developer in this fast-paced world. Here, we’ll explore how Android 14 empowers you to create exceptional experiences for your users effortlessly.
So, buckle up and get ready to embark on a thrilling adventure into the future of Android development, as we unravel the wonders of Google I/O 2023 and unveil the exciting world of Android 14!
Android 14 New Features
Android 14 is the latest version of Google’s mobile operating system, and it’s packed with new features for both users and developers. Here’s a look at some of the highlights:
Photo Picker
Say goodbye to privacy concerns when it comes to granting access to your photo library! In the past, apps would request access to your entire photo collection even if you just wanted to upload a single picture. This raised legitimate privacy worries since handing over access to all your photos wasn’t the safest option.
Luckily, Android 14 introduces a game-changing solution known as the Photo Picker feature. With this new interface, you have full control over which photos an app can access. Instead of granting unrestricted access, you can now select and share specific photos without compromising your privacy. This means that apps only get access to the photos you choose, ensuring that your entire photo library remains secure.
Thanks to Android 14’s Photo Picker, you can confidently enjoy the convenience of sharing photos while maintaining control over your privacy. It’s a small but significant step towards a safer and more personalized app experience.
Notification Flashes
Android 14 introduces a handy feature called “Notification Flashes” that proves invaluable in noisy environments or for individuals with hearing difficulties. If you often find yourself in situations where you can’t hear your phone’s notifications, this feature has got you covered.
To enable or disable Notification Flashes, follow these simple steps:
- Open your phone’s Settings.
- Look for the “Display” option and tap on it.
- Scroll down and find “Flash notifications.”
- You’ll see two toggle options: “Camera Flash” and “Screen Flash.” Toggle them on or off based on your preference.
If you choose to use Screen Flashes, you can even customize the color of the flash. Here’s how:
- Within the “Flash notifications” menu, tap on “Screen Flash.”
- You’ll be presented with a selection of colors to choose from.
- Tap on a color to preview how it will look.
- Once you’re satisfied with your choice, simply close the prompt.
With Notification Flashes, you can stay informed about incoming notifications, even in noisy environments or if you have difficulty hearing. It’s a simple yet powerful feature that enhances accessibility and ensures you never miss an important update.
Camera and Battery Life Improvements
Android 14 doesn’t just bring exciting new features but also focuses on enhancing the overall user experience. Google has made significant quality-of-life improvements to ensure a smoother and optimized performance.
One area of improvement is battery consumption. Android 14 is designed to be more efficient, helping to prolong your device’s battery life. This means you can enjoy using your phone for longer periods without worrying about running out of power.
Moreover, both the user interface (UI) and internal workings of Android 14 have been refined to provide a seamless experience. You can expect a smoother and more responsive interface, making navigation and app usage more enjoyable.
In addition to the general improvements, Android 14 introduces new camera extensions. These extensions optimize the post-processing time and enhance the quality of the images captured. If you have a Pixel device powered by the Tensor G2 chip, you’ll notice an even greater improvement in the camera department. The Tensor G2 chip brings significant advancements that further enhance the camera capabilities, resulting in stunning photos with reduced processing time.
With Android 14, you can look forward to a more efficient and polished experience, along with impressive camera enhancements, especially on Pixel devices powered by the Tensor G2 chip. Get ready to enjoy a smoother and more captivating Android journey!
Upcoming Features
As Android 14 is still in the development stage(currently in beta), the upcoming stable version may include or discard these proposed upcoming features.
LockScreen Customizations
One of the exciting features coming to Android 14 is the ability to customize your lock screen. This means you can personalize how your lock screen appears, including changing the clock style and customizing the app shortcuts located at the lower corners. This feature draws some inspiration from iOS 16.
These lock screen customizations are expected to be available in the stable Android 14 release, which is scheduled to launch next month if everything goes as planned for Google. However, it’s worth noting that the lock screen clock styles showcased at Google I/O 2023 weren’t particularly appealing, appearing somewhat flat. Hopefully, the final versions will have more vibrant and engaging styles to choose from.
Magic Compose
Google has an exciting feature called “Magic Compose” coming to the Messages app this summer. It works similarly to the AI generative features demonstrated at Google I/O 2023, which will be added to Google’s Workspace apps. Magic Compose helps you write text messages with different moods and styles. From the preview showcased at I/O, it looks really cool.
For example, if you type “Wanna grab dinner,” Magic Compose offers various rewrites that add excitement, lyrical flair, or even Shakespearean language. It’s a clever feature that adds fun and creativity to your messages. We hope it will eventually be available on Gboard as well. It seems like Google’s way of encouraging more people to use RCS and Google Messages in general. However, please note that Magic Compose is currently limited to Pixel devices.
Emoji, Generative AI, and Cinematic Wallpapers
Android has always been known for its customization options, and Android 14 takes it a step further with the addition of Emoji, Generative AI, and Cinematic wallpapers.
The Emoji wallpaper picker lets you create a unique and interactive wallpaper by selecting a few emoji and a dominant color. It combines them to create a fun and personalized wallpaper that reflects your favorite emoji.
The AI Generative Wallpaper feature is particularly exciting. It allows you to input a few words describing the type of wallpaper you want and then generates a selection of unique wallpapers exclusively for your device. These wallpapers are completely one-of-a-kind and tailored to your preferences.
Cinematic wallpapers bring depth and a parallax effect to your photos using AI. You can choose a photo and the feature will add a dynamic effect that responds to your device’s movements. It’s similar to the Cinematic feature in Google Photos, adding a captivating visual element to your device’s wallpaper.
With these customizable features, Android 14 offers even more ways to personalize your device and make it truly your own. Whether it’s through emoji mashups, generative wallpapers, or dynamic effects, Android 14 provides an enhanced level of customization for a unique and enjoyable user experience.
New Find My Device Experience
The Find My Device app on Android has received a fresh new look to match the latest design language. In addition, it will be receiving some exciting new features this fall. One of the notable additions is the expanded device support, allowing you to locate not only your phones but also accessories using other Android devices on the network.
This enhancement is a welcome addition to Android, as Apple has been a leader in the Find My iPhone experience. Furthermore, if you want to track larger objects like bicycles, manufacturers such as Tile and Chipolo will offer tracker tags that can be used with the Find My Device app.
With these updates, Android users can enjoy a more comprehensive and convenient way to locate their devices and belongings. It’s a great step forward in enhancing the Find My Device experience on Android.
Tracker Prevention and Alerts
Although Google’s efforts to convince Apple to adopt RCS have not been successful, both companies have collaborated on enhancing privacy measures, particularly with Tracker Prevention alerts.
BTW, RCS (Rich Communication Services) is an advanced messaging protocol replacing SMS, offering additional features and capabilities. Some of the features offered by RCS include read receipts, typing indicators, high-quality media sharing, group chats, and the ability to send messages over Wi-Fi or mobile data.
Regardless of the Android device you’re using, if an unidentified tracker is monitoring your activities, your Android device will provide a warning and assist you in locating the source. This collaboration between Google and Apple in the privacy department is a significant achievement, ensuring enhanced privacy and security for Android users.
Using your Android device as a Webcam
If you’re disappointed with the low-quality webcam on your laptop, hold off on buying an external webcam just yet. Android 14 might come with a fantastic feature that allows you to use your Android device as an external camera and stream in high-definition at 1080p.
To use this feature, simply connect your Android device to your PC and a menu will pop up. From there, select “webcam” to switch to using your phone’s camera. Currently, this feature is not available in the operating system, even as an experimental option, but it’s expected to be included in Android 14 if Google deems it ready for release.
With Android 14, you could potentially transform your Android device into a high-quality webcam, eliminating the need for an external camera. Keep an eye out for this exciting feature, which aims to provide a better video conferencing and streaming experience for Android users.
App Cloning
App Cloning is undoubtedly one of the most highly anticipated features in Android. In the past, users had to resort to downloading third-party app cloning utilities that often came bundled with spyware. However, with Android 14, Google plans to address this by introducing a native App Cloning utility.
App Cloning allows you to have two instances of the same app on your device. This feature is particularly useful for users with dual SIM phones who want to use multiple accounts of apps like WhatsApp simultaneously. By cloning the app and logging in with a secondary SIM card, you can have two separate accounts running concurrently.
Google initially hinted at the App Cloning feature during the Android 14 Developer Preview 1. However, there haven’t been any recent updates regarding its development. It is speculated that App Cloning may not be included in the initial stable release of Android 14. However, it is expected to be introduced in future Android 14 feature drop updates, specifically for Pixel users.
The addition of a native App Cloning utility will bring convenience and ease of use to Android users who require multiple instances of certain apps. While its exact timeline for availability remains uncertain, it is an exciting feature to look forward to in future updates of Android 14.
Predictive Back Gestures
Predictive back gestures were introduced in Android 14 Developer Preview 2 but were later removed in the following preview. These gestures allowed users to perform a slow back swipe to reveal the underlying app layer. This was particularly useful when you couldn’t remember the previous page or layer you were on.
By using predictive back gestures, you could check the layer below without losing the contents of the current page. It gave you the flexibility to verify if the previous layer was the one you intended to navigate to.
Initially, this feature was only supported in the Settings app and a few other system apps. However, it remains uncertain whether predictive back gestures will be included in the first stable release of Android 14. If not, there’s a possibility that it will be added in future feature updates.
While the fate of predictive back gestures in Android 14 is unclear, it presented an interesting way to navigate within apps and explore layers. We will have to wait and see if it becomes a part of the official release or is introduced in future updates.
App Pair
During Google I/O 2023, Google unveiled a feature called App Pair, which will be introduced in Android 14 later this year. This feature, showcased during the Pixel Fold announcement, allows users to pair and use apps together in split screens. You can also minimize or maximize them simultaneously.
At first glance, App Pair may not appear particularly useful for smartphones. However, with the increasing popularity of tablets, this feature could be a game-changer. It offers a compelling reason why Android tablets are no longer considered inferior to iPads.
With App Pair, users will have the ability to multitask more effectively on larger screens. By pairing apps in split screens, you can simultaneously use two apps side by side, enhancing productivity and convenience. Whether it’s taking notes while reading, watching a video while browsing the web, or messaging while referencing another app, App Pair makes multitasking on Android tablets a seamless experience.
The inclusion of App Pair in Android 14 demonstrates Google’s commitment to enhancing the tablet experience and bridging the gap between Android tablets and their competitors. It opens up new possibilities for users who rely on tablets for work, entertainment, or any other tasks that require multitasking.
With this upcoming feature, Android tablets are poised to offer a more compelling and competitive alternative to iPads, providing users with a powerful multitasking experience. Look forward to the release of Android 14 to enjoy the benefits of App Pair on compatible devices.
Partial Screen Recorder
In Android 14, a new screen recording feature called “Partial Screen Recording” may be introduced. Despite its name, it doesn’t mean recording only a selected area of the screen. Instead, it allows you to record a specific app without capturing any UI elements or notifications that might appear on the screen.
This feature works similarly to how Discord handles screen sharing. When you switch to view another app or the home screen during the recording, the recorded content will appear black. However, as soon as you switch back to the app you want to record, the content will be visible again. It’s a clever and convenient way to focus solely on recording the app without any distractions.
While the availability of the Partial Screen Recording feature in the official release of Android 14 is not confirmed, it is an exciting addition that can enhance the screen recording experience for users. So, keep an eye out for this neat feature in future Android updates.
Drag and Drop Text and Images to Different Apps
One exciting feature that Android 14 is expected to bring is the ability to drag and drop text and images between apps, similar to what iOS 15 offers. In the Android 14 Beta 3 build, you can already experience this feature with text, and it works seamlessly.
To use the text drag and drop feature, simply select the text you want to move, long press on it, and then drag it to another app where you want to paste the text. With your other hand, switch to the desired app and drop the text into the text area. It’s a convenient way to transfer text quickly and easily between different apps.
While the current beta version only supports text drag and drop, it is anticipated that the final Android 14 release will also include the ability to drag and drop images. This will allow you to effortlessly move images from one app to another, enhancing your productivity and ease of use.
Keep an eye out for the official Android 14 update to enjoy the full drag and drop functionality, making it simpler and more convenient to transfer both text and images between apps on your Android device.
Forced Themed Icons
One of the challenges with adaptive mono icons in Android 12 is that app developers need to add support for them. Without proper support, the overall experience may feel incomplete. However, in Android 13, Google introduced a feature that automatically converts icons to themed icons if they are not supported by developers. This helpful feature may also make its way to Android 14.
Currently, the Pixel launcher has a hidden flag that allows users to force themed icons, which has been present since Android 13 QPR Beta 3. This suggests that Google might enable this feature in the future. If enabled, it will contribute to a seamless and intuitive Android experience, ensuring that the icons match the overall theme of the device.
With automatic icon conversion, users won’t have to worry about inconsistent or mismatched icons on their devices. Android 14 aims to enhance the visual cohesiveness of the user interface, making it more polished and pleasing to the eye.
Keep an eye out for this feature in the upcoming Android 14 release, as it has the potential to improve the overall aesthetic and user experience on your Android device.
Conclusion
Android 14 introduces a range of features and improvements that enhance user experience. It offers customization options like LockScreen customizations and Emoji wallpaper pickers, along with privacy enhancements such as Tracker Prevention alerts. Quality of life improvements includes the Photo Picker feature and Notification Flashes. The update brings camera advancements, App Cloning utility, predictive back gestures, and the ability to use Android devices as external cameras. Android 14 promises a seamless and personalized experience, focusing on user customization and functionality.