Android 14’s first beta features a again arrow to match your wallpaper

The first beta of Google’s Android 14 OS is offered to obtain immediately, introducing new options targeted on system navigation, privateness, efficiency, and person customization. We already had a good suggestion of what to anticipate due to the first two developer-only previews, however the beta launch is the primary alternative for most of the people to check the modifications.

Gesture navigation has been up to date to incorporate a extra conspicuous Materials You-themed again arrow that adjusts to enhance the gadget’s theme or wallpaper. Other than arguably being extra aesthetically pleasing, the up to date again arrow is designed to assist customers higher perceive Android 14’s predictive again gesture expertise, which now previews the display screen customers are navigating to inside functions.

Android 14 additionally introduces a brand new system share sheet — the web page that opens if you faucet to share content material. This enables builders so as to add customized app-specific actions to the highest of the share menu. Google describes this as a “superior” expertise in comparison with the present Android share sheets by which share targets (the app you’re sharing content material to) are all the time sorted alphabetically. The brand new share sheet additionally makes use of extra app alerts to find out the place the direct share targets that seem towards the highest of the web page ought to rank (although it’s not clear what precisely these alerts are).

This solves just a few points. Beforehand, app builders who needed particular apps to look larger throughout the sharing menu both needed to construct their very own share sheets — which lack visible consistency and stop customers from constructing muscle reminiscence throughout functions — or add customized share targets. Solely two share targets may very well be specified to look larger within the share listing, and Esper.io notes that even Google discourages builders from using the function, as doing so reduces the variety of share targets that may be recommended by the gadget system.

Extra updates within the first Android 14 beta embody new graphical options like morphing results and enhanced language settings that routinely configure functions to assist language preferences on a per-app foundation. Privateness can be being improved by permitting apps to limit the visibility of delicate knowledge to accessibility companies that declare to assist customers with disabilities. These claims will likely be verified by Google Play Shield. Google means that the brand new privateness protections can be utilized to assist stop extra susceptible customers from actions like by chance transferring cash or trying out in a buying app.

If you wish to give Android 14 a whirl earlier than its full launch, you will discover extra info and directions on find out how to obtain the beta on the Android 14 developer website. When you’re already within the Android QPR beta program, then you definitely don’t must do something; the primary Android 14 beta will come your approach routinely.

Correction 4:16PM ET: Google initially supplied info recommending Android 13 QPR beta contributors replace now. Nevertheless, the ultimate weblog publish merely says these units will routinely replace to the Android 14 beta with out customers needing to do something particular.