Google releases first beta of Android 14 for Pixel 5 and newer

Google has released Beta 1 of Android 14. This beta version is aimed at developers and early adopters, and can be installed on Pixel 5 phones and newer. The new Android version includes clearer gesture navigation and a better sharing menu.

The new back arrow in Android 14

Android 14 gets a new back arrow that should indicate more clearly which gesture the user can do and what this finger movement does. In Android 14, the back arrow has the same color as the background or theme of the smartphone. Another UI improvement has to do with the share menu, which users see when they want to share something to an external app. Developers can now better indicate which apps or actions should appear here. Previously, the sorting in this sub-screen was automatic, although developers could choose two apps or actions to appear at the top. In Android 14, developers can add more options to this.

Google speaks further about new morphing effects within the interface and automatic support of different languages ​​within apps. Android apps have long followed the smartphone’s system language, meaning that an Android smartphone with English as the system language always had English-language apps. Google has been trying to deviate from this for a few years and is increasingly allowing apps to deviate from the smartphone’s system language more often and more easily.

App developers will also have the option to shield certain user information from accessibility services to prevent misuse. For example, apps can choose to make it more difficult or impossible for accessibility services to access plain text passwords, or actions such as purchasing products or transferring money.

The company also says it will better support tablets and foldables, and talks about improvements in the areas of privacy, security and performance. With the release of Beta 1, smartphone makers and app developers can test their products on Android 14 and changes within this operating system. There will be beta releases until June, after which Platform Stability versions will be released. The stable version of Android 14 will only be available after July.