GOOGLE has begun rolling out Android 14 to supported Pixel devices, with a wider release to other Android devices expected later this year. The new operating system includes a variety of updates that give users more control over their device experience, health and safety, and data.
Android 14’s updated customization picker makes it easier to switch between wallpapers and update what users want to see at a glance. Users can now set custom lock screen shortcuts, like the QR reader or the Google Home app, so they have quick, one-tap access to their most used controls directly from their Android lock screen.
Users can choose from a set of new, curated lock screen templates for fonts, widgets, colors, and formats that best match their style. These options also use AI to adjust the screen based on the situation. For example, if the weather is suddenly taking a turn for the worse, the user’s lock screen weather widget will become more prominent.
For users who prefer a less colorful phone aesthetic that is easy on the eyes, Android 14 also includes a monochromatic theme that looks sleek and beautiful across the entire device.
It also lets users show off their most creative and artistic self with new AI-powered features. Generative AI wallpapers use AI-generated text-to-image diffusion models to help users create wallpapers that match their vision. Users can choose from pre-set suggestions to create never-before-seen wallpapers in just a few taps.
Major improvements to photo and camera quality with Android 14’s support for Ultra HDR images. Ultra HDR helps photos look their best by bringing out vibrant colors, brighter highlights, and darker shadows. Plus, thanks to the great HDR screens available on many of today’s phones, Ultra HDR takes and displays high-definition photos without altering the original quality of the image.
Now also included are new features that give users more control over their health, security, and data. Health Connect is now built into Android 14 settings as a central way to store all health and fitness data in one place and stay in control of privacy. Health Connect securely encrypts data on the user’s phone, which ensures that Google or anyone else cannot see or use it for any other purpose. Users can connect and sync their favorite health and fitness apps to Health Connect to get started.
Android 14 also gives users more visibility into how their data is being used by apps that request access to it. With new data-sharing updates, users will be notified when an app is sharing location data with third parties and can make a more informed decision on whether or not to grant access.
Digital protection on Android 14 also extends to the user’s most sensitive information: their device’s personal identification numbers (PIN). Android 14 enhances PIN security by encouraging users to set a six-digit PIN. After typing in the correct 6-digit or longer PIN, the device will automatically unlock, without the need to hit enter.
The OS comes with many vision-and hearing-inclusive features. For low-vision users, the improved magnifier on Android 14 is more intuitive, with the ability to pinch to zoom in and out from 100%. Users can also change the magnifier size in a new Magnifier Settings panel or customize how much of the screen they’d like magnified. And to prevent the magnifier from turning off when switching from app to app, users can set their magnification to “Keep on when switching apps” in Android’s accessibility settings.
Additionally, Android 14 includes a font size Quick Settings tile, which allows users to quickly and easily change the font size of the text on their device. Android 14 also features nonlinear font scaling, which enlarges larger font size at a slower rate than smaller font size. This prevents text that is already large enough from getting bigger than necessary, so that users can read their screen without text getting cut off, wrapping to multiple lines, or breaking the page layout.
Android 14 also includes new features to improve hearing accessibility. For example, Android 14 has a dedicated hearing-aid setup flow from Accessibility settings, an easy way to route audio to different outputs, and the ability to quickly access hearing aids controls from a shortcut. Android 14 also introduces flash notifications, which give users visual light flashes when they have incoming notifications, for those who may not be able to hear notification sounds, rings, or alerts. — Deriq T. Bernard