Google Releases Android 14 Developer Preview 1: What’s New?

Once again, it is that time of the year: Google has just released the first developer preview of Android 14. The long journey of this preview build all the way to a stable release in the latter half of the year commences now, and it will power all the major phones releasing in 2023 and 2024.

Android 14 does not bring sweeping changes to the way Android looks like Android 12. Still, it does bring some quality-of-life improvements such as better battery life, enhanced support for foldable smartphones, security improvements, and nifty features to improve the user experience and make the OS more mature.

Android 14: Potential Release Date, Supported Devices

Google has released a release timeline outlining the company's plans for the full development of Android 14. There are two developer previews, the first of which was released in February, and the beta releases will begin sometime in April, which users can download by choosing to opt-in. Google plans to achieve platform stability in June 2023, and judging by the timeline of Android 13, which released its stable version in August last year, Android 14 may follow suit.

Coming to the devices that get to taste the first developer preview of Android 14, Google's own Pixel devices are the first in line to grab the newest version. Here are the Pixel devices that can install Android 14:

• Pixel 7 and 7 Pro
• Pixel 6 and 6 Pro
• Pixel 6a
• Pixel 5 and 5a 5G
• Pixel 4a (5G)

Unfortunately, the Pixel 4a (non-5G version) has been axed from its software support cycle. The phone will turn three in August, and since Google promises three years of OS upgrades, Android 13 was the last version update for the phone.

For the rest of the devices, the developer previews are restricted to Google's phones, but they can join the party when the platform reaches the beta stage, as seen in the past years. Companies such as OnePlus, Nokia, Xiaomi, Asus, and Oppo could enroll in the beta and test Android 14 on their respective devices.

The age-old waiting game for the latest version of Android will begin once beta testing is completed and the stable update is released sometime in August. Some manufacturers, such as Samsung, are fairly quick to release updates, whereas others, such as Motorola and Xiaomi, may take their sweet time.

What's New in Android 14?

Since this is the first developer preview, things are bound to change, and these additions may or may not make it to the stable version of the OS. Nonetheless, there are a few exciting features and improvements introduced in this version.

Support for Larger Fonts

If the maximum font size of the OS wasn't large enough for you, Android 14 introduces even larger font sizes that can now scale up to 200%, up from 130% in Android 13. In addition, Google says it will use non-linear font scaling so that text that is already large will not be enlarged any further. Consider a heading: the heading will not be increased in size because it is already large enough, but the paragraph below it will.

Ancient Apps Will Be Blocked

Android 14 will prevent the installation of very old apps to combat malware, which frequently targets older API levels that do not adhere to modern and improved security protocols. This significant change has been covered in a separate article.

Better Support for Foldables

Android 12L was the first version in a long time that was specifically designed for large-screen devices like tablets and foldables. Given the dire state of Android tablets, Google wants to change that, so it's building on the foundation of Android 12L and 13 with developer-focused additions like window size classes and sliding pane layouts so apps can more effectively adapt to different screens.

Battery Improvements

Android 14 includes a few battery-related changes. There are some under-the-hood changes, such as API tweaks to improve efficiency for tasks like background activities and downloading large files, as well as improvements to the platform's internal broadcasting system.

Android 14: Rumored Features

These features haven't been officially mentioned in Google's Android 14 Developer Preview changelog. But given the code hints and prior confirmation of some of the features below, these additions could be added in a later preview, beta, or stable version of Android.

Satellite Connectivity

In September 2022, Hiroshi Lockheimer, SVP at Google Platforms and Ecosystems, tweeted that the company will include satellite connectivity in the next version of Android. Because Android 14 is the most recent version, we may see advancements in this feature in the coming months as Google works on the next version of Android.

Support for Cloned Apps

Some manufacturers, such as Samsung, Vivo, and Realme, have an app cloning feature that allows you to clone an app and sign into it with two different accounts. There is evidence that Google is working on this feature for Android 14.

Native app cloning will be a godsend for those who want to have multiple accounts signed into the same app without having to buy a new phone that supports the aforementioned feature.

As Google builds upon Android 14, more features and improvements are expected. We'll be sure to cover some of the most intriguing changes and features that Google introduces as the next version of Android is developed and released.