After rolling out a few iterations over almost a year, Android 14 is finally here and it is huge. The successor to Android 13, Android 14 brings a wave of new features and updates to the predecessor including Generative AI wallpaper, improved magnification, updated data sharing, monochrome Calculator, and countless tiny UI changes and customization options that will make you fall in love with it. Here’s a recap of some of the major changes Android 14 brings on board.
Generative AI Wallpaper
AI makes your phone alive. Coming to Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro first, generative AI wallpapers let you use text-to-image diffusion models to create AI-generated wallpapers. The only catch is your creativity because these wallpapers are also capped by your imagination. You can choose from pre-set suggestions such as a house made of plants with indigo’ and bingo, the wallpapers come to life.
The weather just turned for the worst? Your phone’s lock screen weather widget changes to signal the drastic weather changes.
Go Monochromatic
If going ‘colorful’ doesn’t vibe with you, Android 14 now offers a monochromatic theme that changes everything to minimalistic giving you a refined user experience. You can check out the monochrome calculator that made it through Android 14.
Custom Lock Screen
Android has always been a beacon of customizability and extension of how you can express yourself through your device. Keeping that in mind, Android 14’s Custom Lock Screen offers way a lot of customizability options to choose from. You can change the clock type, font, and color. You can change the clock format to fit your style. You can set custom lock screen shortcuts from Camera to QR reader to Google Home app so that you can access them when the phone is locked.
Enhanced Photo and Camera Quality
Android 14 builds on Android 13’s HDR video support functionality. It now supports HDR images and Ultra HDR that churns out images with vibrant colors, darker shadows, and brighter highlights.
Exercise More Control
Apps on your phone can help you keep your health, fitness, and wellness levels in check, however, the data is usually in silos and unavailable for other apps to use. With Android 14 Health Connect, brings a central repository where all the data regarding fitness, health, and wellness is stored and in control of your privacy. Sync with apps like Peloton, MyFitnessPal, and Oura among others, and voila.
Android 14 just got smarted with updated data sharing. Whenever you grant access to apps such as location, it sends you notifications if that information is being shared with a third party. You can choose whether to grant access or not.
Enhanced PIN
Most Android smartphones have a 4-digit PIN code to lock their phones. Starting Android 14, all users will have to set a six-digit PIN to access the phone instead of a four-digit PIN.
Improved Magnification
To make it easier for vision-impaired users to use their phones, Android 14 has an improved magnifier that lets you pinch, and zoom in and out to view the contents properly. You can change settings on the new Magnifier Settings panel available within the accessibility settings suite.
Font Size
To improve readability on Android 14, Google has introduced a font size tile on Quick Settings that lets you change the font size in a few taps. Make it smaller or larger depending upon your preference. The feature has been designed to avoid getting cut-off text breakage or text wrapping.
Flash Notifications
For hearing-impaired users, Android 14 brings intuitive ways to connect with your hearing aids. Available within the Accessibility Settings suite, the feature lets you sync your hearing aids with the phone to route different outputs. A visual cue for notifications dubbed as ‘Flash notifications’ kicks in to give hearing-impaired users notifications on incoming calls or texts.
Android 14 Release
No doubt Google has officially released the Android 14 today i.e. October 4th. It will start rolling out across Pixel devices starting today itself. By the end of this year, brands like Samsung, Nothing, OnePlus, Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi, Tecno, Sony, iQOO, Sharp, and Realme will roll out their iteration of Android 14 powered by their custom UI in a phased manner to the supported devices. Check out Android 14 page for more details.
