Android 14 Beta 5 removes one of the new lockscreen clocks on Pixel

Ben Schoon | Aug 10 2023 - 11:49 am PT

One of Android 14’s big new features is the ability to customize the clock on your lockscreen, but in the Beta 5 release, Google has removed one of those options.

Android 14 Beta 5 is perhaps the final update before the full release, which Google says is just “weeks” away. As such, there doesn’t really seem to be anything particularly new in this update. Features are largely unchanged and there’s really not much left to wait for.

Really, this is the time where Google just dials in Android 14 before the final launch.

As such, one of those small changes is the choice to remove one of Android 14’s lockscreen clocks. Google first debuted these new clock styles in Beta 3 back in June, with a total of eight options available. Now, that’s down to seven, as Google has removed the handwritten-looking lockscreen clock from the rotation.

Top comment by Vincent Granville

Liked by 6 people

I think it'll be back and we'll also see a UPB5.1 before final release.

It wouldn't be the first time Google has removed something and added it back during the beta phase (Fingerprint Sensor whether accidental or intentional for some devices as an example)

Not much really to report on Beta 5. Most work under the hood I'd imagine.

Also to add that Beta 5 doesn't come with August Google Play System update.

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You can see that clock face below from Beta 3 and Beta 4, respectively.

It’s unclear why this particular clock face has been removed, but it doesn’t really have a major impact. Android 14 still has far more customization to the lockscreen than it ever did before, and this style was a little tough to read depending on the time.

We’re still digging into Android 14 Beta 5 to see everything that’s new, so leave a comment below if you find something we haven’t!

Dylan Roussel and Abner Li contributed to this article.