The first preview of Android 14 is here, blocks old apps
Google releases a new version of Android every year, with great features and optimizations that eventually land on phones like the Galaxy S23 and Pixel 7. The first preview build of Android 14 is now here, and it has some interesting changes.
Android updates have been on pretty much the same development cycle for a few years now. There are a few developer previews at the start of the year, followed by a beta ready for more people to try, and then the final release in August-October. Google seems to be (roughly) sticking to that this year, as the company plans beta releases starting in April and a final release after July.
Early developer previews usually don't have significant interface changes or wild new features — those usually appear in early betas. In the meantime, Google is adding new APIs for app and game developers to make their software better than ever, with a focus on improving battery life. The update also scales system text to 200%, compared to a maximum of 130% on Google Pixel phones, with a new non-linear font scaling curve.
Android 14 will also block the installation of apps with a target SDK earlier than version 23. This will prevent apps from bypassing the improved permissions model introduced on Android 6.0 in 2015, but has the side effect of preventing installation many old games and applications. . For example, the classic Flappy Bird game targets an SDK level of 15. However, if you still have an old app installed, it won't be removed with the update.
The Android 14 developer preview is available for download on Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7, Pixel 6a, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6, Pixel 5a 5G, Pixel 5, or Pixel 4a ( 5G). Google will also provide an updated image for the Android emulator in Android Studio, as well as generic GSI images for testing on other devices. It is only intended for use by developers at this time, so it can only be installed with a manual download and flash via USB connection.
Source: Google
