Smartphone operating system: Android 14 is available for Pixel devices

After a long wait, Google has released Android 14 for current Pixel phones. The operating system was pre-installed on the recently launched Pixel 8 and is being distributed by Google on the Pixel 4A, Pixel 5 and later devices. Later this year, Android 14 will also be available on devices from independent manufacturers such as Samsung, OnePlus, and Nothing.

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Perhaps one of the most exciting new features in Android 14 is Ability to “clone” applications. This allows you to use an app with different profiles on the same device. This is practical, for example, if you want to separate private and professional accounts on social media platforms. The feature can also be used in chat apps.

Many manufacturers already offer such options, and with Android 14 they will be integrated directly into the operating system. However, cloning will not work for every application. The blacklist includes several of Google’s own apps, including Android Auto, Gmail, and YouTube. Therefore it will also not be possible to copy the Chrome browser.

Accessibility and battery life

In addition to cloneable applications, Google primarily makes detailed changes to the user interface. The sliders have a new look and the lock screen can be adjusted more precisely to your specific needs. The “back” gesture preview is meant to make navigation easier and improve accessibility as well. For example, font scaling will be improved: as of Android 14, all text will no longer be enlarged by the same factor, and instead, smaller fonts will grow faster than already large font elements. This is intended to prevent certain items from falling out of the list fields or being cut off due to their size. Android 14 also promises battery life improvements by improving background activities. The broadcast system, which distributes messages in the system, should also work more efficiently in the new version.

Starting with Android version 14 and later, older apps will be locked: This affects apps that were developed for Android versions earlier than version 6 and have not been updated since. Apps already installed on the device that fall into this category will be retained when updating to Android 14, and the blocking only applies to installation of new apps.

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