ndroid 14, the most recent version of the world’s hottest mobile-operating system, is now obtainable for customers of Google’s Pixel vary of smartphones and is about to roll out on different units later this 12 months.
The replace, which was initially set to land in August of this 12 months, will give customers enhancements in a bunch of areas. Customisable visuals, assist for next-generation high-definition photos, and new accessibility options are all on the menu.
When’s it coming to my cellphone?
Sadly, details about when Android 14 is about to be obtainable for many non-Pixel telephones has but to floor on the time of writing. This contains nearly the entire hottest Android-based smartphones, from Samsung, OneTouch, Motorola, iQOO, Nothing, OnePlus, Oppo, Realme, Sharp, Sony, Tecno, or vivo.
However one smartphone model that has in some way managed to skip the queue is Chinese language tech model Xiaomi.
Based on sources, some Xiaomi 13, 13 Professional, and Xiaomi 12T customers are already seeing the replace grow to be obtainable, supplied that they had beforehand signed up for the beta-testing trial.
Nevertheless, not all Pixel customers are going to have the ability to run the brand new working system. All Pixel telephones older than 2020’s Pixel 5 are incompatible, not less than at launch, besides the 5G model of the Pixel 4a.
Android 14 will probably be obtainable straight out of the field for patrons of the soon-to-be-released Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Professional.
The newest version of the Pixel sequence, set to go on sale on October 12 within the US and UK, is offered for pre-order now.
The Pixel 8 will set you again £699 for the 128GB mannequin, and £759 for the 256GB model.
What’s in retailer for customers?
Android 14 will function quite a few new instruments to assist customers customise the visible expertise of their smartphones.
Customers will now have the ability to set customized lock display screen shortcuts to their most used providers, together with to their QR reader or their Google Residence app.
And somewhat than merely being caught with a easy normal out-of-the-box lock display screen, customers will now have the ability to entry collections of latest, curated lock-screen templates with quite a lot of fonts, widgets, colors and codecs, permitting customers to customize their model at will.
A much less anticipated function from Google is the introduction of “generative AI” based mostly wallpapers.
This is similar kind of expertise which powers ChatGPT and Google Bard and has allowed folks to create weird photos of celebrities in odd conditions. Customers will have the ability to capitalise on Google’s AI-generated text-to-image fashions to make customized wallpapers based mostly on their textual content inputs.
Photograph lovers are additionally in for a deal with — Android 14 now helps viewing Extremely HDR photos.
“Extremely HDR” photos are a particular kind of JPEG picture which helps ultra-high decision, although solely folks with the most recent smartphones, comparable to the latest variations of Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S23 line, may have screens superior sufficient to make use of this function.
Offered you’ve got a appropriate machine, Extremely HDR photos may have brighter highlights and darker shadows than their typical counterparts.
Different new additions embody the power to pull and drop photos and textual content between apps in real-time, with out copying the info to the clipboard, a performance iOS customers have loved for a number of years.
Google can also be giving customers a extra nuanced set of options to assist take management of how their information is shared.
With the brand new set of updates, you’ll be notified when an app is sharing location information with third events, permitting customers to make better-informed selections on whether or not they select to permit entry.
Android 14 additionally has a brand new set of options which may gain advantage the blind and deaf.
The “Magnifier” function, which permits low-vision folks to zoom in on on-screen objects or textual content, has been rebuilt to be “extra intuitive”, and also you’ll have the ability to forestall it from turning on and off once you change between apps.
In an analogous vein, customers will even have the ability to profit from one thing known as “nonlinear font scaling”, the place bigger font sizes will develop at a slower charge than smaller font sizes, probably making issues smoother crusing for the near-sighted.
The brand new working system has additionally launched assist for automated framing for video calls, permitting customers to maintain centred throughout their conferences with out always re-adjusting their cameras.
Hidden options
Google has continued its longstanding custom of including what’s often called “Easter eggs” to its Android updates: secret options which might go the common person proper by with out them noticing.
Android 14 customers will have the ability to head to their “About cellphone” menu and, if they will pull off a exact sequence of faucets and holds, entry a easy area exploration recreation hidden from the principle menu.
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