Android 14, the latest edition of the world’s most popular mobile-operating system, is now available for users of Google’s Pixel range of smartphones and is set to roll out on other devices later this year.
The update, which was originally set to land in August of this year, will give users improvements in a host of areas. Customisable visuals, support for next-generation high-definition images, and new accessibility features are all on the menu.
When’s it coming to my phone?
Unfortunately, information about when Android 14 is set to be available for most non-Pixel phones has yet to surface at the time of writing. This includes almost all of the most popular Android-based smartphones, from Samsung, OneTouch, Motorola, iQOO, Nothing, OnePlus, Oppo, Realme, Sharp, Sony, Tecno, or vivo.
But one smartphone brand that has somehow managed to skip the queue is Chinese tech brand Xiaomi.
According to sources, some Xiaomi 13, 13 Pro, and Xiaomi 12T users are already seeing the update become available, provided they had previously signed up for the beta-testing trial.
However, not all Pixel users are going to be able to run the new operating system. All Pixel phones older than 2020’s Pixel 5 are incompatible, at least at launch, except the 5G version of the Pixel 4a.
Android 14 will be available straight out of the box for buyers of the soon-to-be-released Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.
The latest edition of the Pixel series, set to go on sale on October 12 in the US and UK, is available for pre-order now.
The Pixel 8 will set you back £699 for the 128GB model, and £759 for the 256GB version.
What’s in store for users?
Android 14 will feature numerous new tools to help users customise the visual experience of their smartphones.
Users will now be able to set custom lock screen shortcuts to their most used services, including to their QR reader or their Google Home app.
And rather than simply being stuck with a simple standard out-of-the-box lock screen, users will now be able to access collections of new, curated lock-screen templates with a variety of fonts, widgets, colours and formats, allowing users to customise their style at will.
A less expected feature from Google is the introduction of “generative AI” based wallpapers.
This is the same type of technology which powers ChatGPT and Google Bard and has allowed people to create bizarre images of celebrities in odd situations. Users will be able to capitalise on Google’s AI-generated text-to-image models to make custom wallpapers based on their text inputs.
Photo lovers are also in for a treat — Android 14 now supports viewing Ultra HDR images.
“Ultra HDR” images are a special type of JPEG image which supports ultra-high resolution, though only people with the latest smartphones, such as the newest versions of Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S23 line, will have screens advanced enough to use this feature.
Provided you have a compatible device, Ultra HDR images will have brighter highlights and darker shadows than their conventional counterparts.
Other new additions include the ability to drag and drop images and text between apps in real-time, without copying the data to the clipboard, a functionality iOS users have enjoyed for several years.
Google is also giving users a more nuanced set of features to help take control of how their data is shared.
With the new set of updates, you’ll be notified when an app is sharing location data with third parties, allowing users to make better-informed decisions on whether they choose to allow access.
Android 14 also has a new set of features which could benefit the blind and deaf.
The “Magnifier” feature, which allows low-vision people to zoom in on on-screen objects or text, has been rebuilt to be “more intuitive”, and you’ll be able to prevent it from turning on and off when you switch between apps.
In a similar vein, users will also be able to benefit from something called “nonlinear font scaling”, where larger font sizes will expand at a slower rate than smaller font sizes, potentially making things smoother sailing for the near-sighted.
The new operating system has also introduced support for automatic framing for video calls, allowing users to keep centred during their meetings without constantly re-adjusting their cameras.
Hidden features
Google has continued its longstanding tradition of adding what’s known as “Easter eggs” to its Android updates: secret features which would pass the average user right by without them noticing.
Android 14 users will be able to head to their “About phone” menu and, if they can pull off a precise sequence of taps and holds, access a simple space exploration game hidden from the main menu.
