We eagerly anticipate each update since Android is becoming better and better with each new iteration.
The release of a new version of Android is usually a major event in the tech calendar, whether it brings with it a cosmetic makeover, a ton of new features, or security upgrades in the background.
Here is what we currently know about the next Android 14 generation. At its Google I/O event on May 10, Google unveiled a ton of new features, which we’ve covered in detail below.
When will Android 14 be released?
Despite showcasing new Android features at Google I/O, Google remained mum on the release date of Android 14.
Google releases developer previews at the beginning of every year as a sneak peek at the upcoming Android version. These are beta versions of the next Android upgrade that Google is letting users (including developers) try out on compatible devices in order to find any flaws.
The first public beta of Android 14 is now accessible, following the release of the most recent Android Developer Preview for recently announced Pixel smartphones. Currently, you may register your Pixel phone on the official beta website.
In the upcoming weeks, we anticipate the public beta to undergo a number of release upgrades that will provide adjustments and new features that will enable Google to evaluate the reliability of the platform before to the general release.
Shortly after Google I/O, Oppo and OnePlus announced on May 10 that the Android 14 Beta 1 upgrade is now available for their OnePlus 11 and Oppo Find N2 Flip smartphones.
Google occasionally launches the latest version of Android together with the introduction of its new Pixel phone line, but it also occasionally does it for current devices first.
Although Android 14 hasn’t been given an official release date yet, we anticipate it to debut in Q3 2023 alongside the Pixel 8 series. Google’s releases have been a little sporadic in recent years, although they often occur after the summer. The most recent complete versions were released on these dates:
- Android 13 – August 2022
- Android 12 – October 2021
- Android 11 – September 2020
- Android 10 – September 2019
What will Android 14 be called?
When it comes to naming each version of Android, Google takes a very zany approach. Historically, these were inspired by deserts; however, when Android 10 was released in September 2019, this practice was broken and the firm decided to stick with the number. However, this hasn’t stopped the internal codenames, complete with their sweet meanings, from becoming public. For instance, Google employees have jokingly referred to the numbered Android versions as:
- Android 10 – Quince Tart
- Android 11 – Red Velvet Cake
- Android 12 – Snow Cone
- Android 13 – Tiramisu
Each version, as you can undoubtedly guess, begins with the letter after that in the alphabet, therefore the desert of Android 14 will start with U. Although making a pudding allusion in this letter may seem challenging, 9to5Upside Down Cake is the moniker given to it by Google engineers, according to Google. It’s a bit of a stretch, which is perhaps why the business now prefers version numbers. Google has already completed more than half of the alphabet with Android 14.
What new features will we see in Android 14?
Even though we still don’t know when Android 14 will launch, Google demoed a few new features for Android at Google I/O. Although many of the new improvements are presumably for Android 14, it’s important to note that it’s not yet known whether they will also be included in earlier releases of Android.
AI
Google is big on AI. Artificial intelligence is strongly incorporated into the products of the businesses, starting with its Bard chatbot assistant and continuing all the way to entertaining capabilities already available on Android phones, such the Magic Eraser in Google Photos. Android version 14 is the same.
A cosmetic upgrade will be included in Android 14 (first for Pixel phones), and a few new functions will be available in June. This may be a sign that Android 14 will debut at that time.
By, well, mimicking it, Google has taken a few notes on Apple’s iOS 16 modifications to its lock screen wallpapers. On Pixel phones, you may access several widgets and modify the clock design on the Android lock screen. A new emoji wallpaper selector is also available, and it is pretty similar to what Apple provides.
Additionally, Android 14 will have cinematic wallpapers, which let you choose a photo from your gallery and give it a 3D look when set as your background. This will also be released in June.
New generative AI wallpapers are even more stunning. Once again on Pixel first, you may write a suggestion for AI to create a distinctive image, such as “London in a pop art style,” which will produce a few photos for you to look through and choose from. Google promotes the function as a means to make sure your phone has a completely distinctive appearance.
Google has stated that this won’t arrive until the fall, thus an update will likely be sent after Android 14 has already been released to some devices.
At Google I/O, just these new features were disclosed. From betas and leaks, we already knew what is below.
Privacy-first screen recordings
A great new screen recording capability for Android 14 that may record just one app at a time rather than your entire screen was discovered by ace Android researcher Mishaal Rahman. This means that just the actions you take while the recording is being made in the program you’ve chosen are captured; no screen UI components or notifications are included. See it in his tweet, which is below:
Hands-on: I finally got this fully working, so here's a full demo of Android 14's new partial screen recording feature.
This feature lets you record a single app without any System UI elements or notifications appearing in the video!
(Resulting video in the follow-up reply.) pic.twitter.com/T7cCFJK13N
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) May 19, 2023
New share sheet
When you select share within any app, a pop-up window called the share sheet displays. We appreciate how it appears on iPhones, where frequently used contacts and applications are shown first in a manner that is generally consistent regardless of the app you’re using. Google is correcting the Android share sheet’s historical tendency toward disarray in the Android 14 beta.
The new sheet will allow programmers to include more individualized recommendations, like emailing a link to a frequent contact or sending your Wordle score to the WhatsApp group you’re a member of for Wordle. Hopefully, it will get better at determining your intentions.
If you’ve chosen a number of photographs, you may scroll through a preview to be sure you’re not sending the incorrect item to the wrong person. As the system now sees the share sheet as a single program, Google will apparently be able to change its behavior more regularly. Although it’s a little adjustment, you could use it frequently.
Satellite calls
Hiroshi Lockheimer, Google’s Senior Vice-President for Android, wrote in a tweet from September 2022 that his team was “designing for satellites.”
Wild to think about user experiences for phones that can connect to satellites. When we launched G1 in '08 it was a stretch to get 3G + Wifi working. Now we're designing for satellites. Cool! Excited to support our partners in enabling all of this in the next version of Android!
— Hiroshi Lockheimer (@lockheimer) September 1, 2022
This implies having access to satellite coverage for emergency calls, like we have with the iPhone 14 series. It is unknown if this will work with older phones or if it would only function with newer models, however we lean toward the latter.
Predictive Back Navigation
If you’ve ever been annoyed by hitting the back button or utilizing the swipe gesture to go to a previous page only to discover you’ve actually left the app, Android 14 may be able to help.
Since every program handles the back motion differently, the user may not always be able to rely on a consistent behavior. You will now receive a preview of the home screen before you complete your command, allowing you to decide whether you want to do that or not thanks to the new predictive back navigation. Although it may seem difficult, using it should be easy and prevent you from accidentally closing an app. It appears that time ran out before Android 13 could ship, therefore the feature, which was originally intended for that version, will now make its full debut in Android 14.
Nearby share could be restricted to Google-licensed phones
Not many people will be impacted by this, but Google has announced that Android Beam, the forerunner of Nearby Share, is being withdrawn from the AOSP (Android Open Source Project). Because Nearby transmit depends on Google Mobile Services, manufacturers (like Huawei) who have not agreed to Google’s license terms may no longer be able to wirelessly transmit data over NFC across devices. Although the majority of individuals won’t encounter this, it is important to note.
The majority of Android devices launched in the past year or two should upgrade to Android 14, albeit how soon this happens will depend on how rapidly the manufacturers deploy the changes. The only way to be certain is to see if your device is listed on the manufacturer’s website.
