Android 14: A Glimpse into the Upside Down Cake
Android 14: Upside Down Cake, has some cool new features in terms of Customization, Security, Accessibility and other life saving features. Read more about some new features.
Hello readers👨🏽💻,
Welcome to the latest issue of my newsletter✨,
What’s the name of Android 14?
Recently on October 4th of 2023 Google released the new software version of Android which is Android 14 — Upside Down Cake (This code name was given internally because Google stopped naming the Android versions after desserts from Android 10). Android 14 is the latest iteration of Google’s mobile operating system, and it’s packed with new features that are designed to make your phone more personalized, secure, and accessible.
The Google Pixel 8 and 8 Pro were the first ones to receive and come shipped with the update and all the other Pixels will receive it in about a month. So let’s talk about some exciting new features that were introduced in Android 14.
(Author’s note: There are some of my personal takes and opinions provided).
Personalisation features
Lock screen customization
Android 12 introduced the new Material-You design theming system which was largely confined to the home screen only. Now Android 14 gives you more control over the look and feel of your lock screen. You can now choose from a variety of clock styles, add app shortcuts, and even change the font and colour of the text on your lock screen.
Themed icons
Previously there were a bunch of app icons that did not follow the theming of Material-You icons. Android 14 will now force apps to adopt the theme you’ve chosen for your device. This means that all of your apps will have a consistent look and feel, regardless of whether they’ve been updated to support Android 14 or not.
(Author’s note: Finally we can have a unified, aesthetic look for all app icons).😍
Generative AI wallpapers
Android 14 will come with a new type of wallpaper that uses generative AI to create unique and ever-changing designs. These wallpapers will be able to adapt to your mood and the time of day, providing you with a truly personalized experience.
Security
Improved privacy controls
Android 14 gives you more control over how your data is used. You will be able to see which apps have access to your sensitive information, and you will be able to revoke that access at any time.
Enhanced security features
This update also includes a number of new security features that are designed to protect your device from malware and other threats. These features include a new runtime security module, a more secure implementation of the WebView component, and a new permission model for apps that access your contacts, media etc.
No more installing old apps
Starting from Android 14 Google is going to block all the old apps from being installed onto the device due to security concerns. Google said that these changes affect the apps that support older Android API versions like the Android 5.1 lollipop API. But if you already have some older apps installed and are updating to Android 14 then the apps will not be removed, but this is not the case for devices that come pre-installed with Android 14 out of the box.
Only allow access to select photos
Previously on Android 13 we only had the option to select “Yes” or “No” when asked to access the photos and videos. But in Android 14 we also have another new option to allow access to only a select few photos and videos for that app.
(Author’s note: I think this is going to be a game changer for people who want to give access only to some specific photos).🌚
Data sharing updates
Android 14 introduced a new option where you will receive pop-up notifications when an app changes its privacy policies. Let’s say you install an app on Monday and the next day on Tuesday they change their policies then you will get a pop-up about the details of the changed policies.
Accessibility
Larger fonts and non-linear font scaling
Now Android 14 allows you to scale fonts up to 200% of their original size. This is a major improvement for users with vision impairments.
New hearing devices settings
Android 14 includes a new hearing devices section in the Accessibility settings. This section allows you to fine-tune the audio output of your device to work better with your hearing aids or cochlear implants.
Improved support for braille displays
Android 14 includes a number of improvements for braille displays. These improvements make it easier to use braille displays with Android devices, and they provide braille users with a more seamless experience.
Flash notifications
In Android 14 we have a new accessibility feature to turn on the camera flash and/or display to light up and inform about the incoming notification. We have the option to use the camera flash, light up the display or both.
There are also some other noticeable features that were introduced in Android 14,
Satellite connectivity (rumour only)
Android 14 is rumoured to add support for satellite connectivity, which will allow you to stay connected even when you’re outside of cellular range. This is a very useful feature for people who often go to extreme places while hiking, trekking etc. where there’s no cell phone signal coverage.
(Author’s note: This is still a rumour and not a confirmed fact or feature, so take it with a grain of salt).
Improved battery life
Android 14 includes a number of battery-saving features that are designed to extend the battery life of your device. It brings a variety of changes in an effort to improve battery life. You shouldn’t expect anything massive like Android Marshmallow’s Doze Mode or an extreme battery saver, but these under-the-hood changes should still yield major savings.
Android 14 allows you to see new battery information such as its manufacturing date and cycle count. The info can be found in Settings > About Phone > Battery Information. However, it might not be displayed on all phones.
New Health Connect app
The new Health Connect app collects all the health details from the other health/fitness apps and shows it in the Health Connect app. It can be downloaded from the Google Play Store as of now but after the wide roll-out of Android 14 it will be available to all the supported devices out-of-the-box. All the major apps like Samsung, Fitbit are supported too.
New developer tools
Android 14 includes a number of new developer tools that are designed to make it easier for developers to create great apps for Android. Like window size classes and sliding pane layout so apps can more effectively adapt to different screens.
Finally, Google says it’s offering a preview of its cross-device SDK so developers can more easily build apps that run across different devices and form factors.
Android 14 is a major update that is packed with new features and improvements. If you’re looking for a more personalized, secure, and accessible mobile experience, then Android 14 is the update for you.
Apple also released the iOS 17.1 update to the eligible iPhones. Click on the link to read more about the new features.
So guys these are only some of the major and minor new features introduced with Android 14. Make sure to subscribe to my newsletter to not miss any new updates and they’ll land directly into your inbox. Comment your favourite feature of this update and what new feature you would like to see. And share this with all of your Android user friends so that you will all be informed.
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See you all in the next one. Have a great time!✌🏽
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