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Top 14 new features of Android 14

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new features of Android 14

Android 14 is the latest version (2023) of the Android operating system, and it comes with a number of new features and improvements. Some of these new features of Android 14 are focused on improving the user experience, while others are designed to give users more control over their devices.

In this Android 14 guide, we’re going to take a look at the top 14 new features of Android 14 that all users will find most useful. The new features of Android 14 covered in this post include the new photo picker, lock screen customizations, notification flashes, battery life improvement, separate ring and notification volume control, app pair, charging pill (animation), Appolo 14 easter egg, drag and drop text and images to different apps, auto-confirm unlock, phone’s manufacturing year, battery charge cycles count, magic compose, and emoji, generative AI, and cinematic wallpapers. Some detailed how-to guides will be released soon.

Please note the new features of Android 14 discussed in this post apply to the stock Android (e.g., Pixel phones or Motorola phones). Some Android vendors may customize Android 14 with their own implementations and features, and therefore, some of these features may not be available on their Android 14 devices or work differently, for example, in Samsung’s Android 14 update (One UI 6), the new features are substantially different from the features discussed here.

1. New Photo Picker: Restricting Photo and Video Access

The new Photo Picker in Android 14 gives users more control over which photos and videos they share with apps. Users can now select individual photos and videos, or they can select entire albums or folders.

This is a welcome improvement over the previous Photo Picker, which only allowed users to reject or approve access to all photos and videos. In other words, prior to Android 14, you could only either allow or not allow an app to access all photos and videos (all or nothing). If allowed, the app then can access all photos and videos. If not allowed, the app cannot access any photos or videos.

The new Photo Picker in Android 14 allows you to grant access to individual photos, videos, albums, or folders. A similar feature was introduced in iOS14 for iPhone 3 years ago. Now, Google has finally caught up with this new feature of Android 14.

2. Lock Screen Customizations: the most popular new feature of Android 14

Android 14 users can now customize their lock screens with new widgets, wallpapers, and themes.… Read the rest

How to use the Android Pie navigation gestures?

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Android Piese the Android Pie navigation gestures (Android 9) introduced a set of new navigation gestures to replace the navigation buttons. Of course, there are many new features in Android Pie as explained in this guide.

If you just switched to Android from iPhone, you will get used to these Android Pie navigation gestures very quickly. But if you prefer the three navigation buttons, you need some time to adjust.

This Android Pie guide explains how to enable Android Pie navigation gestures, how to disable them,  how to use them, and answer some questions you may have on Android Pie gestures.

Background of Android Pie navigation gestures

In Android OS, the navigation buttons had been an essential part. Since Android Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS, Android 4.0), on-screen navigation buttons (software based navigation button) has been introduced to replace the hardware capacitive buttons.

Although Google wanted to kill the hardware buttons in Android (FYI, all Google released phones including Nexus and Pixel phones only use on-screen navigation buttons), Android manufacturers, especially Samsung, are slow to move in this direction. For example, Samsung only started to remove the hardware buttons in Galaxy S8 and S8+ in 2017.

For new smartphone users and old people, the navigation buttons (hardware or on-screen) are very useful and intuitive.

But for experienced users and younger generations, gestures can be more productive.

In Android 9, Google decided to add navigation gestures to partially replace the on-screen navigation buttons.

Of course, the Android Pie navigation gesture is not a complete replacement to the old navigation buttons because:

  • Android Pie navigation gestures still need the home button. The back button will also appear automatically whenever necessary.
  • Android manufacturers can always customize the gestures, or even disable them and use the old 3 navigation buttons.

In the future Android releases (e.g., Android Q), very likely, Google will strengthen and navigation gestures.  In fact, in Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL, the old navigation buttons were disabled, and owners have to use the Android Pie navigation gestures.

What are the Android Pie navigation gestures?

Android Pie navigation gestures are all based on the home button. Here is the list of supported gestures:

  • Swipe upwards from the home button to see recent apps. This is equivalent to tapping the Recent/overview button in the old 3-button system.
  • Swipe right from the home button to switch to the previous app.  In the old 3-button system, you need to get this in two steps: tap the Recent/Overview button, then tap the icon in the overview screen.
… Read the rest

Top 20 new features of Android Pie (Android 9)

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new features of Android Pie (Android 9)You will enjoy many new features of Android Pie (Android 9) once your phone is updated to Android Pie, or you get a new phone shipped with Android Pie.

Although Android manufacturers may customize or cripple some of the new features of Android Pie (9) in their devices, you will still enjoy a similar Android Pie experiences.

This Android Pie guide explains the top 20 new features of Android Pie (Android 9) most users will enjoy.

What is Android Pie (Android 9)?

Android Pie, aka Android P or Android 9, is the 9th major update of Android OS. It was officially released to the public on August 6, 2018.

As the successor of Android Oreo, many new features of Android Pie are expected in both of the user interface (UI) and the underhood.

Since the release of Android Icecream Sandwich (Android 4.0) in 2011, Google has released one major update of Android each year: Android Jelly Bean (Android 4.1)  in 2012, Android KitKat (Android 4.4) in 2013, Android Lollipop (Android 5)  in 2014, Android Marshmallow (Android 6) in 2015, Android Nougat (Android 7)  in 2016 and Android Oreo (Android 8) in 2017.

On the release date, only Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL received the Android Pie (Android 9) update.  Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL are the first phones shipped with Android Pie.

Most Android vendors started to roll out Android Pie update for their flagship phones from October 2018.

Why do you care about the new features of Android Pie (Android 9)

For most end-users, user interface (UI) is one of the most important features.

Android Pie will not disappoint you.  There are tons of UI improvements.  Of course, unless you are using a Google Pixel phone or an Android One phone, the manufacturers may tweak these new UI features a bit.

This page highlights the top 20 new features of Android Pie that most Android users will be happy to enjoy.

For app developers, there are also many new features of Android Pie. For example, Android Pie now supports the Wi-Fi Round-Trip-Time (RTT). So you can take advantage of indoor positioning in your apps.

Anyway, updating your phone to Android Pie will rejuvenate your Oreo phone, which may look boring and work slower day-by-day.

#1 of the top 20 new features of Android Pie: new navigational gestures

Navigation buttons  (Home, Back and Recents/Overview) have been a standard feature in Android for a long time.… Read the rest

Top 10 New Features of Android Oreo 8.0

Get to know what's new in Android Oreo 8.0

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Top 10 New Features of Android Oreo 8.0Android Oreo 8.0 (Android O) was officially released to the public on August 21, 2017. It is hailed to be much smarter, faster and efficient than its predecessors.

Most flagship Android phones released in 2018 will come with Android Oreo 8.0/8.1 pre-installed.

In addition to its revamped user interface (UI), Android Oreo 8.0 introduces many new features and improvements for all-level users.

This Android Oreo guide explains the top 10 new features of Android Oreo 8.0: PIP mode, notification dots, notification channels, notification snoozing, adaptive icons, performance improvements and battery usage optimization, smart text selection, refined Settings menu, auto-fill, new Easter egg and new emojis.

For new features in Android Oreo 8.1, please check this post.

New Features of Android Oreo 8.0 #1: Picture-in-Picture mode (PIP)

PIP is one of Android 8.0’s most prominent features.

PIP is a special multi-window mode mostly used for video playback. This is similar to pop-up view in Samsung’s multiwindow mode.

Picture-in-Picture mode was previously introduced to Android TV with stock Android,  but not on mobile.

Unlike the split screen mode in Android Nougat, PIP allows you to continue watching videos in a separate small floating window while using other apps at the same time. In other words, you can watch videos and use other apps at the same time. More apps will support this feature.

To use PIP mode, you need to start by playing a video in a video player or on Youtube. Then, press the home button on the navigation bar. The video would appear as a small floating window. You can relocate the video window and further adjust the size of the floating window according to your preference.

You may check this How to use picture-in-picture (PIP) mode in Android Oreo 8.0 and 8.1? guide, if you want to know how to use PIP mode in detail.

New Features of Android Oreo 8.0 #2: Notification Dots

Notification dots will appear on the top right corner app icons whenever you receive a notification from the app.  Notification dots remain there until you read it or dismiss the notifications.

You can tap the notification dots to quickly see the notifications waiting for your action.

This Android Oreo feature is similar to number badges feature in Samsung phones. Unlike the number badge in Samsung, notification dots do not show the exact number of notification.

If you want to know about notification dots or want to use it, please check How to use notification dots (notification badges) in Android Oreo page.… Read the rest