Google releases first public beta of Android 14

Google’s Android release cycles are pretty predictable these days. Today, after two developer previews , the company has released the first of four planned public betas of Android 14. As with previous versions, the first beta is also the first release that anyone can install, provided they have a supported Pixel device. , starting with the Pixel 4a 5G (but not the Pixel 4 itself).

There are no other smartphones not from Google yet. As always, keep in mind that these are beta releases for a reason, and they are mainly for developers who want to test their apps on the new version and for early adopters who just can’t wait for a stable release. Everything can – and will – break.

For the most part, there aren’t many new features in this beta, although there are two UI updates worth noting. The first is the new back arrow (yes, we’ve reached a point in mobile OS history where new back arrows are about the most exciting thing ever). As Google notes, gesture navigation now “includes a more prominent back arrow when interacting with the app to improve the understanding and usefulness of back gestures.” This arrow will match your wallpaper or device theme. Exciting innovation.

Developers will now also be able to add custom actions to the system sharing table, and sharing itself will intelligently allocate targets.

Other than that, there isn’t much new here. There are language settings for each application, as well as new privacy settings previously announced by Google.

We’ll probably hear a little more about what’s new in Android 14 – and see more features for users – at the Google I/O conference next month.