Google took the industry by storm with the Google I/O 20233, in which the brand introduced some of the best hardware and software. While on the one hand, we got to see a device like the Google Pixel Fold that will compete clearly with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4; on the other hand, we got to see the introduction of the Android 14 operating system.
This time, Google has tried to focus more on the advancements of privacy and security-related aspects. Not only this, but Google has also worked on making the OS compatible with phones having large screens. In this article, we will further talk about the top 10 features of the Google Android 14 operating system that one should look out for.
Steps to download and install the Android 14 operating system
The first official beta version of the Android 14 OS after releasing two developer previews of the same previously. The previews of the OS were specifically designed for the developers. However, the beta version is for the users too. In our opinion, you should not download and install the Android 14 OS on your primary phone as it still has bugs. Nonetheless, if you want to test the same out of curiosity, then you install it on a secondary smartphone.
One thing which you should keep in mind is at this point in time, the OS can only be installed on Google Pixel 4A 5G and above. And you can only use it if you have enrolled in the Android Beta for Pixel program. If you are not interested in the first few versions of the same, then you can wait for the stable version release of the Android 14 operating system. Without any further ado, here we will list down the best features of Android 14 and what we can get to see.
Top 10 Android features you should be waiting for
1. Notification alert
The Android 14 operating system allows the user to turn the camera flash on as soon as there is an incoming notification. This feature has been in play for a long time in Android smartphones and iPhones as well. However, it is going to happen for the first time that the feature will be a part of the operating system. The feature is specifically created for people who deal with hearing loss. The feature will be pretty useful for people who don’t keep their devices on loud sound profiles.
2. Satellite connectivity
The Satellite connectivity feature of the Android 14 OS is all set to take on the Emergency SOS of Apple. Now, the use cases of Satellite connectivity are still under wraps. However, expectations are that we will get to see improved connectivity in remote areas where there is an absence of a decent network. Apart from that, the features in Android 14 OS will be complemented with the new Snapdragon Satellite, for which you can have a look at the articles linked here.
3. Better sharing
This is something which we can’t deny that the sharing options in the Android ecosystem need improvement without a doubt. With the introduction of the Android 14 operating system, Google is now letting the applications add customized actions to the system share sheets. The application data is being further used in assigning the ranks to the potential share targets. The same will let the users access a more refined share menu that will include applications and contacts one really wants to share the details with.
4. Cloning applications
Cloning of applications is not a new thing for people who are familiar with Parallel Space, which was an Android application used to run two accounts in different applications. Some of the smartphone brands also allowed users to clone the applications in their UI. Now, it is going to happen for the first time when Android will officially get the feature and will help users who have two WhatsApp accounts or anything like that. However, rumours have it that it is one being tested on the internal level as of now. There are chances that the feature will be ditched at the time of the Android 14 OS stable version release.
5. Durable battery life
This is something for which we all crave as users. And it seems like Google has listened to all of us as it is going to work on enhancing the battery capabilities of the device with the Android 14 operating system. With the latest Android OS, Google will work on minimizing power drain by handling background tasks in a highly optimized way.
6. Restricting photo and video access
Until now, Android operating systems have only focused on the muck or nettles policy for allowing applications to access photos and videos in a device. Nonetheless, Google is going to change the same for all good reasons. It is being said that the Android 14 operating system is going to get an option where the user can select the particular photos and videos that the applications can access on a device. A similar kind of feature has already been seen in iOS 14 in the past.
7. Bigger fonts with better scaling
In the Android 14 operating system, the users were allowed to use large fonts up to 130%. Nevertheless, the same is being changed in the latest Android operating system. This time, the Android 14 OS will have the ability to increase the fonts by 200 per cent. In order to avoid distorted layouts, the system uses nonlinear scaling, which means that any text that is already large in size won’t grow in terms of size.
8. Enhanced security
As we said in the intro, Google has focused more on enhancing security with the Android 14 operating system. One of the major highlights of the feature is that Android 14 will not allow users to install any applications from Android 5.1 or earlier. Apart from that, there will be a bit more rigid rules related to the downloading and installing of applications on any device running on Android 14. Most of the applications in Android 14 will be supposed to work on biometric login instead of passwords.
9. Health Connect
In the latest Android version, Google is also bringing the Health Connect application that will allow users to track all activities like sleep, running and others in a single place. The application will let the users store all the fitness and health-related data in a single place and share it with different Android apps. According to the latest reports, the application is still being worked on. Expectations are that it will ship preinstalled on all Android 14-based smartphones.
10. Better large-screen support
With the launch of the Android 14 operating system, Google has provided developers with the ability to develop applications that work perfectly with large-screen phones. The applications will now work better on folding devices and tablets, along with better tools and design features are given to the developers. This has been done to make the Android ecosystem highly efficient in terms of smoother apps working in the case of different-sized devices.
