Android 14

Themed icons are a fun addition to Android’s Material You, and, finally, they’re being adopted by more and more Android apps. In Android 14 Beta 3, themed icons get a rework, though whether or not it’s an upgrade is up in the air.

Following the onstage announcement at I/O 2023, customizable lockscreen clocks and shortcuts are live in Android 14 Beta 3 for Pixel phones.

Four weeks after the last release at I/O 2023, Google is rolling out Android 14 Beta 3 for Pixel phones, including the 7a, today.

Android 14 is still in development but chugging along on Pixel phones and select other devices. Behind the scenes, though, Samsung is also working up Android 14, which is expected to be called One UI 6.0, and a recent app update is giving some hints on the company’s progress.

Google’s Android 14 update is, so far, not all that major, but there have been quite a few nice quality-of-life tweaks. One of those is found in drag-and-drop, which in Android 14 will support moving content between apps even if they aren’t open yet.

Google’s Android 14 so far seems a bit light on new features, but it seems there are a few tidbits still hiding beneath the surface. That includes a new tweak to “App Pairs,” which in Android 14 will allow you to “save” a set of apps for use later on.

Predictive Back will be one of the most apparent user-facing changes this fall. As work continues, Google at I/O 2023 shared how some developers, including Chrome, might adopt Predictive Back in Android 14.

Google has yet to share many details about Wear OS 4 as it enters developer preview with only minor tweaks, but one area of improvement will be health with improved golf tracking.

The only mention of Android 14 during the I/O 2023 keynote was how the upcoming OS release adds new lockscreen customization options.

During the I/O 2023 keynote, Google surprisingly did not spend much time talking about Android 14 beyond lockscreen clocks and shortcuts. However, there are still a number of announcements across the various sessions.

Google I/O was pretty quiet regarding Android 14, but a new beta dropped today for Pixel phones. On top of that, OnePlus is now joining in on the fun, with the first Android 14 Beta now available for OnePlus 11.

Joining the absolute fray of Google I/O 2023 announcements today is Android 14 Beta 2 for Pixel.

After the lockscreen clock and shortcut tentpoles was revealed at Google I/O 2023, Android 14 Beta 2 for Pixel phones is rolling out today.

With Beta 2 expected later today, Google at I/O 2023 detailed one big new feature coming with Android 14: lockscreen clocks and shortcuts.

Samsung has been speeding up the cadence of its Android version updates, and this week the first firm evidence of the company’s Android 14 update showed up, quite a bit ahead of schedule.

One complaint that Android app developers (and end users) have are the differing “restrictions on foreground services and background work” across devices. Google is addressing background inconsistencies with Android 14 and will be getting buy-in from Samsung.

Google is getting ready to introduce a bolder, even more colorful version of Material You, allowing you to leave the pastel shades behind once and for all.

Android 14 has launched and is available for a number of Pixel devices. Thanks to the Android 14 QPR builds it is also available as part of the regular Beta program. That means it isn’t quite as smooth as you might have expected. Luckily, you can downgrade from Android 14 back to Android 13 anytime on your phone if you are not having so much fun. Here’s how to get started.

Following the buggy initial release two weeks ago, Google is rolling out Android 14 Beta 1.1 to Pixel phones today.