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Android 14 beta program is a step closer after Google's actions

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By Alan Friedman

Updated: Mar 09, 2023, 9:37 PM

Android 14 beta program is a step closer after Google's actions

Google is right on time and with today's release of Android 14 Developer Preview 2, the next Android 14-related software issued by the search giant (due next month) will kick-off the beta program for the next Android build. To be clear, today's release by Google is for Android developers only so that they can make any changes to their apps necessary to make sure they work with Android 14.

Android 14 Developer Preview 2, per Android Police, includes a few changes. For example, when an app is asking for permission to access a photo or video stored on the device, the user will be asked via a pop-up whether he/she will allow the app to access all photos being stored, select photos, or whether to deny access to any photos. To improve battery life, apps are restricted in what they can do in the background. This could give Android users a little more time between outlet hunts.

Photo picker pop-up in Android 14 DP2

Android 14 Developer Preview 2 will allow users to sign into apps and websites with password alternatives such as a passkey. And notifications that are non-dismissible by the user will be limited. Notifications that are "important to device functionality, like system and device policy notifications" will still be prevented from getting swiped away by the user. But outside of those notifications, device owners should be able to dismiss all others.

The update also adds an option that allows travelers to choose between seeing temperatures appear in apps in Celsius or Fahrenheit. Users will also be able to adjust which day is considered to be the first of the week and the numerical system to be used in certain regions. This way, Android device owners can avoid having to make these changes on an app-by-app basis. On Android 14 DP1, this feature required the enabling of a flag but should be ready to go in DP2.

In Android 14DP2, a new page allows users to set certain regional preferences

Android 14 Developer Preview 2 is available for the following Pixel models: Pixel 4a (5G), Pixel 5, Pixel 5a, Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, and Pixel 7 Pro. But the average smartphone user (Apple calls him Johnny Appleseed but we call such a Pixel user Peter Pixel) should avoid this and might even consider skipping the first few Android 14 beta releases. That's because the Developer Preview versions of Android 14 are not made for the consumer. And the beta versions, at least the early versions, are unstable.

You might want to wait for Platform Stability before installing an Android 14 beta.This occurs when all developer APIs and underlying system behaviors have been finalized and could take place by June. At Platform Stability, developers assume that there will be no more changes impacting their apps although there is no guarantee that installing the Android 14 beta with Platform Stability won't cause any issues once installed on your Pixel phone.

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Alan, an ardent smartphone enthusiast and a veteran writer at PhoneArena since 2009, has witnessed and chronicled the transformative years of mobile technology. Owning iconic phones from the original iPhone to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, he has seen smartphones evolve into a global phenomenon. Beyond smartphones, Alan has covered the emergence of tablets, smartwatches, and smart speakers.

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