Android 14

Last updated

Android 14
Version of the Android operating system
Android 14 Logo.svg
Developer Google
OS family Android
Source model Open-source software
General
availability
October 4, 2023;7 months ago (2023-10-04)
Latest release 14.0.0_r37 (AP1A.240505.005.B1) [1] / May 7, 2024;6 days ago (2024-05-07)
Kernel type Monolithic (Linux)
Preceded by Android 13
Succeeded by Android 15
Official website www.android.com/android-14/
Support status
Supported

Android 14 is the fourteenth major release and the 21st version of Android, the mobile operating system developed by the Open Handset Alliance led by Google. It was released to the public and the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) on October 4, 2023. The first devices to ship with Android 14 are the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.

Contents

History

Android 14's Developer Preview logo Android 14 Developer Preview logo.svg
Android 14's Developer Preview logo

Android 14 (internally codenamed Upside Down Cake [2] ), was announced on February 8, 2023. A developer preview was released immediately, [3] as well as a roadmap with the dates of updates. [4] This contained another developer preview, which was published on March 8, [5] as well as four monthly beta versions. The first beta was released on April 12, which received a hotfix to Beta 1.1 on April 26. [6] [7] The second beta was released on May 10, which also received a hotfix to Beta 2.1 on May 25. [4] The third beta version was released on June 7, now reaching platform stability, [8] which later received a hotfix to Beta 3.1 on June 14. The fourth beta version was released on July 11. [9] Android 14 had 1 year, 1 month, 2 weeks and 5 days between Android 13's Aug 15 2022 release, surpassing the Android 9 - 10 duration of 1 year and 4 weeks.

The beta versions are available for Pixel devices that are guaranteed Android version updates, the Pixel 4a (5G) or newer devices. Pixel 7a can also beta test Android 14 since Beta 3. [10] The Pixel Tablet and Pixel Fold have been able to beta test Android 14 since Beta 4.

Features

User experience

Building on the new option added in Android 13 to set languages individually for apps, this feature has been expanded and is easier to implement for developers. Furthermore, a new "Grammatical Inflection API" has been added to gender users according to their preferred grammatical gender. [11] [12]

Android 14 will provide the ability to increase the font size up to 200% compared to 130% in previous versions, combined with nonlinear font scaling to prevent large text elements on screen from scaling too large. [11] It is now possible to specify the temperature unit (Fahrenheit, Celsius, or Kelvin) [13] which should be used in applications. [14]

The Material You design language, introduced in Android 12 and supplemented in Android 13, gets revised default colors in Android 14. [15] Android 14 also introduces additional lock screen customization options, such as multiple clock and weather styles. [16]

For devices with a larger screen, such as tablets, the taskbar is expanded in Android 14 and now shows the names of the pinned apps. [15] [17]

Android 14 allows a phone to be configured as a webcam when plugged into a computer or another Android device. [18]

Android 14 adds support for the new image format Ultra HDR, to take and display high dynamic range photos with HDR compatible cameras and displays. The Ultra HDR format is backwards compatible with JPEG on standard dynamic range displays. [19] [20]

Google rewrote parts of Android's Settings app to use its Jetpack Compose framework in Android 14. [21]

Battery life

Android system processes are more efficient, which provides battery life improvements. [12] In addition, there is now the option to choose directly between battery-saver mode and extreme battery-saver mode. [15]

The screen time since the last full charge is now displayed in the battery settings. The battery consumption is shown separately from system and user applications. This feature was replaced with the launch of Android 12 by showing battery usage over the past 24 hours. [15] [22]

Privacy and security

Android 14 blocks the installation of apps that target versions of Android below Marshmallow (6.0). The change is intended to curb the spread of malware, which intentionally targets old versions of Android to bypass security restrictions introduced in newer versions. An Android Debug Bridge (ADB) install flag has been added to bypass the restriction. [23] [24]

In order to improve privacy, the user can select which images an application may access, using a photo picker. [14]

There is also a small change for guest mode or multiuser mode, where the "Allow guest to use phone" option has been moved to the top level menu. Previously, this option was behind the guest account itself.

Health Connect

Incorporating Health Connect as one of the new features of Android 14, users can now access it through the all-new Pixel's settings menu. Health Connect collaborates with apps like Fitbit, Samsung Health, and Google Fit. [25]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Android 13</span> Thirteenth major version of the Android mobile operating system

Android 13 is the thirteenth major release and the 20th version of Android, the mobile operating system developed by the Open Handset Alliance led by Google. It was released to the public and the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) on August 15, 2022. The first devices to ship with Android 13 were the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Android 15</span> Fifteenth major version of the Android mobile operating system family

Android 15 is an upcoming major release of the Android mobile operating system. With the release of the first developer preview in February 2024 and a release of the first beta in April 2024, Google expects to reach platform stability in June 2024 with a final release expected in Q3 2024.

The version history of the Android mobile operating system began with the public release of its first beta on November 5, 2007. The first commercial version, Android 1.0, was released on September 23, 2008. The operating system is developed by Google on a yearly cycle since at least 2011. New major releases are announced at Google I/O along with its first public beta to supported Google Pixel devices. The stable version is then released later in the year.

Google Pixel is a brand of portable consumer electronic devices developed by Google that run either ChromeOS or the Android operating system. The main line of Pixel products consist of Android-powered smartphones, which have been produced since October 2016 as the replacement of the older Nexus, and of which the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro are the current models. The Pixel brand also includes laptop and tablet computers, as well as several accessories, and was originally introduced in February 2013 with the Chromebook Pixel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Android Lollipop</span> Fifth major version of the Android operating system

Android Lollipop is the fifth major version of the Android mobile operating system developed by Google and the 12th version of Android, spanning versions between 5.0 and 5.1.1. Unveiled on June 25, 2014 at the Google I/O 2014 conference, it became available through official over-the-air (OTA) updates on November 12, 2014, for select devices that run distributions of Android serviced by Google. Its source code was made available on November 3, 2014. The first phone with Android Lollipop was the Nexus 6.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pixel Camera</span> Camera application developed by Google for Pixel devices

Pixel Camera, formerly Google Camera, is a camera phone application developed by Google for the Android operating system. Development for the application began in 2011 at the Google X research incubator led by Marc Levoy, which was developing image fusion technology for Google Glass. It was publicly released for Android 4.4+ on the Google Play on April 16, 2014. It was initially supported on all devices running Android 4.4 KitKat and higher, but became only officially supported on Google Pixel devices in the following years. The app was renamed Pixel Camera in October 2023, with the launch of the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.

Android Marshmallow is the sixth major version of the Android operating system developed by Google, being the successor to Android Lollipop. It was announced at Google I/O on May 28, 2015, and released the same day as a beta, before being officially released on September 29, 2015. It was succeeded by Android Nougat on August 22, 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Android Nougat</span> Seventh major version of the Android operating system

Android Nougat is the seventh major version and 14th original version of the Android operating system. First released as an alpha test version on March 9, 2016, it was officially released on August 22, 2016, with Nexus devices being the first to receive the update. The LG V20 was the first smartphone released with Nougat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Android Oreo</span> Eighth major version of the Android mobile operating system

Android Oreo is the eighth major release and the 15th version of the Android mobile operating system. It was initially unveiled as an alpha quality developer preview in March 2017 and later made available to the public, on August 21, 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Android Pie</span> Ninth major version of the Android mobile operating system

Android Pie, also known as Android 9 is the ninth major release and the 16th version of the Android mobile operating system. It was first released as a developer preview on March 7, 2018, and was released publicly on August 6, 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Android 10</span> Tenth major version of the Android mobile operating system

Android 10 is the tenth major release and the 17th version of the Android mobile operating system. It was first released as a developer preview on March 13, 2019, and was released publicly on September 3, 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GrapheneOS</span> Android-based mobile operating system

GrapheneOS is an Android-based, open source, privacy and security-focused mobile operating system for selected Google Pixel devices, including smartphones, tablets and foldables that is recommended by Edward Snowden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Android 11</span> Eleventh major version of the Android mobile operating system

Android 11 is the eleventh major release and 18th version of Android, the mobile operating system developed by the Open Handset Alliance led by Google. It was released on September 8, 2020. The first phone launched in Europe with Android 11 was the Vivo X51 5G and after its full stable release, the first phone in the world which came with Android 11 was Google Pixel 5.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pixel 4a</span> 2020 Android smartphone designed by Google

The Pixel 4a and Pixel 4a (5G) are a pair of Android smartphones designed, developed, and marketed by Google as part of the Google Pixel product line. They collectively serve as mid-range variants of the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. The Pixel 4a was announced on August 3, 2020 via a press release, while the Pixel 4a (5G) was announced on September 30, 2020 at the "Launch Night In" event.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pixel 5</span> Android smartphone model developed by Google

The Pixel 5 is an Android smartphone designed, developed, and marketed by Google as part of the Google Pixel product line. It serves as the successor to the Pixel 4. It was officially announced on September 30, 2020 at the "Launch Night In" event alongside the Pixel 4a (5G) and released in the United States on October 29. It is the first flagship smartphone in the Pixel lineup not to feature an XL version. On October 19, 2021, it was succeeded by the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Android 12</span> Twelfth major version of the Android mobile operating system

Android 12 is the twelfth major release and 19th version of Android, the mobile operating system developed by the Open Handset Alliance led by Google. The first beta was released on May 18, 2021. Android 12 was released publicly on October 4, 2021, through Android Open Source Project (AOSP) and was released to supported Google Pixel devices on October 19, 2021. As of April 2024, it is the oldest Android version still supported.

The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are a pair of Android smartphones designed, developed, and marketed by Google as part of the Google Pixel product line. They collectively serve as the successor to the Pixel 5. The phones were first previewed in August 2021, confirming reports that they would be powered by a custom system-on-chip named Google Tensor. The cameras are housed in a horizontal bar on the back, while the front features a hole-punch display notch in the center. They shipped with Android 12, with Google announcing numerous artificial intelligence and ambient computing features during the phones' launch event.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pixel Watch</span> 2022 smartwatch developed by Google

The Pixel Watch is a Wear OS smartwatch designed, developed, and marketed by Google as part of the Google Pixel product line. First previewed in May 2022 during the Google I/O keynote, it features a round dome-shaped display as well as deep integration with Fitbit, which Google acquired in 2021. Two Pixel-branded smartwatches had been in development at Google by July 2016, but were canceled ahead of their release due to hardware chief Rick Osterloh's concerns that they did not fit well with other Pixel devices. Development on a new Pixel-branded watch began shortly after Google's acquisition of Fitbit.

The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are a pair of Android smartphones designed, developed, and marketed by Google as part of the Google Pixel product line. They serve as the successor to the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, respectively. The phones were first previewed in May 2022, during the Google I/O keynote. They are powered by the second-generation Google Tensor chip, and feature a design similar to that of the Pixel 6 series. They shipped with Android 13.

References

  1. "android-14.0.0_r37". Git at Google.
  2. Friedman, Alan (April 23, 2022). "Google reveals one interesting bit of information about 2023's Android 14". Phone Arena. Archived from the original on July 29, 2022. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
  3. "Android 14 Preview". Android Developer. February 8, 2023. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  4. 1 2 "Timeline, milestones, and updates". Android Developer. February 8, 2023. Archived from the original on February 8, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  5. "Android 14 DP2 Flash Notifications". 9to5Google . March 8, 2023. Archived from the original on March 8, 2023. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  6. Dave Burke (April 12, 2023). "Android 14 Beta 1". Android Developers Blog. Archived from the original on April 12, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  7. "Android 14 Release Notes". Android Developers Blog. April 26, 2023. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  8. Burke, Dave (June 7, 2023). "Android 14 Beta 3 and Platform Stability". Android Developers Blog. Archived from the original on September 23, 2023. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  9. "Android 14 Beta 4". Android Developers Blog. Archived from the original on September 23, 2023. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
  10. "Factory images for Google Pixel". Android. February 8, 2023. Archived from the original on November 18, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  11. 1 2 "Features and APIs Overview". Android. February 8, 2023. Archived from the original on February 9, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  12. 1 2 Cosmos (February 8, 2023). "Android 14 First Developer Preview Available Now". Archived from the original on February 9, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  13. "LocalePreferences.TemperatureUnit". Android for Developers. Archived from the original on October 5, 2023. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
  14. 1 2 Dave Burke (March 8, 2023). "Android 14 Developer Preview 2". Android Developers Blog. Archived from the original on March 8, 2023. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  15. 1 2 3 4 9to5Google (February 9, 2023). "Android 14 Developer Preview 1: Top new features!". YouTube. Archived from the original on February 11, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  16. Thomas, Dallas (June 7, 2023). "Android 14's new lock screen customization is live in Beta 3". Android Police. Archived from the original on September 29, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  17. Jens (February 9, 2023). "Android 14: These are the most important innovations in the first developer preview of the new operating system". GoogelWatchBlog (in German). Archived from the original on February 12, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  18. Amadeo, Ron (September 22, 2023). "Android phones get PC webcam capabilities in the latest beta". Ars Technica . Archived from the original on November 7, 2023. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  19. "Android 14: More customization, control and accessibility features". Google. October 4, 2023. Archived from the original on December 20, 2023. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  20. "Ultra HDR Image Format v1.0". Android Developers. Archived from the original on December 13, 2023. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  21. Bradshaw, Kyle (February 14, 2023). "Google is gradually rewriting Android's Settings app with Jetpack Compose". 9to5Google . Archived from the original on April 20, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
  22. Aashish Singh (November 3, 2021). "Android 12 ditched last full charge battery usage stats, shows past 24hrs". PiunikaWeb. Archived from the original on February 12, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  23. Bradshaw, Kyle (January 24, 2023). "Android 14 set to block certain outdated apps from being installed". 9to5Google . Archived from the original on October 29, 2023. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
  24. Fingas, Jon (January 24, 2023). "Android 14 can block users from sideloading very old apps". Engadget. Archived from the original on September 23, 2023. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
  25. Sharma, Nutan. "6 Best exciting and new features of Android 14". The Writing Paradigm. Archived from the original on November 8, 2023. Retrieved October 11, 2023.