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A new generation of Pixel phones is hitting the market, and they have the latest version of Android 14 available. I’ve been testing the latest version of Google’s mobile OS since the first beta build came out, and so far, the experience has been pretty good.
Surprisingly, Android 14 doesn’t attempt to re-invent the wheel in terms of user-facing changes. The UI looks very similar to Android 13, and there aren’t many changes that qualify as a necessary reimagining of the phone experience. But there are some updates that make it worth the brief “wow” trip of the annual OS upgrade.
Android 14 has a cool trick for your computer
At the top of the Android 14 improvement list is the ability to use your phone as a webcam. I absolutely love the convenience. The whole process takes less than a minute, and all you need is a USB cable and a few clicks to turn your phone into a high-resolution webcam for video meetings.
The entire setup pipeline is glitch-free. You can set resolution output based on bandwidth, zoom in or out without losing too much detail, and switch between lenses with a single tap. The only effort you need to add on your part is to find a stand or clip-on accessory to host your phone.
Tasty Customization Options
I also enjoy the new home screen and lock screen customization options introduced by Android 14. There are new clock styles to choose from, and you can easily check how they fit in with a particular theme by swiping against an existing preset.
You can change the color and size of the clock style and even see a live preview of how the adjustments look side-by-side on the lock screen and home screen. I particularly like the new monochrome theme option, which extends to the UI of pre-installed apps.
The theme implications run deeper than subtlety. Depending on the color profile you choose, the back pointing arrow may appear in a contrasting color tone that is easy to identify and breaks the monotony. The same goes for system-level apps like Settings, Phone, Calculator, and others.
Android 14 also lets you adjust the two lock screen shortcut buttons placed in either corner along the bottom edge. You can choose from frequently used tools like quick-launch for the camera, flashlight, code scanner, and smart home controls connected to the Google Home app. Like iPhones, you have to long press these shortcuts instead of a single tap.
Another thing to consider is that you can access the customization dashboard directly from the lock screen. Of course, you’ll need to get past the authentication wall before you can get fully creative with UI customization. Google is also making access to app shortcuts easier this time.
Now, when you long press on an app’s icon, system-level app actions (info, pause, etc.) sit in the top cluster, while in-app activities, like launching a new tab in Chrome, sit in the bottom. The decks of the ship sit in clusters. If you’re a fan of turning your LED flash into a notification alert, Android 14 has you covered with that too.
However convenient it is, Android 14 also extends courtesy to your phone’s main display. Simply choose a color, and the next time a notification comes, the screen will light up in that particular color. This isn’t ideal for those who get easily distracted, but I’m glad it’s at least an option for the disciplined humans among us.
Great accessibility update
Android 14 also emphasizes accessibility. These features aren’t as deep as what you get with iOS 17, but they’re certainly well implemented. The magnifier system lets you pinch and zoom to any area of the screen, but you can choose whether you want that type of control or keep it simple with full-screen magnification.
It certainly comes in handy that you can choose between an on-screen digital shortcut, a volume button press, or a triple tap on-screen gesture to bring up the magnifier. There is also a dedicated dashboard for hearing aids that provides a direct path for quick pairing with hearing aid devices.
To further ease access to the target audience, Google has also created a shortcut route that can be triggered by using the volume buttons or continuously tapping the on-screen shortcut.
In terms of security, Android 14 adopts Health Connect at the system level, which means it receives updates directly through the Play Store. It keeps all your health data in one place. Apart from in-house tools like Google Fit and Fitbit, it also plays nice with all the major third-party ecosystems like Peloton, Whoop, and others.
The best thing about the system is that it offers a wide level of control. For example, if an app collects data from six biosensors, but you only want to save heart rate data, you can disable the rest using a series of dedicated toggles. Plus, whenever a health app shares your data, a notification provides a detailed description.
A solid start that leads to saving more for the future
There are also some other changes that you won’t see on the phone. Android 14 puts a special emphasis on how apps scale on larger-screen devices like tablets and foldable phones. Of course, you can force portrait-first apps into full-screen tablet mode. For example, Instagram looks acceptable in landscape view.
After playing with Android 14 for a few weeks, I’ve come to the conclusion that it doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel. Instead, the focus is on small, but thoughtful improvements. Interestingly, Android 14 seems surprisingly polished for a fresh update fresh out of the development kitchen. Transitions feel more seamless, and animations look more polished.
I’ll happily take this subtle refinement over an update that’s heavy on features, but makes for a stuttering mess. Notably, it appears that Google has saved the best of Android 14 for the coming months with feature drops. Sadly, most of those futuristic AI-powered tricks will be limited to the Pixel 8 range due to hardware limitations.
Still, if you have a phone that gets the Android 14 update, it’s worth downloading. It’s not a revolutionary update from Google, but there’s a lot of good stuff in it – and I think you’ll be quite happy with it.
