Android 14: Key features you should know of Google's new mobile OS

Recently, Google unveiled the new Android 14 and offered a developer preview for public testers.

. It comes with a good set of new features, customisation options, and even user privacy controls too.

. Here are key features you should know about Google's latest Android 14: Improvements to Material You UI theme: Earlier, Android used to offer customisation only for the home screen in terms of widgets and clocks. Now, with Android 14, Google will offer more personalisation features in the lock screen and make it more visually pleasing.

. Custom emoji wallpapers and AI wallpaper: Many would have seen the AI memes of Google I/O 2023. If you didn't keep count, the executives including CEO Sundar Pichai, apparently said AI more than 150 times during the keynote presentation. And, yes, it is bringing generative AI tech to Android phones and helping users create their own emoji-based wallpapers.

. Also, select phones with better hardware, will be able to support Generative AI wallpaper. Users can ask phones to create wallpaper and based on Google’s text-to-image diffusion model, the device will generate unique wallpapers for the user to choose from.

. With the Material You feature, the colour palette of the Android system will automatically match the wallpaper selected by the user.

. Initially, it will be made available to the new Pixel (8 series) in late October and expanded to other select phones a little later in the year.

. Add to that, Google is bringing Cinematic wallpaper. It uses on-device machine learning networks that can transform photos into stunning 3D images. It will come to life when the user unlocks the screen or tilt the device.

. Must read | Google expands access to generative AI bot Bard in more regions

. Magic Compose in Messages app: Here too, Google will be incorporating generative AI tech into the messages. The Magic Compose can offer relevant responses based on the context of the messages, and even transform what the user writes into different styles. This way, users can type messages more concisely and professionally.

. User privacy: Google will be upgrading the Find My Device in the coming months to support a wider range of devices such as headphones, tablets, and other products other than phones.

. Google and Apple, earlier in the year, in a joint statement said that they will bring new standards to block unwanted tracking of people using Bluetooth-based smart tags. It is expected to be introduced later this year. For Android phones, Android 14 will bring this feature into effect.

. Once updated, the Android phone will display unknown tracker alerts and will tell the user if an unrecognized tracking tag is moving with him/her, and help them locate it.

. Integrated Health app: with Android 14, Google plans to make it an integrated app. It will be core apps of Android such as Google Maps, and Google Search we see on all Android phones. Health Connect will be a one-stop hub for third-party apps to sync all health data such as calories burned, heart rate, respiratory rate, SpO2 (blood-oxygen saturation), and more health details.

. Satellite connectivity support: Though, Google has not announced satellite connectivity in Android 14, Hiroshi Lockheimer, senior vice president, Google (Android, Chrome, Chrome OS, Play, Photos) in September 2022, did confirm that the company plans to partner with OEMs to bring such high-altitude connectivity to Android phones in late 2023.

. Must read | Google I/0 2023: Pixel Fold, Tablet and more unveiled

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Android 14: Key features you should know of Google's new mobile OS

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