While smartphone manufacturers are in the middle of launching all sorts of new hardware, Google isn’t slowing down Android development. This week, we got our first glimpse ofAndroid 14, the next version of our favorite mobile operating system set to launch later this year. Developer previews aren’t quite as feature-packed as the beta program scheduled to arrive in April, but it’s an exciting time nonetheless. Really, the only question iswhether you’re jumping in right now, waiting for the first official beta, or if you’re bidding your time until a stable upgrade arrives later this year.
Even if it’searly days for Android 14, we have plenty of breadcrumbs that point to some impressive advancements. Predictive back gestures are finally on their way, providing a usefulandbeautiful view of what awaits you behind a single swipe. Google continues to optimize its operating system for adual SIMandeSIM future, while some new privacy settings for your photo library will let youselect specific imagesas accessible. You’ll even be able to pair Sony’s high-end (and expensive)DualSense Edge controllerfor gaming on the go.
Of course, developer previews are pretty restricted — and with good reason. These are highly unstable builds of Android, so you’ll need to flash a clean build on a supported Pixel phone to join in the fun. If you only have one Android device lying around, you might be better off waiting for the beta program. Not only will it offer an experience that could potentially support your daily driver, but it’ll likely be available on other support platforms outside of Pixel. Living life on the cutting edge isn’t for everyone though, and if you’d rather wait for stable, it won’t take long —Google’s timelinesuggests another August launch is in the cards this year.
So, have you jumped headfirst into this week’s Android 14 developer preview? Or are you waiting for a later version — maybe even a stable build worth running on your phone? If you’re feeling like you’re missing out on some early features, make sure todive into our roundupon everything we’ve spotted in this week’s release.
