The influence of Android is unparalleled in the world of operating systems. Globally, it powers over 2.5 billion smartphones, and every year, it receives an upgrade with improvements over the previous version. The first developer preview of Android 14 is now live, bringing with it changes that benefit developers, improve device system health, and offer users more customization options.
This “Developer Preview” is only intended for developers. This is to make sure their apps work on updated devices as they should and test out new features. Bugs will happen, there will be other problems, and Google will be asking developers for feedback. Give Android 14 a shot if you’re not afraid of running into problems. Nevertheless, you may want to wait until Android 14 launches in the second half of the year if you rely on the stability of your smartphone.
Android 14 reaches platform stability with its third beta in June. Developers don’t have to worry about making any further changes to their apps because Android 14 introduces new features and APIs. In July, a fourth beta will arrive, and sometime after that, the stable release will be released. We can likely expect a release in August or September if history is any indication.
New Features in Android 14 :
- To reduce system resource usage, API behaviors have been changed to provide users with a consistent app experience across devices. Additionally, updated guidance helps developers take advantage of multitasking and features unique to large screens in their mobile apps.
- Battery life and battery consumption will be improved through improvements to the internal broadcasting system.
- With Android 14, developers can let users choose their preferred language for individual apps and add support for gender-specific terms of address when addressing users.
- Designed to address low-vision users’ needs, Android 14 boasts an increased font size of 200% (up from 130%) and automatic non-linear font scaling.
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Users will no longer be able to sideload apps targeting Android SDK level 22 or lower on their smartphones starting with Android 14. Due to Android 6.0 Marshmallow’s runtime permission model, some malware or other dangerous applications would target SDK 22 to avoid being subjected to it. The following adb command can still be used by developers and enthusiasts to install older applications.
Android 14 makes the app compatible with any screen size:
Whether it is smartphones, foldables, tablets, or Chromebooks, Google continues to make Android and its app ecosystem compatible with all screen sizes. Optimising Android for big screens started with Android 12L, then was enhanced with Android 13, and things aren’t expected to change with Android 14. Developers are guided to best-practices and new classes designed to make it easier for them to build for different form factors by the company rehashing some of the progress it’s made.
New Predictive Gesture support:
Google’s introduction of gesture navigation in Android 10 completely changed the way many people use their phones. There have only been small tweaks to gesture navigation since then, never a complete reimagining. As Google shared in an Android Dev Summit panel, Android 14 will offer a serious upgrade to gestures with predictive back gestures. New animations will indicate which screen you’ll be navigating to next when you use the back gesture. You can use this within apps as well as on the home screen.
This developer preview update is available for Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7 and Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6 and Pixel 5a 5G, Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a (5G). Android Studio supports 64-bit system images, and GSIs can also be used.
