Depending on the device, this issue can result in the primary user being unable to access media storage. Alternatively, the issue can reboot the device with a “Factory data reset” message. If this message is accepted, data that is not backed up can be lost, and if it is declined, the device repeatedly reboots with the “Pixel is starting” message.
Google starts by saying that this storage issue impacts the “Pixel 6 and later models” that “have both received the Android 14 update and have multiple users (other than the primary user) set up.” This includes “users, guests, restricted profiles, and child users,” but not simply having more than one Google Account signed in “within the primary user or work profiles.”
The company has already rolled out a Google Play system update to “help prevent this issue from being triggered on additional devices.” To install, open Settings > Security & privacy > System & update > Google Play system update. The latest version we’re seeing today is October 1, 2023.
For those currently “unable to access media storage,” Google is working on a system update that “will repair the issue and restore access to media files without requiring a factory reset.”
Google is also “investigating methods that may be able to recover some data” for devices in a “Pixel is starting” boot loop. However, this seems more tentative: “We’ll provide more information as soon as it is available.”
For all other users, including those that factory reset their device, Google says to avoid “creating or logging into a secondary user on the device until the OTA update is available.”
Google ends with an apology:
We’re sorry for the inconvenience this has caused, and we appreciate your patience.
Android 14 breaks storage on Pixel 6 phones with multiple user profiles
Android 14 is a solid update to Google’s smartphone OS, but the update does seem to be causing some significant issues regarding user profiles on Pixel 6 series devices.
Following the update to Android 14 that rolled out earlier this month, some Google Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, and Pixel 6a owners are seeing some considerable issues with their devices, specifically around storage becoming unusable. A growing number of users across Google’sforums, Reddit, and elsewhere reporting that their Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro devices are drastically hindered, to the point of breaking most tasks users would perform on their devices.
The storage problem takes effect if the user, before installing Android 14, had multiple profiles on the device.
Following the installation of Android 14, the main profile on a Pixel 6 series device seems to lose access to storage, which prevents users from taking photos or videos, downloading files, and both installing or uninstalling applications. However, on the second profile, things seem to work as expected.
Other limitations include that apps report the device as having no available storage, Google Photos can’t refresh a user’s library (only showing low-quality previews), and files can’t be accessed via USB from a connected PC, as one of our readers explained in an email.
Given that Android’s user profiles are more of a niche feature on smartphones (primarily used for personal and work profiles), this issue doesn’t appear excessively widespread, but the symptoms of the problem are affecting users pretty consistently.
Google has, so far, not offered any solution for this issue or public statement.
Exactly two weeks after the previous release, Android 14 QPR1 Beta 2.1 is rolling out today with a handful of bug fixes, but the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro aren’t getting updated right away.
There are just three fixes for Pixel devices, which are getting U1B2.230922.010 today with the October 2023 security patch:
Fixed issues with biometric authentication, such as an issue that sometimes prevented the under-display fingerprint sensor from activating while always-on display features were enabled.
Fixed an issue where, in some cases after swapping SIM cards on a device, the device couldn’t connect to cellular service.
Fixed various issues that were impacting system stability and performance.
Google says the “Pixel 8 and 8 Pro will receive this update at a later time.” The initial Beta 2 update rolled out a week ago.
The OTA and factory images are now available, while the on-device OTA is also rolling out immediately (66MB on the Pixel Fold and 7 Pro).
Google wants every Android version to be ‘higher quality than the previous release’
Dave Burke, VP of Engineering for Android, was interviewed during The Android Show today and shared a lot of interesting tidbits, especially around quality and performance.
In the context of Android releases, Burke considers quality the “number one feature” given how much we use our phones:
If you think about how much we depend on our devices and how much we use them [in] a day, it’s just really important that the device runs really, really well. Really, really reliably. The highest performance, highest fidelity.
The Android team has a “pledge” internally to “ensure that every release was higher quality than the previous release by a set of expanding metrics that we measure in the lab and in the field.”
We’ve been holding ourselves to that. It’s difficult, I can tell you, because you’re only as good as the weakest metric. So you’ve got to chase everything down, but it’s really causing us to force the bar higher and higher.
Burke described one way the team is doing that:
Even internally, we’re looking at actually changing some of our developer practices in 2024 where rather than sort of go[ing] off for a year and work[ing] on a release for a very long time, we break that up into chunks internally so that we sort of keep the branch green as we go.
From the description we have today, this just seems to be an internal change rather than anything that would impact the yearly cycle.
On Android 14, Burke highlighted expression (gen AI wallpapers, lockscreen clocks, and shortcuts) and performance as the big tentpoles. Burke said the team “may not have talked enough” about performance. (Frankly, Google should have discussed it on-stage at I/O in May.)
We’ve done a ton of work to reduce CPU activity of background apps, and the result is that there’s 30% less cold starts now on Android 14. Cold starts are when you have to literally read the code pages off the flash and read them into memory before you execute them. A 30% reduction is pretty dramatic, and you feel that as a user.
This involved increasing the number of cached processes, but doing so risks increased CPU usage and, therefore, battery drain. Android 14 does a better job of properly freezing the processes.
Burke also mentioned how large-screen-related work, like the transient taskbar, was originally part of Android 14 but moved up into Android 13 (QPR2) as Google worked to be more competitive in the space and to support foldables.
Following this morning’s announcement, Android 14 is now rolling out to the following Pixel devices: 4a 5G, 5, 5a, 6, 6 Pro, 6a, 7, 7 Pro, 7a, Tablet, and Fold.
There are 26 security issues resolved in the Android 14 October patch dated 2023-10-01, 26 for 2023-10-05, and one for 2023-10-06. Vulnerabilities range from high to critical. The dedicated bulletin for Google devices has 28 additional security fixes.
Google’s first preview of Android 14 QPR1 is now available and we are diving into the Beta 1 release to find what new features have been introduced.
Over the coming hours, we’ll dive into all of Android 14 QPR1 Beta 1’s new features and every single change. (The newest updates will be at the top of this list. Be sure to check back often and tell us what you find in the comments below.) Android 14 Beta 5.3 screenshots appear on the left and QPR1 Beta 1 at the right.
Google should release two more betas before the Pixel launch in December. If you want to quickly install the Android 14 QPR1 Beta 1 on your compatible Pixel 5a, Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7a, Pixel Tablet, and Pixel Fold.
Audio Device Type in Bluetooth settings
Toast message on Screen saver
On Android 13, the “Fingerprint not recognized” message appears on the lockscreen. It shows up as a message bubble in 14 QPR1.
<string name=”repair_mode_summary”>Secure environment for device repair</string>
More distinctive Quick Settings background
New particle effect when changing wallpapers
Pixel Launcher Search preferences
Tweaked settings toggles
New “Suggestions before searching” preference
Shortcut to settings at the bottom of Pixel Launcher search
Settings > About phone > Battery information
New Metro clock
Large screen user per-app overrides
Settings > Apps > Aspect ratio
Options include: App default, Full screen, Half screen, 16:9
“Device original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) apply overrides to selected apps on specific large screen devices. Android 14 QPR1 introduces user overrides, which enable users to apply overrides to apps through device settings.”
In a repeat of the schedule from two years ago, Google looks to be rolling out Android 14 on the same day as the Pixel 8 launch event.
According to Telus, “Android U” has an “Approx date” of Wednesday, October 4. The Canadian carrier says this update is coming to the Google Pixel 7a, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7, Pixel 6a, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6, Pixel 5, Pixel 4a (5G), and Pixel 4a.
Everything about the last device on that list is correct. The Pixel 4a is no longer getting OS updates and was never eligible for the Android 14 Beta. The carrier says “All dates are approximate and subject to change,” and that to “Please note posted dates reflect when the update is targeted for release but can take a few weeks to roll out to all devices.”
This Software Update Schedule list was updated on September 29.
Many expected the upcoming OS to hit stable in early September. Instead, Google looks to be rolling out Android 14 on the same day it unveils the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro. The last time this happened was with Android 12 and the Pixel 6. That update with a Material You overhaul warranted the later release. From what we have today, Android 14 is not that big of a release and doesn’t feature major changes.
Announcing new phones and software on the same day is somewhat overwhelming from a news perspective, but does give existing owners something to immediately experience.
Android 14 Beta 5.3 was the last preview on September 6 before Google started testing Android 14 QPR1. Even though the stable release is not out yet, Google has to start testing the next Quarterly Platform Release in order to hit a December launch.
Google is starting to roll out a big redesign of the Pixel Camera app with version 9.0 which notably requires Android 14.
With this redesign, you get a Photo/Video switcher at the bottom of your screen. To the left of that pill is how you access the settings panel, which can also be opened by swiping up (instead of down) in the viewfinder. Continuing upward is the carousel of available camera features:
Photo (L-R): Action Pan, Long Exposure, Portrait, Photo, Night Sight, Panorama, Photo Sphere
Video: Pan, Blur [Cinematic], Video, Slow Motion, Time Lapse
Google Camera 9.0
Camera 8.9
One nice tweak here puts Night Sight a swipe away, while video controls are now more spread out. Camera 9.0 removes “Modes” from the very end, while the switcher is sticky and remembers what Photo or Video mode you were last using.
Meanwhile, for whatever reason, this redesign flips the camera roll preview — long-press for Locked Folder — and front/rear lens switcher positions. There’s no longer any UI at the top of the screen, given the bottom strip, but you don’t get to use that freed up space since it’s used to hide the front-facing camera.
Besides the reorganization to place the vast majority of controls at the bottom of your screen for easier one-handed access, there are no other drastic visual changes. Meanwhile, the themed icon has been updated and is now larger.
Google Camera 9.0.115.561695573.37 requires Android 14 and will not install on Android 13 or older. As such, this update looks to be for Pixel users on the Beta Program. We’ve got it working on a Pixel 7 Pro running Android 14 Beta 5.3.
The new version started rolling out on September 7, but is not yet widely available in the Play Store. First spotted by the Google News group on Telegram, it can be downloaded now from APKMirror today. Notably, this ongoing rollout means the redesign isn’t first debuting on the Pixel 8 series after all.
OnePlus has today announced that it will launch OxygenOS 14, the brand’s skin on top of Android 14, on September 25.
OxygenOS 14 will be the second major update to OnePlus’ skin since the closer merger with Oppo that resulted in OxygenOS and ColorOS effectively becoming one and the same. This next update, OnePlus says, will be one of the first updates built on top of Android 14.
Google itself has yet to finalize Android 14, but is expected to do so and roll the update out to Pixel phones within the next week or two.
OnePlus says that its Android 14 update will have a big focus on performance, with the debut of the new “Trinity Engine” which is said to “[achieve] greater synergy between hardware and software” through CPU Vitalization, RAM Vitalization, ROM Vitalization, HyperBoost, HyperTouch, and HyperRendering. Marketing words aside, OnePlus says that should bring better power efficiency, multitasking, and an overall faster and smoother experience that is also longer lasting.
To bring this experience to life, OnePlus is introducing its brand-new proprietary performance platform, the Trinity Engine, to OxygenOS 14. By achieving greater synergy between hardware and software, the Trinity Engine unleashes the full potential of OnePlus handsets to address industry-wide challenges in pursing higher power consumption efficiency, better multi-tasking capability, and more enduring fast and smooth experience. Under the hood of the engine are six innovative technologies, including CPU Vitalization, RAM Vitalization, ROM Vitalization, HyperBoost, HyperTouch, and HyperRendering. When combined, these technologies guarantee a versatile fast and smooth experience in scenarios such as multi-tasking, intensive mobile gaming, and long-term usage.
OnePlus says that OxygenOS 14 will launch on September 25, but the brand doesn’t mention which device will get the update first – presumably, it’ll be the OnePlus 11. Other OnePlus devices likely, but not confirmed, to be updated include OnePlus 10 Pro, OnePlus 10T, recent Nord launches, and more. The OnePlus Open foldable, expected to debut in October, may also make its debut with the update.
Given the closely connected underlying work, expect Oppo to debut its Android 14 update around the same time.
OnePlus Open foldable has apparently been delayed for a display upgrade
OnePlus confirmed earlier this year that it would launch its first foldable smartphone in Q3 2023, but it seems that date will be slipping. According to a new report, the OnePlus Open will suffer a delay, but at least for a good reason.
Less than a week after the company confirmed the name of its first foldable in a cheeky teaser, the OnePlus Open appears to be getting hit with a delay. The news comes courtesy of Max Jambor, a reliable source for this sort of information. Jambor says that the Open’s launch has been delayed “a bit,” with no clear timeline on when it will actually be revealed.
OnePlus Open was expected to see its debut in late August.
Why the delay? Jambor claims that OnePlus made a late switch to a key component, the display. The Open was originally set to use a display panel from BOE, a Chinese display maker who has provided displays for devices such as the 2019 Motorola Razr and Huawei’s more recent Mate X3. OnePlus apparently ran into some issues with the BOE panels and is moving to panels provided by Samsung.
In theory, this should be an upgrade. Samsung panels are used pretty widely in foldables right now, with the company providing displays for the Google Pixel Fold, Motorola Razr+, and of course the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Fold 5 which are on pre-order now.
Will it be worth the wait? That’s harder to know, but past leaks certainly have the OnePlus Open looking like a compelling foldable.
We’ve reached out to OnePlus for an official statement on the alleged delay, but the company wasn’t immediately available for comment. We’ll follow up when/if we hear back.
Open Launch got pushed back a bit, but no worries the delay is actually good in a way
Open was supposed to have a BOE screen but turns out it was 👎🏼 – new panels are from Samsung ✅
Stay tuned for an exciting device! More to follow 🔜
OnePlus confirms the name of its foldable in cheeky teaser
Samsung is unveiling its latest batch of foldable smartphones this morning into a market that’s more packed than ever. And, just a few weeks from now, OnePlus is also set to unveil the “OnePlus Open,” its first foldable that the brand has just confirmed the name last July 26.
In a tweet last July 26, OnePlus takes advantage of Samsung’s imminent event to confirm the name of its foldable. The brand says that it “opens” when others “fold.” That confirms previous claims that the foldable will be called the “OnePlus Open.”
It’s a funny, if a little cringey, line, but it also puts OnePlus in a spot where it has to deliver, as it’s clearly implying that its foldable will be better than Samsung’s.
Of course, Samsung hasn’t really been pushing the boundaries with foldables lately. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Flip 4 were both very iterative upgrades, and aside from the Flip 5’s new cover display there’s really nothing major going on this year either. But you can check out our coverage of Samsung’s devices for more on that.
The OnePlus Open, meanwhile, is expected to be something quite impressive. Leaked specs include Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and 16GB of RAM, a bigger 7.8-inch inner display, and a wider 6.3-inch outer display compared to Samsung’s foldables, as well as a big 4,800 mAh battery, 67W charging, and strong rear cameras too.
OnePlus Open is set to debut in late August but got delayed to October.
Android 14 itself doesn’t bring a ton in terms of user-facing changes. There’s the arrival of new clock faces on Pixel phones, a bunch of behind-the-scenes changes, and more, but it’s lesser compared to Android 12 and Android 13.
Samsung, though, is bringing more significant changes alongside its Android 14 update.
That does include the new lockscreen changes, with customizable clock faces, but Samsung also lets you move the clock around.
Samsung has also introduced its own take on the Android 14’s media player, as seen above, which has a wavy seek bar.
The “Quick Panel” is also significantly updated, with new sections throughout. There are two large cards for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, a large section for quick settings toggles, and then other sections for brightness, screen mirroring, and device controls. In terms of the look, it’s a pretty shameless copy of iOS’ Control Center, as is the new toggle which lets you swipe from the top left of the display to immediately access the Quick Panel. The notification shade, though, is left unchanged.
Samsung is also further doubling down on widgets. There’s a new camera widget that’s fully customizable. The widget opens up the camera app, but can open it to a specific setting as well as saving the image then taken to a specific album. You can customize the widgets title and background, too.
Another updated widget is for weather, with a new “Weather Insights” widget that can show chance of rain amongst other details.
Perhaps my personal favorite change is that Samsung has updated its default font in Android 14. The new font looks much cleaner and modern as opposed to One UI 5’s font which is a bit too thin. That’s all subjective, though, and Samsung will still let you change your system font.
Emojis also get a makeover.
These are some of the most notable changes, but that’s far from everything. Samsung’s full changelog for Android 14 is below with literally dozens of other tweaks and changes that come with One UI 6.0. A few other highlights include:
Level line in camera viewfinder
Resolution settings available in camera viewfinder
“Auto Blocker” security settings
Samsung One UI 6.0/ Android 14 changelog
Quick Panel
New button layout – The quick panel has a new layout that makes it easier to access the features you use most. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth now have their dedicated buttons at the top of the screen, while visual features, like Dark mode and Eye comfort shield, have been moved to the bottom. Other quick settings buttons appear in a customizable area in the middle.
Instantly access the full quick panel – By default, a compact quick panel with notifications appears when you swipe down from the top of the screen. Swiping down again hides notifications and shows the expanded quick panel. If you turn on Quick Settings instant access, you can view the expanded quick panel by swiping just once from the right side of the top of the screen. Swiping down from the left side shows notifications.
Quickly access brightness control – The brightness control bar now appears by default in the compact quick panel when you swipe down once from the top of the screen for quicker and easier brightness adjustments.
Improved album art display – While playing music or videos, album art will cover the entire media controller in the notification panel if the app playing the music or video provides album art.
Enhanced layout for notifications – Each notification now appears as a separate card, making it easier to recognize individual notifications.
Sort notifications by time – While playing music or videos, album art will cover the entire media controller in the notification panel if the app playing the music or video provides album art.
Lock screen
Reposition your clock – You now have more freedom to move your clock to the position of your choice on the Lock screen.
Home screen
Simplified icon labels – App icon labels are now limited to a single line for a cleaner and simpler look. “Galaxy” and “Samsung” have been removed from some app names to make them shorter and easier to scan.
Typeface
New default font – One UI 6 has a new default font with a more stylish and modern feel. You’ll see the new font if the default font is selected in Settings. If you’re using a different font, you’ll still see that font after upgrading to One UI 6.
Multitasking
Keep pop-up windows open – Instead of minimizing pop-up windows when you go to the Recents screen, pop-ups will now remain open after you leave the Recents screen so you can continue what you were working on.
Samsung Keyboard
New emoji design – Emojis that appear in your messages, social media posts, and elsewhere on your phone have been updated with a fresh new design.
Content sharing
Picture and video previews – When you share pictures or videos from any app, preview images will appear at the top of the Share panel to give you one more chance to review the pictures and videos before sharing them.
Extra sharing options – When you share content, additional options may appear on the Share panel depending on the app you share from. For example, when you share a website from the Chrome web browser, you’ll get the option to share a screenshot of the website along with the web address.
Weather
New Weather widget – The Weather Insights widget provides more information about your local weather conditions. You can see when severe thunderstorms, snow, rain, and other events are on the forecast.
More information in the Weather app – Information about snowfall, moon phases and times, atmospheric pressure, visibility distance, dew point, and wind direction is now available in the Weather app.
Interactive map view – Swipe to move around the map and tap a location to view the local weather conditions. The map can help you find weather information even if you don’t know the name of the city.
Enhanced illustrations – Illustrations in the Weather widget and app have been enhanced to provide better information about the current weather conditions. Background colours also change depending on the time of the day.
Camera
Custom camera widgets – You can add custom camera widgets to your Home screen. You can set each widget to start in a specific shooting mode and save pictures in an album of your choice.
More alignment options for watermarks – You can now choose whether your watermark appears at the top or bottom of your photos.
Quick access to resolution settings – A resolution button is now available in the quick settings at the top of the screen in Photo and Pro modes so you can quickly change the resolution of photos you take.
Easier video size options – A pop-up now appears when you tap the video size button, making it easier to see all the options and choose the right ones.
Keep your pictures level – When grid lines are turned on in Camera settings, a level line will now appear in the middle of the screen while using the rear camera in all modes except Panorama. The line will move to show whether your picture is level with the ground.
Apply effects more easily – Filter and face effects now use a dial instead of a slider, making it easier to make precise adjustments with just one hand.
Scan documents easily – The Scan document feature has been separated from Scene Optimizer, so you can scan documents even if Scene Optimizer is turned off. The new Auto Scan lets you scan documents automatically whenever you take a picture of a document. After a document is scanned, you’ll be taken to the edit screen, where you can rotate your document to align it the way you want.
Quality optimization – You can choose between three levels of quality optimization for the pictures you take. Choose Maximum to get the highest quality pictures with the most post-processing. Choose Minimum to reduce the amount of post-processing so you can take pictures as quickly as possible. You can also choose Medium to get the best balance of speed and post-processing.
New Auto FPS settings for videos – Auto FPS can help you record brighter videos in low-light conditions. Auto FPS now has three options. You can turn it off, use it for 30 fps videos only, or use it for both 30 fps and 60 fps videos.
Gallery
Save clipped images as stickers – When you clip something from an image, you can easily save it as a sticker that you can use later when editing pictures or videos.
Enhanced story view – While viewing a story, a thumbnail view appears when you swipe up from the bottom of the screen. In thumbnail view, you can add or remove pictures and videos from your story.
Drag and drop with two hands – Touch and hold pictures and videos with one hand, then use your other hand to navigate to the album where you want to drop them.
Quick edits in detail view – While viewing a picture or video, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to go to detail view. This screen now provides quick access to effects and editing features you can immediately apply.
Photo Editor
Adjust decorations after saving – You can now make changes to drawings, stickers, and text that you’ve added to a photo even after saving.
Undo and redo – Don’t worry about making mistakes. You can now easily undo or redo transformations, filters, and tones.
Enhanced layout – The new Tools menu makes it easier to find the editing features you need. Straighten and Perspective options have been combined in the Transform menu.
Draw on custom stickers – When creating custom stickers, you can now use drawing tools to make your stickers even more personal and unique.
New text backgrounds and styles – When adding text to a photo, you can choose from several new backgrounds and styles to help you get the perfect look.
Calendar
Your schedule at a glance – The new schedule view provides your upcoming events, tasks, and reminders all together in chronological order.
View your reminders in Calendar – You can now view and add reminders in the Calendar app without opening the Reminder app.
Reminder
Refined reminder list view – The main list view has been redesigned. You can manage categories at the top of the screen. Below the categories, your reminders will be shown organized by date. The layout for reminders containing images and web links has also been enhanced.
New reminder categories – The Place category contains reminders that alert you when you’re in a specific place, and the No Alert category contains reminders that don’t provide any alerts. More options for creating reminders: When sharing content to the Reminder app, you’ll get full editing options before your reminder is created. You can also take pictures using the camera when creating a reminder.
Create all-day reminders – You can now create reminders for an entire day and customize the time when you want to be alerted about them.
Samsung Internet
Play videos in the background – Keep playing video sound even if you leave the current tab or leave the Internet app completely.
Enhanced tab list for large screens – When using the Internet on a large screen, such as a tablet in landscape view or Samsung DeX, your tab list will be shown in 2 columns so you can see more tabs on the screen at the same time.
Smart select
Resize and extract text from pinned content – When you pin an image to the screen, you can now resize it or extract text from it.
Magnified view – When selecting an area of the screen, a magnified view will appear so you can start and end your selection at the perfect spot.
Bixby text call
Customize your greeting – You can now edit the greeting that Bixby says when you answer using Bixby text call.
Switch to Bixby during a call – You can switch to a Bixby text call at any time, even if the call is already in progress.
Modes and Routines
Unique Lock screens depending on your mode – Set up different Lock screens with their own wallpaper and clock style for when you’re driving, working, exercising, and more. When you start editing the Lock screen while a mode is on, you’ll edit the Lock screen for that mode.
New conditions – You can now start a routine when an app is playing media.
New actions – Your routines can now do more than ever before. Change your Lock screen, change Samsung Keyboard settings, and more. Smart suggestions
New look and feel – The Smart Suggestions widget has been redesigned with a layout that better aligns with other icons on your Home screen.
More customization – You can now adjust transparency and choose between a white or black background. You can also set apps to exclude from suggestions.
Finder
Quick actions for apps – When an app appears in your search results, you can touch and hold the app to get quick access to actions you can perform using the app. For example, if you search for the Calendar app, buttons for adding an event or searching your calendar will appear. App actions will also appear in search results on their own if you search for the name of the action instead of the app.
My Files
Free up storage space – Recommendation cards will appear to help you free up storage space. My Files will recommend deleting unnecessary files, give you tips for setting up cloud storage, and also let you know which apps on your phone are using the most storage space.
Settings
Smarter Airplane mode – If you turn on Wi-Fi or Bluetooth while Airplane mode is on, your phone will remember. The next time you use Airplane mode, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth will remain on instead of turning off.
Easier access to battery settings – Battery settings now have their own top-level settings menu, so you can easily check your battery usage and manage battery settings.
Block security threats – Get an extra level of protection for your apps and data. Auto Blocker prevents unknown apps from being installed, checks for malware, and blocks malicious commands from being sent to your phone using a USB cable.
Accessibility
New magnification options – Customize how your magnification window appears. You can choose full screen, or partial screen, or allow switching between the two.
Customize cursor thickness – You can now increase the thickness of the cursor that appears while editing text so that it’s easier to see.
Learn more about accessibility – A link to the Samsung Accessibility web page has been added to Accessibility settings so you can learn more about accessibility features and our efforts to make our products accessible to everyone.
One UI 6 will likely be released sometime in November or December, and if last year is any indication, it will probably roll out to many devices very quickly. If you have a Galaxy S23 and want to try it early, though, it’s available now in beta.
Android 14’s latest beta paves the way for a full launch sometime next month, but it’s still hinting at more features to come. One of those upcoming changes might be a warning when you try to sideload Google apps on Android 14.
Android Police reports that Android 14 adds the ability for app stores on your device to claim “update ownership” over select apps. This essentially just adds another step to sideloading, as a warning message will appear that states where updates normally come from, and reiterates the risk of sideloading. You can simply ignore the warning and continue on.
Apparently, Google apps are where we’ll see this first. A brief demo seen below shows Android 14’s new sideloading warning which says that updates are “normally” from the Play Store. In this case, Google Play Services was having an update installed via APK Mirror’s Installer app.
This app normally receives updates from Google Play Store. By updating from a different source, you may receive future updates from any source on your phone. App functionality may change.
This isn’t the only example of Google cracking down somewhat on apps in Android 14. Earlier this year, our Kyle Bradshaw and Dylan Roussel reported that Android 14 would also block the installation of “outdated” Android apps, whether they come from sideloading or an app store.
Android 14 set to block certain outdated apps from being installed
To help reduce the potential for malware, Android 14 will begin fully blocking the installation of apps that target outdated versions of Android.
For years now, the guidelines for the Google Play Store have ensured that Android developers keep their apps updated to use the latest features and safety measures of the Android platform. Just this month, the guidelines were updated, requiring newly listed Play Store apps to target Android 12 at a minimum.
Up to this point, these minimum API level requirements have only applied to apps that are intended for the Google Play Store. Should a developer wish to create an app for an older version, they can do so and simply ask their users to sideload the APK file manually. Similarly, if an Android app hasn’t been updated since the guidelines changed, the Play Store will continue serving the app to those who have installed it once before.
According to a newly posted code change, Android 14 is set to make API requirements stricter, entirely blocking the installation of outdated apps. This change would block users from sideloading specific APK files and also block app stores from installing those same apps.
Initially, Android 14 devices will only block apps that target especially old Android versions. Over time though, the plan is to increase the threshold to Android 6.0 (Marshmallow), with Google having a mechanism to “progressively ramp [it] up.” That said, it will likely still be up to each device maker to decide the threshold for outdated apps or whether to enable it at all.
If the minimum installable SDK version enforcement is enabled, block the install of apps using a lower target SDK version than required. This helps improve security and privacy as malware can target older SDK versions to avoid enforcement of new API behavior.
By blocking these outdated apps, Google intends to curb the spread of malware apps on Android. The developer responsible for the change notes that some malware apps have intentionally targeted older versions of Android to bypass certain protections only enforced on newer apps.
That said, if for whatever reason you want or need to install an outdated application, it will still be possible through a command shell, by using a new flag. Given the extra steps required, it’s less likely that someone would do this by mistake and inadvertently install malware.
How to install the Android 14 Beta on Google Pixel
After a few early developer previews, the Android 14 Beta program has officially arrived. Here’s how to get Android 14 on your Google Pixel smartphone.
What Pixel devices can install the Android 14 Beta?
Android 14 will drop another set of Pixel smartphones out of active support, but several will still be eligible. The following Pixel devices will be eligible for the Android 14 Beta program.
Pixel 4a 5G
Pixel 5
Pixel 5a
Pixel 6
Pixel 6 Pro
Pixel 6a
Pixel 7
Pixel 7 Pro
Pixel 7a
Pixel Fold
Pixel Tablet
While Pixel 7a, Pixel Fold, and Pixel Tablet joined the party late, they’re all eligible to test out Android 14 at this point.
What’s the latest Android 14 Beta build?
As of July 11, 2023, Google has just opened the fourth beta release of Android 14, one of the last big releases before the final release.
Google has scheduled a total of five beta releases through May, June, and July, with the final release likely to arrive in August.
Beta 1 (April): Initial beta-quality release, over-the-air update to early adopters who enroll in Android Beta.
Beta 2 (May): Incremental Beta-quality release.
Beta 3 (June): First Platform Stability milestone, including final APIs and behaviors. Play publishing also opens.
Beta 4 (July): Near-final builds for final testing.
Beta 5 (July): Near-final builds for final testing.
Final release: Android 14 release to AOSP and ecosystem.
This adds one additional beta compared to Android 13’s release schedule, which only had four beta releases.
Notably, some users have noticed that the first two beta releases of Android 14 have been a bit more erratic compared to previous years. We’d certainly advise caution if you plan to try the beta on a daily device. As usual, proceed at your own risk.
How to get Android 14 with the Android Beta Program
The easiest way to get Android 14 on your Google Pixel device today is through the Android Beta Program.
This automated program allows you to “opt-in” to Android beta updates and install them as you would a normal system update. There’s no computer or fancy tools required, and you can roll back to Android 13 any time you’d like by simply opting out.
How to sideload Android 14 Beta on Google Pixel
By far, the fastest way to get a new version of Android on your Pixel is to sideload it. It’s a relatively easy process, but you’ll need to get set up to do it. Here’s how.
Download the needed files.
Boot into Recovery mode.
Navigate to ADB sideload.
Connect the handset to a computer with ADB tools installed.
Enter the sideload command.
Reboot your phone.
1. Download Android 14 Beta files
To get started, you’ll first need to download the files needed to actually put the Android 14 Beta on your Pixel. There are two ways to do so. First, you can install a Factory Image, which wipes your phone and starts everything from scratch. Alternatively, and the way we’ll detail here, there’s an OTA file, which installs over your current version of Android without wiping your phone.
You can download the beta OTA file from Google’s Full OTA Image hosting site. That site contains OTA downloads for sideloading different updates, including the Android 14 Beta, on every Pixel and Nexus device, so you’ll need to scroll down to ensure you are downloading the file that associates with your device. OTA downloads are available here.
For the Android 14 Beta, only Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 5a, Pixel 5, Pixel 6/Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7/Pro, Pixel 7a, Pixel Fold, and Pixel Tablet are available.
You won’t be able to install it on the original Pixel/XL, Pixel 2/XL, Pixel 3/XL, Pixel 3a/XL, Pixel 4/XL, or Pixel 4a.
Note: This process (using OTA) won’t wipe your device, but it’s good practice to back up any irreplaceable data in case something goes wrong.
2. Boot into Recovery mode
Next, you’ll boot your Pixel into Recovery mode. To do this, fully power down your handset. Then hold down on the Power button and the Volume down button at the same time until you get to the Bootloader page. You will know you’re in the right place when you see an Android figure lying down on the screen.
Using your volume buttons, scroll down to Recovery mode. Select this by clicking the power button. Alternatively, if you’re already connected to a computer with ADB, you can use the reboot recovery command.
Now, you should see a smaller Android lying down with an exclamation mark over it. From here, press the Power button and the Volume up button for about a second to fully enter Recovery mode. Releasing the Volume up button will send you into Recovery.
3. Navigate to ADB sideload
Using the volume buttons, scroll down to Apply update from ADB and select it with the power button. This will launch a mostly blank screen with text near the bottom directing you on how to sideload an OTA, such as this one for the Android 12L Beta.
4. Connect the handset to a computer with ADB tools installed
This step is important as it’s the only way to transfer the downloaded OTA file to your handset. You’ll need to have ADB and Fastboot tools in a handy place. You can download ADB tools from the Android Developers website. You can also use the Universal ADB Drivers from ClockWorkMod, which can make the process a bit easier on Windows devices.
5. Enter the sideload command
As long as everything is in place, you can now sideload the OTA file. On Windows, ensure your Command Prompt is directed to the ADB tools folder and type in adb sideload. If you’re on macOS or Linux, do the same thing in Terminal (use “cd” and “ls” commands to make sure your Terminal is pointed at the right folder – Google it if you need help) but type in ./adb sideload. You’ll then need to insert the file name of the .zip folder you downloaded from Google and hit enter to start the process.
If everything is working properly, you should see some dialog on your computer and handset that shows the process of the sideload and installation process.
6. Reboot your phone
Once the OTA is done installing, you will be taken back to Recovery Mode. The last step to jump into the new update is to select the Reboot now option with your power button.
Android 14 Beta tweaks and widens the share sheet
In recent weeks, the Android 14 Beta has steadily tweaked the share sheet to look cleaner and show more options.
Despite being a central component of Android, the share sheet has long been one of the weaker points of Google’s mobile operating system. The share sheet has gone through numerous iterations over the years, each one aiming to make it faster or better in some way, though sharing on Android still remains surprisingly slow.
Over the course of the Android 14 Beta, Google has made some changes to the share sheet. One more noticeable change, arriving with Beta 3, is that the share sheet is now five icons wide (up from four) on typical phones. This makes more options visible on screen at a time and is a shift toward more density rather than the extra blank space that some Material You designs have opted to take. As always, you can scroll the sheet to view the full list of available share targets.
Meanwhile, another tweak arrived with this week’s Android 14 Beta 4 release. The sheet now also includes a title that explains what you’d actually be doing. For example, if you choose to share a website from Chrome, you’ll see “Sharing a link” with the actual URL below it.
If you’re sharing any text, a shortcut to copy it to your clipboard will appear on the right-hand side. Similarly, when sharing an image, you’ll be offered an option (pencil icon) to first edit it in Markup.
Android 14 Beta 4 changes ‘Muted’ status icon design
Android 14 Beta 4 is here and small tidbits and changes are surfacing as we dig through the new OS version. One such change is a completely new design for the “Muted” status, leaving behind the familiar bell icon for a more modern look.
Most Android devices have three sound states: sound on, vibrate, and silent. While each person has their preference as to which they leave their phone set to, only one of those displays a status icon in the top bar, next to the WiFi and battery readouts.
In Android 14 Beta 4, a Pixel phone or other device set to silent or “muted” will now display a small yet very familiar speaker icon. This switch replaces the bell icon we’ve seen in past Android builds. The change makes a little bit of sense, as the bell could be seen as confusing to some, though it’s a very small adjustment.
In Android 14 Beta 4, no other sound states offer a status icon. The “muted” state remains the only one to reflect in the status bar, though a status icon for vibrate and sound on would be nice.
Another spot the icon is updated with the speaker silhouette is in the slider that appears when pressing the volume rockers. Instead of a ball icon and another with a slash through it, there is now one speaker icon and another with a slash, representing mute.
This change to the mute icon in Android 14 is anything but huge, but it’s notable nonetheless and offers a little insight into the changes being made between versions. Be sure to stay tuned for more Android 14 news as it’s uncovered.
Google introduced support for an app taskbar along the bottom of the screen for big-screen Android devices not long ago, but the feature has already changed with time to only show part of the time. With Android 14, Google seems to be preparing a tweak to the taskbar that lets it appear constantly.
When the taskbar first debuted in Android 12L, it was designed effectively as a larger version of the existing navigation bar. Directly above that area, you’d get a list of apps that you could instantly switch between or open in multitasking. You could then hide the taskbar by long-pressing the navigation bar.
But, with Android 13, Google tweaked this to a “transient” design that hides the taskbar when it’s not actively being used. This is virtually identical to the iPad’s taskbar, which is probably why Google made the change. It works well enough, but it’s not as powerful for quickly switching between apps.
In Android 14, though, this may change. Android Police cites a flag in the latest Android 14 beta labeled “ENABLE_TASKBAR_PINNING.” Further context around the flag reveals that it will allow users to choose between the transient or persistent taskbar. The change can be made by long-pressing an empty space on the taskbar itself, as shown in the video below.
Notably, Samsung currently defaults to the “persistent” taskbar design with no transient option, but it will certainly be nice to have the choice.
Currently, this option isn’t available to end users, but there’s a good chance it may arrive before Android 14’s final release – there are still a couple more betas to go. The next release is expected pretty soon.
Samsung’s first Android 14 beta could launch in late July
Google is pushing along with Android 14 for Pixel phones, with the third beta out. But, soon, Samsung might join in on the fun, with a new report claiming the company’s first Android 14 beta could arrive in late July.
Samsung has been opening public beta programs for new Android versions for the past few years, with customers able to get in on the latest version of One UI a few months ahead of the formal launch. And, each year, it’s been happening earlier and earlier.
According to the folks over at SamMobile, we can expect the first Android 14 beta with One UI 6.0 from Samsung sometime next month. Specifically, the outlet claims, in the third week of July. That’d put the release sometime between July 17 and July 21.
That’s a couple of weeks ahead of last year, with the Android 13/One UI 5.0 beta from Samsung having opened on August 5, with an official announcement a day later. It was also just days ahead of the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Flip 4. And, not so ironically, the same thing is happening this time around. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Flip 5 are confirmed to be coming at an event during the last week of July, apparently on July 27.
We still don’t know much about Samsung’s take on Android 14, but an app update teased new colors for the company’s version of Material You, and Samsung previously confirmed it was working with Google to improve how One UI handles background apps with this update. The update will likely be made available first to the Galaxy S23 series.
How to install the Android 14 Beta on Google Pixel
After a few early developer previews, the Android 14 Beta program has officially arrived. Here’s how to get Android 14 on your Google Pixel smartphone.
What Pixel devices can install the Android 14 Beta?
Android 14 will drop another set of Pixel smartphones out of active support, but several will still be eligible. The following Pixel smartphones will be eligible for the Android 14 Beta program.
Pixel 4a 5G
Pixel 5
Pixel 5a
Pixel 6
Pixel 6 Pro
Pixel 6a
Pixel 7
Pixel 7 Pro
What’s the latest Android 14 Beta build?
As of June 7, 2023, Google has just opened the third beta release of Android 14. Google has scheduled a total of five beta releases through May, June, and July, with the final release likely to arrive in August.
Beta 1 (April): Initial beta-quality release, over-the-air update to early adopters who enroll in Android Beta.
Beta 2 (May): Incremental Beta-quality release.
Beta 3 (June): First Platform Stability milestone, including final APIs and behaviors. Play publishing also opens.
Beta 4 (July): Near-final builds for final testing.
Beta 5 (July): Near-final builds for final testing.
Final release: Android 14 release to AOSP and ecosystem.
This adds one additional beta compared to Android 13’s release schedule, which only had four beta releases.
Notably, some users have noticed that the first two beta releases of Android 14 have been a bit more erratic compared to previous years. We’d certainly advise caution if you plan to try the beta on a daily device. As usual, proceed at your own risk.
How to get Android 14 with the Android Beta Program
The easiest way to get Android 14 on your Google Pixel device today is through the Android Beta Program.
This automated program allows you to “opt-in” to Android beta updates and install them as you would a normal system update. There’s no computer or fancy tools required, and you can roll back to Android 13 any time you’d like by simply opting out.
Notably, for Beta 3, this is the easiest way to currently get in on the update. Google has not yet released files for sideloading (the process described below), but it has released the beta through the Android Beta Program. If you go into settings and manually check for updates, it should appear quickly.
How to sideload Android 14 Beta on Google Pixel
By far, the fastest way to get a new version of Android on your Pixel is to sideload it. It’s a relatively easy process, but you’ll need to get set up to do it. Here’s how.
Download the needed files.
Boot into Recovery mode.
Navigate to ADB sideload.
Connect the handset to a computer with ADB tools installed.
Enter the sideload command.
Reboot your phone.
1. Download Android 14 Beta files
To get started, you’ll first need to download the files needed to actually put the Android 14 Beta on your Pixel. There are two ways to do so. First, you can install a Factory Image, which wipes your phone and starts everything from scratch. Alternatively, and the way we’ll detail here, there’s an OTA file, which installs over your current version of Android without wiping your phone.
You can download the beta OTA file from Google’s Full OTA Image hosting site. That site contains OTA downloads for sideloading different updates, including the Android 14 Beta, on every Pixel and Nexus device, so you’ll need to scroll down to ensure you are downloading the file that associates with your device. OTA downloads are available here.
For the Android 14 Beta, only Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 5a, Pixel 5, and Pixel 6/Pro are available.
You won’t be able to install it on the original Pixel/XL, Pixel 2/XL, Pixel 3/XL, Pixel 3a/XL, Pixel 4/XL, or Pixel 4a.
Note: This process (using OTA) won’t wipe your device, but it’s good practice to back up any irreplaceable data in case something goes wrong.
2. Boot into Recovery mode
Next, you’ll boot your Pixel into Recovery mode. To do this, fully power down your handset. Then hold down on the Power button and the Volume down button at the same time until you get to the Bootloader page. You will know you’re in the right place when you see an Android figure lying down on the screen.
Using your volume buttons, scroll down to Recovery mode. Select this by clicking the power button. Alternatively, if you’re already connected to a computer with ADB, you can use the reboot recovery command.
Now, you should see a smaller Android lying down with an exclamation mark over it. From here, press the Power button and the Volume up button for about a second to fully enter Recovery mode. Releasing the Volume up button will send you into Recovery.
3. Navigate to ADB sideload
Using the volume buttons, scroll down to Apply update from ADB and select it with the power button. This will launch a mostly blank screen with text near the bottom directing you on how to sideload an OTA, such as this one for the Android 12L Beta.
4. Connect the handset to a computer with ADB tools installed
This step is important as it’s the only way to transfer the downloaded OTA file to your handset. You’ll need to have ADB and Fastboot tools in a handy place. You can download ADB tools from the Android Developers website. You can also use the Universal ADB Drivers from ClockWorkMod, which can make the process a bit easier on Windows devices.
5. Enter the sideload command
As long as everything is in place, you can now sideload the OTA file. On Windows, ensure your Command Prompt is directed to the ADB tools folder and type in adb sideload. If you’re on macOS or Linux, do the same thing in Terminal (use “cd” and “ls” commands to make sure your Terminal is pointed at the right folder – Google it if you need help) but type in ./adb sideload. You’ll then need to insert the file name of the .zip folder you downloaded from Google and hit enter to start the process.
If everything is working properly, you should see some dialog on your computer and handset that shows the process of the sideload and installation process.
6. Reboot your phone
Once the OTA is done installing, you will be taken back to Recovery Mode. The last step to jump into the new update is to select the Reboot now option with your power button.
Android 14 preparing better stylus support that might help out the Pixel Tablet
Google’s Pixel Tablet is riding a wave of renewed interest in Android tablets, and, in Android 14, Google appears to be working on better stylus support.
There are a huge number of Android devices out there that support stylus input, but generally this is handled by each device maker. Android itself doesn’t really have particularly robust support. That may be changing in Android 14, though.
When you connect a stylus to your device on Android 14 and go to the "device details" page, you'll be able to see new stylus-specific settings: A shortcut to change the "default notes app" and a toggle to "ignore all stylus button presses." pic.twitter.com/dhg1tllxuR
As Mishaal Rahman highlights and demos in the image below, Google has a few key improvements in store. On the user-facing side, connecting a smart stylus to Android 14 now has new settings, including the ability to set a default app for notes, an option to ignore stylus button presses, and more.
Behind the scenes, Google has further improvements. It appears that Android is working to better support multiple buttons on a stylus, including “Primary,” “Secondary,” “Teriary,” and “Tail.” Interestingly, there’s a specific message about the “tail” button not generally corresponding “to the function of an eraser.” Rather, a message in Android mentions setting a default app for notes, which hints this button might be used for launching your notes app of choice.
Although the API diff isn't up yet, I spotted new key code constants in the KeyEvent documentation: KEYCODE_STYLUS_BUTTON_PRIMARY, KEYCODE_STYLUS_BUTTON_SECONDARY, KEYCODE_STYLUS_BUTTON_TERTIARY, and KEYCODE_STYLUS_BUTTON_TAIL.
These improvements sound welcome for stylus use, and it’s unfortunate they won’t be in place for the Pixel Tablet’s debut. While Google isn’t selling an official stylus, the Pixel Tablet does support USI 2.0 stylus options, so these added controls may end up benefitting the tablet in the long run.
