Android 12 was a huge step in a new direction for Google’s mobile OS. Not only did Google overhaul Android’s look with its twelfth annual update, but it also redesigned many of its core functions. Since this significant update, Google has been on a spree to polish up the rough edges and include the features it missed. So it’s no surprise that, like Android 13, the latest Android 14 update is an incremental package with several under-the-hood fixes and a couple of much-needed additions.
Android 14, now available in beta for a handful of Pixel phones, doesn’t house many new features most people would care about, and if you were expecting at least a few major user-facing changes after a tepid Android 13 release, you’re in for a disappointment. Above all else, Android 14 appears to accelerate the groundwork Google’s been laying for some time, including improvements to the password-less sign-in experience, and software for large-screen devices like the company’s upcoming Pixel Tablet.
