Android 14 has already had two developer previews released, and both laid the groundwork for the next generation of Android that will be released this summer. The first developer preview offered customization options and promised longer battery life, while the second improved device system health and gave users more control over their information. This first beta improves stability and introduces some new features.
Beta releases tend to be more stable and are more likely to be suitable for daily use than developer previews. It’s still not recommended for your daily driver, but it’s more likely to be stable and usable than previous developer previews. Give Android 14 a try on your Google Pixel smartphone if you don’t mind a few problems.
Android 14 beta 1 includes the following features:
- System UI: Apps can now add custom actions and shortcuts to the share menu, as well as a more prominent back arrow for navigating multiple apps.
- Transparency of data: Android 14 introduces a new attribute that allows apps to limit the visibility of sensitive data to accessibility services.
- Android Path API updates include interpolation and morphing effects.
- Android 14 Beta 1 introduces a more prominent back arrow to match the wallpaper and theme of the user’s device. Users should also be able to understand what the back gesture does.
- Custom actions can now be added to system share sheets, which should enhance their intuitiveness.
- Vector graphics are created and rendered using the Android Path API. Updates to the API add functionality to interpolate between paths whose structures match exactly, allowing you to query Paths to see what’s inside.
- In Android 14, language preferences can be set per app, and apps can detect the current app’s UI language.
The developer preview update is officially available for the Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7 XL, Pixel 6, Pixel 5 XL, Pixel 5, or Pixel 4a (5G). The 64-bit system images can also be used in Android Studio with the Android Emulator.
