During the Made by Google event on Wednesday, Google announced the official release of the stable and final version of Android 14 after months of testing, Google showcased the new features of the latest operating system and highlighted the features introduced in its predecessor, Android 13, launched last year.
Google stated that Android 13 brought features such as Spatial Audio, messaging app broadcasting, cross-device copy and paste, and a new multimedia player, among others.
Now, Android 14 introduces additional features designed to help users customize their device, have more control over their health and safety, and improve accessibility.
Among the new features is enhanced device customization, which includes customization of wallpapers, lock screens, and shortcuts. Google explained that these options use artificial intelligence to adjust the screen based on the user’s preferences, for instance, if the weather suddenly worsens, the weather widget on the lock screen becomes more prominent.
The company also mentioned that the new Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro smartphones will feature AI-generated wallpapers that use language models to turn text into images, helping users create wallpapers that match their vision, users can choose from pre-generated suggestions to create unique wallpapers with just a few clicks.
Android 14 also supports Ultra HDR (Ultra High Dynamic Range) photos and includes Health Connect as a built-in system setting.
Health Connect serves as a centralized way to store all fitness and health data while maintaining user privacy through secure encryption.
To enhance privacy further, Android 14 will send notifications to users when an app requests access to their location, allowing users to decide whether to grant permission to share their location with third parties.
In addition to these features, the new Android version provides improvements for users with visual or hearing impairments, automatic framing in video calls, one-tap access to Google Home controls, performance enhancements, and more.
Google mentioned that Android 14 is rolling out to supported Pixel devices starting today, and it will be available for devices from other manufacturers, including Samsung, OnePlus, Oppo, Realme, Sharp, Sony, Vivo, Xiaomi, Tecno, and Nothing, later in the current year.
It’s worth noting that the Made by Google event also featured announcements of the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro smartphones, the Pixel Watch 2 smartwatch, and other products.
