Google’s Android improvement cycle runs on a quite predictable cadence lately. Right this moment, after two developer previews, the corporate launched the primary of 4 deliberate public beta releases of Android 14. As with earlier variations, the primary beta can be the primary launch that anybody can set up over-the-air, assuming they’ve a supported Pixel machine, going again to the Pixel 4a 5G (however not the Pixel 4).
There’s no official help for non-Google telephones but. As at all times, take into account that these are betas for a motive and nonetheless largely meant for builders who need to check their apps in opposition to this new model and early adopters who simply can’t await the steady launch. Issues can — and can — break.
Picture Credit: Google
For essentially the most half, there aren’t many new options on this beta model, although there are two user-facing UI updates value calling out. The primary is a brand new again arrow (sure — we’ve reached the purpose in cellular OS historical past the place new again arrows are just about essentially the most thrilling factor). As Google notes, the gesture navigation expertise now “features a extra distinguished again arrow whereas interacting with an app to assist enhance again gesture understanding and usefulness.” This arrow will match your wallpaper or machine theme. Thrilling stuff.
Builders will now additionally have the ability to add customized actions to the system sharesheet, and the sharesheet will now be smarter about the way it ranks your sharing targets.
In any other case, there isn’t all that a lot new right here. Per-app language settings are right here, as are Google’s beforehand introduced new privateness settings.
I anticipate we’ll hear a bit extra about what’s new in Android 14 — and see extra user-facing options — at Google I/O subsequent month. For now, although, this seems to be one other evolutionary launch.
Picture Credit: Google
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