With every new year we get a new version of Android, and this year it’s Android 14’s turn. So you can expect a major update for your phone, with new features and potentially a new look when Android 14 – or Android Upside Down Cake, as it comes, comes out. calls.
We probably have some time to wait until it formally arrives, but the OS update has already been announced and its developer preview is now available. We anticipate that public betas will likely launch soon, and with them we’ll likely learn a lot more about what lies ahead.
Below you’ll find details on when Android 14 may launch in both Beta and Finish, along with all the other Android 14 information so far; both rumored and confirmed. As soon as we hear anything new, we’ll add it to this article as well, so check back soon for updates.
To the point
- What is this? The next version of Android
- when is it coming out? Probably August or September
- How much does it cost? It will be a free update
Android 14 release date
Android 14 was announced by Google on February 8, 2023, and the first Developer Preview was launched on the same day, and the second Developer Preview is also here as it came out in early March. These are early – and possibly unstable – betas designed specifically for developers, but public betas are on their way too.
Google has revealed the rollout timeline for Android 14, with the first public beta expected to land in April, so we suggest trying it at the earliest, and even then you should be prepared for bugs and unfinished features.
The final beta is slated for July and the actual finished release has yet to be given a timeline, but August or September seems likely as there is unlikely to be a big gap between the final beta and the finished release.
Additionally, August and September have been the most common months for new Android releases in recent years – although Android 12 didn’t launch until October of the year it was released.
Another important date to look out for is May 10, as that’s when the Google IO 2023 developer conference is scheduled. We’ll likely see one of the betas there, and new features will likely be announced during this event.
Android 14 phones supported
If you’ve been using Android for a while, you know this isn’t iOS, where every phone made in the last five years gets a new version on day one. On Android, support is much more unstable, with many phones waiting months to receive a customized update.
That said, if you have the latest Google Pixel phone, you will definitely get the update and probably on day one.
The Pixel 7 series, Pixel 6 series (including Pixel 6a), Pixel 5 series and Pixel 4a 5G all support the Android 14 preview, so you can almost count on them to get it ready. Older pixels, however, do not.
Other than that, most other phones that have come out in the last year will get it, as well as many phones that are several years old, as will some older phones.
Many Samsung phones are eligible for four years of OS updates, but this rule only applies to the latest phones that would have gotten Android 14 anyway; devices such as Samsung Galaxy S23 series, Samsung Galaxy S22 series, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4.
Other recent high-profile phones such as the OnePlus 11, OnePlus 10 Pro, Sony Xperia 1 IV and Xiaomi 12 will of course also receive Android 14. But so will most niche smartphones as long as they are the latest models. Again, however, many of these phones will not receive the first day update.
Android 14 beta
There are no public betas of Android 14 yet, which means if you’re not a developer you really should wait.
There’s a developer preview though, so if you’re a developer – or feel comfortable installing some really early firmware on your phone – you can try Android 14 right now as long as you have a Google Pixel phone with the Pixel 4a 5G on.
This is not a normal download and again we do not recommend doing this. But if you want to try Android 14 right now, you can head to Android developer website (opens in a new tab) get it.
Android 14 features
We don’t know everything about Android 14 yet, as the initial Developer Preview doesn’t include all the features, but based on this preview, along with some leaks, we’re aware of a few key things. Below you will find the most important expected features.
Satellite communication
The iPhone 14 series supports emergency satellite communication when there is no cellular signal, and Google is building support for this feature directly into Android 14, so it may soon be commonplace on Android phones as well.
Of course, Android phone manufacturers will still have to decide to support this feature and equip their phones with the necessary hardware, but the native software support may make them more willing to do so.
Load safely from the side
To protect people from downloading malicious apps, Android 14 will stop users from downloading apps that target older versions of Android.
Apps in the Google Play store already have to be designed for fairly recent versions of Android, but nowadays there is nothing stopping users from visiting third-party stores or websites and downloading apps built for even the earliest versions of Android.
It’s not safe because hackers can create apps that target vulnerabilities in earlier versions of the OS, so with Android 14, wherever you download apps, you should be a little more secure against these vulnerabilities.
Proper handling of the access key
Android 14 seems to come with full support for passkeys, which could mean the days of passwords are numbered.
Passkeys are a more secure alternative to passwords and work via sets of encryption keys. While support for access keys is already available in Android, currently keys must be stored in Google’s own password manager system, while in Android 14, third-party password managers such as Dashlane and LastPass will be able to store keys, so you don’t need to be tied to your own Google security.
Regional preferences
One more feature is being tested for Android 14 – as noted XDA Developers (opens in a new tab) – is the ability to set preferred temperature units, first day of the week, calendar type and number system, which will then be used in all applications.
Health Connect
Health Connect lets you sync your data across health and fitness apps and devices, so you can see all that data in one place. This is not a new application, but – as noted XDA Developers (opens in a new tab) – on Android 14, it seems to be integrated into the platform rather than a separate app that you need to download.
Application cloning
One feature Google is testing for Android 14 – by XDA developers (opens in a new tab) – is known as “cloned apps” and allows you to create a second instance of an app so you can be logged into two different accounts at the same time for apps that don’t natively support multiple accounts.
We’ve seen this kind of feature from some phone makers before, but this is the first time it’s part of stock Android.
Font scaling
The first Developer Preview of Android 14 includes font scaling up to 200% to help low vision users. It’s also cleverly designed as it uses a non-linear scaling curve, meaning that while the smallest elements can grow 200%, already large text won’t grow the same amount, so it won’t become impractically large.
View apps installed in the background
Your phone is likely to contain more than just the apps you have installed on it. There will also be pre-installed apps, many of which could be considered bloatware.
Even worse, manufacturers and carriers sometimes add apps to your phone at a later date without your consent or knowledge, and of course viruses and the like can also add apps to your phone without your knowledge.
They are described as apps installed in the background, and with Android 14, XDA developers found (opens in a new tab) that you will be able to list all of them so you can stay up to date.
Emoji wallpaper
If you’re a Pixel user, it looks like Android 14 will let you create a wallpaper for your phone using a combination of up to 14 different emojis to choose from, along with a selection of patterns and colors. You can see some examples of this from the XDA developers above.
Automatic confirmation of PIN codes
A small feature noticed like many others by XDA developers (opens in a new tab)this time in the second version of Android 14 Developer Preview, is the ability to automatically confirm the correct PIN codes.
This means that when you enter the last digit of your PIN, it will automatically be accepted instead of pressing “OK” or “Confirm” or the like. This feature only works with PINs of at least six digits.