Android 14: A 10-point guide to Google’s most advanced mobile OS

Here are the top ten features of Android 14, which include a new and customisable lock screen, improved GPU utilisation, latest security measures and privacy measures.

1. 01

   New lock screen customisation options

   Android 14 gets iOS-16 style lock screen customisation options with the ability to add personalised clocks and widgets. Similarly, Android 14 allows users to create custom emoji wallpapers, again a feature that Apple introduced on iOS 16 and they can also add cinematic wallpapers with 3D-like effects. Do note that these features are only coming to Google Pixel smartphones.

2. 02

   Per-app language preference

   Android 14 also allows users to configure per-app language preferences allowing per-app customisation. Similarly, users can also set regional preferences when it comes to parameters like numbers, temperature, and the first day of the week.

3. 03

   App installation experience

   The upgraded OS also introduces a new and improved Google Play Store with an enhanced package installer API to further improve the app installation experience.

4. 04

   Screenshot detection

   Android 14 features a new screenshot detection mechanism with the help of a privacy-preserving API that displays a toast message within the app when a user takes a screenshot. This will be useful on banking and payment apps.

5. 05

   Ultra HDR for images

   According to the Android developer's blog, Android 14 further elevates the camera experience, at least on Pixel smartphones. The latest Android 14 enables smartphones to capture 10-bit compressed still images. With the added ultra HDR support, a phone running on Android 14 can seamlessly interpolate both standard dynamic range and high dynamic range.

6. 06

   New camera extensions

   Android 14 adds support for new camera extensions, allowing phones for extended image processing to produce better images using enhanced camera algorithms like low-light photography. Similarly, Android 14 also adds other camera capabilities like in-sensor zoom, which allows phones to capture lossless pictures by cropping into the sensor.

7. 07

   Lossless audio over USB

   If you are an audiophile, you will definitely love this capability of Android 14, which now enables the transmission of lossless high-bit-rate audio over wired earphones and headphones. This feature will allow the phone to send an audio signal to a wired earphone without processing, mixing, or volume adjustment.

8. 08

   Improved graphics capabilities

   Android 14 allows devices to get the most out of their GPU. This includes custom meshes and fragment shaders, hardware buffer rendering, and it is said to further enhance the tasks like low-latency drawing.

9. 09

   Improved privacy

   Android 14 comes with improved privacy capabilities and claims to offer more privacy to users by data sharing updates, secure full-screen intent notifications, and Android 14 also comes with a new and improved Health Connect app that houses all the health data from various apps in a single dashboard. Currently available for download via Google Play Store, the Health Connect app will come pre-installed on devices running on Android 14 OS.

10. 10

    Updated system UI

    Android 14 gets a slightly improved system UI with features like a predictive back system, material component animations across the UI, and custom in-app animations and transitions.