Android 14 - What's New in the First Developer Preview?

Every year we get to see new versions of mobile operating systems whether it’s from Google or from Apple. Google introduces the next version of Android, as it does every year at the start of the year. The operating system is now in the developer preview level, which means that Android 14 development is only getting started.

Yes, Google’s new operating system, Android 14 has officially been announced. This means that new features will bring additional privacy and security enhancements, making the operating system faster, smoother, and easier to use for everyone out there.

When people ask you why you pick up a Pixel device, well there are a lot of perks to owning one. One reason is that you get access to the latest Android versions out there. With Android 14, you get to experience the new operating system on compatible Google Pixel devices, this year’s benchmark starts from the Pixel 4a 5G and newer models.

Android 14 developer preview brings a flurry of new features, refinements, and upgraded security. If you want to know the complete list of changes, then you are at the right place. Let’s explore, what’s new in Android 14.

What’s New in Android 14

Android 14 is set to come out with a ton of new features that will hence the user experience on your mobile device. With the Developer Preview to Android 14 already available, let’s take a look at the new features of this freshly announced operating system.

Do note that not all of these features might make it to the final stable build which is set to be released in late August or early September of this year.

Guest Account Settings on Android 14

Guest Accounts have been on Android for a long time. However, with Android 14, you now adjust settings related to the Guest Account. You can now allow or deny the guest to make phone calls and send text messages. Enabling the feature will share your call history with the guest account.

Android 14 developer preview features — IMG Source: Mishaal Rahman

Fast-Pair Makes A Comeback

With Fast Pair in Android 14, users can now easily and quickly pair and connect with nearby Bluetooth speakers, headsets, and other devices that will be supporting fast pair this year. With Fast Pri enabled, you don’t have to dig into the Bluetooth menu to search and connect to the Bluetooth device.

NFC Settings Under Developer Options

With a lot of Android devices coming with NFC, Androdi 14 now allows you to capture more detailed logs from NFC tags provided the option is enabled in the Developer Mode. For this feature to work, you will have to reboot your device to see detailed logs via NFC.

New Warnings When Installing Older Apps

Since sideloading is a relatively simple task on Android devices, it’s always easy to install older versions of apps that are no longer updated or available on the Play Store. So, now when you begin to install older apps, Android 14 will now display a warning that will say your app may or may not work properly and can be a security risk for your device.

This time, if you install apps that are not made for Android 8 and above, the warnings will start to appear. Also, Android 14 will now no longer let you install apps that were last updated for Android 5 In case you plan to sideload apps last updated for Android 5, you will have to install the apps on Android devices running Android 13 or older.

Improved Gestures

Navigating on Android has become simple and easy thanks to gestures. Now, on Android 14 while swiping back to the previous screen, your device will now display a preview of the screen that you will be going back to. This is a cool feature that also brings in new in-app transitions for you to enjoy.

Reduced Access to Gallery App

Android 13 brought in the Photo Picker app which let you pick or select photos in your Gallery from a specific folder. Android 14 will now force all apps to make use of the Phto Picker feature thus preventing apps to get access to the whole gallery on your Android device.

Improved Battery Life

Android 14 developer preview lands with some major battery life improvements. To improve battery life on Android 14, Google made several optimizations to Foreground services, JobScheduler, and the internal broadcast system to improve battery life and responsiveness.

Better Battery Info

The battery usage screen in Android 14 will now let you see the screen time info right below the battery usage graph. This makes it easier for you to see important battery information. Also, the battery percentage used by different apps will now be under a drop-down menu. You also get to choose between a Basic Battery Saver and an Extreme Battery Saver mode.

In-App Cloning

With Android 14, the days are numbered for the apps that let you clone a number of apps. This is because Android 14 will now let you clone an app right away without you having to install any third-party cloning app. You can now use two instances of the same app without the need for a third-party app.

Lock Financed Phones

Creditors and Stores will now be able to lock your Android device remotely if the dues for the phone have not been paid for the month. This helps to ensure that people don’t get away with a phone for not paying the amount needed to be paid to the creditors.

Other Features in Android 14 Developer Preview

Root Certificates can be updated via the Google Play Store
New Root Certificates have been added while older ones have been removed.
Secondary Users on your Android phone will now be given admin privileges.
Easily add hearing Devices with a new Settings page for such devices.
Easily view apps installed in the background via the Settings page.
Advanced Memory Toggle to help protect devices from bugs that cause security risks.
Easily view Sorce Codes for Pxiel devices via the Settings- About Phone page.

You can head over to this thread created by Mishaal Rahman for more details about these features.

In terms of customization, we don’t see anything much. This is expected as the OS is currently in the Developer Preview stages. However, once the OS enters beta 1, you can expect to see a slew of new features, privacy settings as well as customization options.

Pixel users can easily take advantage of the Developer Preview of Android 14 by installing it. Other Android users will have to wait for some time until the GSI versions are made available or the OEMs begin to participate in the beta testing of Android 14.

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Android 14 – What’s New in the First Developer Preview?