It’s that time of year again when Google begins testing the latest version of Android. Yes, Google announces the first developer preview of Android 14. As always, the developer preview already goes live for the Pixel phones. The very early build of Android 14 is seeding with a flurry of refinements, updated security, and other features.
Dave Burke, VP of Engineering, announced the news today in a blog post on the Android Developers Blog. He mentions, “Android 14 continues our work to improve your productivity as developers, along with enhancements to performance, privacy, security, and user customization.”
The newer version of Android – Android 14 is compatible with a big list of Pixel phones including the Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 5, Pixel 5a 5G, and Pixel 4a 5G. Obviously, currently, the upgrade is only available to developers. If you are a developer then you can request the new software. I didn’t recommend installing the early preview builds, instead, let developers examine it first.
Google kicks off the first developer preview build with the UPP1.230113.009 version number. The new software is seeding with February 2023 monthly security patch. According to the rollout timeline, the next iteration of the beta build will be released sometime in April, whereas the platform stability builds are scheduled for June and stable after July or August.
Moving to the changes, then Google is pushing the Android 14 developer preview with battery life and system health improvements, API improvements, better support for big screen devices such as tablets and foldable, improvements in text viewability, and more.
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. Android 14 builds are based on Android 12L and Android 13, with improved tablet and foldable form factor capabilities.
Thanks to the API improvements, users will get a more consistent app experience across devices reducing system usage resources. There are some improvements coming with accessibility and customization features, one is better viewability for users with low vision, Android 14 supports font zooming of up to 200% (which was 130% earlier on Pixel phones). These are some key features and improvements available on the first developer preview of Android 14.
Now if you own a compatible Pixel smartphone and want to try out the Android 14 developer preview, then you can manually sideload the first developer preview on your smartphone. Here’s a detailed guide on how you can download the Android 14 developer preview on your phone.
Before updating your phone, make sure to take a backup of important data and also charge your phone to at least 50%.
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