Hello Android 14: here is the first Developer Preview

Google confirms itself as the absolute point of reference in the smartphone sector, especially with regard to Android devices. Just like last year, the month of February is the one in which we get to know the new generation of the smartphone operating system for the first time: so what welcome Android 14.

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A few hours ago, Google released the first Developer Preview of Android 14. This is the first version for developers, to whom Google is asking for a technical feedback also regarding the behavior of third-party apps. As always we shouldn’t expect the main news for end users from the first Developer Preview, we will see them starting from the public betas.

The first Developer Preview of Android 14 is accompanied by a consistent series of novelties under the hood. In general, we see consistency with the road taken recently by Google, for which Android must increasingly be at the center of the device experience folding and with good customization graphics.

Let’s see in order the news just announced by Google.

Once again Google emphasizes how its operating system is increasingly aimed at the experience (also) on tablets and folding devices. Google claims that Android 14 is the fruit of what we saw with Android 12L And Android 13with a user interface optimized for devices if necessary folding and for those with displays of big dimensions.

This translates to new guidelines for app development considering foldables and large screens. Here comes classes for resizable windows, deeper customization of layouts, and a new SDK centered on the cross device support.

Android 14 is also aimed at optimizing the consume, an aspect that is certainly fundamental for mobile devices. Google has updated the API for process management background. The update introduces a new policy for handling downloads in progress in the background, creating a new path for reduce consumption in case the network is not of good quality.

The optimization of Android 14 also goes through a new policy in data streaming to and from installed apps. The cache and data associated with a specific app will be maintained and managed according to the context of use.

Finally, with Android 14 all apps that are not calendars and clocks will have to prompt the user the authorization specification to set alarm clocks or timers. This always with a view to energy optimization, given that these apps remain running in the foreground if started.

Just like Android 13, Google is also betting on customization also for Android 14. The new release includes the non-linear scaling of the font if you activate the interface zoom from the accessibility menu. The screenshot below shows you a practical example.

With Android 14 comes improvements to support a set of custom languages for each installed app. The new ones are coming too Grammar Inflection APIwith which it will be possible to support the correction and interpretation of texts in languages ​​that require the type masculine and feminine, just like Italian.

Android 14 follows in the same vein as more recent versions of Android on the subject of too privacy and security. Google states that with Andorid 14 it will not be possible to install apps with an SDK lower than the version 23. There is also support for Credential Manager and passkey. You can learn more by reading the deepening on the Android developer site.

As with every first Developer Preview, Google also shows us the release plan of upcoming Android 14 releases. The chart below gives you a overview complete:

Until the end of March there will be Developer Previews, then from April to the end of May public betas will arrive, just as emerged a few weeks ago. The advanced betas will arrive from June to July, which are now ready for stable release. At this rate Google should release the first one stable version of Android 14 ad Augustjust as happened for Android 13, even if this was not explicitly stated.

The first Developer Preview of Android 14 is available at downloads and installation on Pixels supportedi.e. Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7, Pixel 6a, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6, Pixel 5a 5G, Pixel 5 or Pixel 4a (5G). Installation involves downloading the package corresponding to your model and manual installation. Find more details on the download links and instructions of installation a this link.

In parallel with Android 14, we remind you that the beta program QPR of Android 13 Go on. Find more details on how to enter the Android beta in our dedicated guide.