Android 14 Review: Stunning Interface, Diverse Features, and Improved Battery Efficiency

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After a period of announcement and beta testing, Google has officially released Android 14 on Google Pixel phones with enhancements in interface and features. So, what's new in Android 14? How does Android 14's interface look? What about the improved features? Let's dive into the Android 14 review to answer these questions!

Overview of Android 14 and Experience Devices - Pixel 7 and Pixel 7a

Android 14: Stunning and Flexible Interface, AI-Powered Wallpaper Customization

Android 14 Introduces New Features and Enhanced Battery Efficiency

Android 14 Enhances Security and Privacy

Summary

After a period of announcement and beta testing, Google has officially released Android 14 on Google Pixel phones with enhancements in interface and features. So, what's new in Android 14? How does Android 14's interface look? What about the improved features? Let's dive into the Android 14 review to answer these questions!

Note: This article references content from Android Police.

Explore more: What's New in Android 14: AI-Powered Wallpaper Customization, Find My Device

Overview of Android 14 and Experience Devices - Pixel 7 and Pixel 7a

After announcing Android 14 and allowing users to experience it through beta versions, Google officially released the stable version on October 5th. Compared to previous versions, Android 14 focuses on enhancing the user experience with changes in interface and features.

Android 14's debut primarily focuses on improving the user experience. Source: Android Police.

According to Google's announcement, Android 14 comes with new features and significant improvements such as AI-powered wallpaper customization, Find My Device, ... allowing users to freely personalize the interface and enhance device security. Here is a list of devices supported for early Android 14 updates.

- For Google Pixel devices:

Pixel 4a (5G).
Pixel 5 and 5a.
Pixel 6 and 6 Pro.
Pixel 6a.
Pixel 7 and 7 Pro.

Devices supported for early Android 14 updates. Source: Android.

In this article, the author on AndroidPolice used two phone models, Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7a, to evaluate the Android 14 operating system. Before diving in, let's take a look at some configuration details of Pixel 7 and Pixel 7a, shall we?

- Pixel 7:

Display: 6.3-inch size, AMOLED panel, Full HD+ resolution (1,080 x 2,400 pixels), 90 Hz refresh rate.
CPU: Google Tensor G2.
RAM: 8 GB.
Internal Storage: 128 GB, 256 GB.

Front Camera: 10.8 MP.
Rear Camera: 50 MP + 12 MP.
Battery: 4,355 mAh.

Specifications of Google Pixel 7. Source: Android Police.

- Pixel 7a:

Display: 6.71-inch size, AMOLED panel, Full HD+ resolution (2,400 x 1,080 pixels), 90 Hz refresh rate.
CPU: Google Tensor G2.
RAM: 8 GB.
Internal Storage: 128 GB, 256 GB.
Rear Camera: 64 MP + 13 MP.
Front Camera: 12.2 MP.
Battery: 4,300 mAh.

Specifications of Google Pixel 7a. Source: Android Police.

Without keeping you waiting, let's dive into Android Police's reviews of Android 14 to learn more about the features and improvements that Google has implemented in this operating system!

Android 14: Stunning and Flexible Interface, AI-Powered Wallpaper Customization

In Android 14, Google has introduced the wallpaper customization feature to enhance the personal experience. Users can access this feature by long-pressing an empty space on the home screen, similar to One UI or iOS. According to the Android Police author, instead of merging all lock screen and home screen customizations into one place, the new interface designs of Android 14 clearly separate lock screen and home screen customizations, allowing users to freely unleash their creativity.

Android 14 undergoes interface upgrades with customizable options. Source: Android Police.

For the lock screen interface, Android 14 offers eight different clock styles and nine different color backgrounds, providing users with more choices to customize the clock to their liking. Moreover, the software allows users to use emojis or utilize AI to create wallpapers using suggested phrases with various themes.

Android 14 enables the use of emojis or AI to personalize wallpapers. Source: Android Police.

Additionally, some minor details such as status icons in the screen corners have been altered in Android 14. According to the Android Police author, quick glance icons at the top right corner are displayed in a single row by default, making this area simpler and tidier than before.

Android 14 Introduces New Features and Enhanced Battery Efficiency

As mentioned at the beginning of the article, Android 14, owned by Google, brings many notable feature upgrades. Let's briefly explore some standout features.

- Preview Actions

In addition to interface and visual improvements, Android 14 is equipped with standout features that enhance user interaction. First is the Preview Actions, allowing users to preview multitasking windows and decide if it's the app they want to use next. The mechanism is straightforward, swiping in from the left edge of the screen reveals other multitasking app windows, and quick access is possible by lifting the finger.

Preview Actions feature on Android 14 (from minute 2:35 to minute 3:01). Source: Android Authority.

While convenient for access, the Android 14 Preview Actions feature is currently available only for default built-in apps. For third-party apps, we might need to wait for developers to make aesthetic adjustments for a more elegant and smooth experience.

- Health Connect App:

In Android 14, the Health Connect health tracking platform has been upgraded by Google into a pre-installed standalone app. This enables all types of fitness and sports tracking apps like Fitbit to synchronize data and easily share with other services. Health Connect operates locally on your phone and doesn't require sending your data through any additional servers, making it theoretically a very private and secure option.

The Health Connect app on Android 14 facilitates flexible health information management. Source: Android Police.

Previously, the adoption of Health Connect was not widespread as it was an app to be downloaded from the Google Play store. Transforming Health Connect into a pre-installed default app allows developers and users to use it more flexibly and consistently.

- Improved Background App Management for Battery Savings:

Compared to current smartphone operating systems, Android is very accommodating to background apps. However, this brings a significant drawback—potentially allowing malicious apps to run in the background, consuming battery rapidly. Google has taken measures against unauthorized background activities of apps containing malicious code, permitting only specific types of tasks or when you've been using another app for an extended period to optimize power consumption.

Android 14 optimizes the management of background apps to enhance battery savings. Source: Android Police.

On Android 14, the system will only run background tasks with the highest priority, ensuring apps don't use excessive energy when running in the background. Additionally, Google has integrated a warning feature to detect abnormal apps early, requiring user permission for the system to run accurate warnings. Some apps are exempted from these restrictions, including Calendar, Alarm, Reminders, as they typically use fewer hardware resources and have minimal impact on device battery and performance.

Android 14 Enhances Security and Privacy

For Android 14, Google has tightened the management of downloading apps outside of Google Play and other official app stores by restricting the installation of older app versions. Specifically, many new security features have been deployed since Android 6, and numerous malicious apps exploit vulnerabilities in outdated APIs, making it easy for users to install these apps from unofficial sources. This change in Android 14 aims to protect users from risks posed by viruses and malicious code.

Android 14 has tightened the management of installing apps outside the Google Play store. Source: Android Police.

Additionally, Android 14 provides privacy controls for accessing the gallery, actively preventing apps from reading saved images to secure important personal information.

Android 14 offers privacy controls for accessing apps' photos and videos. Source: Android Police.

In principle, when users access a new app, the system will display a permission dialog with three levels: 'Allow access to all photos,' 'Choose photos,' or 'Deny,' similar to how the iOS operating system currently operates.

Summary

Overall, Android 14 is an operating system focusing on improving existing 'materials' inherited from previous versions. While not introducing many significant new features, Android 14's features demonstrate Google's genuine concern for personalizing the user experience, avoiding the monotony seen in previous versions of Android. Simultaneously, the security upgrades in Android 14 represent Google's firm commitment to preventing information risks posed by current widespread malicious code on the internet.

The upgrades in Android 14 enhance personalization in the user experience. Source: Android Police.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the significant new features introduced in Android 14?

Android 14 introduces several significant new features, including AI-powered wallpaper customization, enhanced Find My Device functionality, and the new Health Connect app. These features aim to improve personalization, device security, and health tracking capabilities.

How does Android 14 enhance user experience with its interface?

Android 14 enhances user experience by offering a flexible interface with separate customization options for the lock screen and home screen. Users can now personalize their experience with various clock styles, color backgrounds, and AI-generated wallpapers.

Does Android 14 improve battery efficiency compared to previous versions?

Yes, Android 14 improves battery efficiency by optimizing background app management. It restricts unnecessary background activity and prioritizes high-priority tasks, helping to conserve battery life while running apps.

What changes have been made to app security in Android 14?

Android 14 enhances app security by tightening restrictions on downloading apps from unofficial sources. It also includes improved privacy controls that prevent apps from accessing photos without user permission, protecting sensitive personal information.

Is the Health Connect app available by default in Android 14?

Yes, the Health Connect app is now pre-installed in Android 14. This change allows users to manage health and fitness data more effectively, facilitating seamless synchronization with various fitness tracking apps.

What improvements are included in the multitasking features of Android 14?

Android 14 introduces the Preview Actions feature, which allows users to preview multitasking windows by swiping from the screen's edge. This feature enhances user interaction by providing a quick view of other apps before switching between them.