Second Android 14 beta will let you know when your app is sending location info
Fresh beta introduces new privacy protections
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Amidst all the excitement ofGoogle I/O 2023, the second beta ofAndroid 14was quietly released to a select few Pixel phones, bringing with it a handful of new features.
Chief among these is the data sharing tool getting a “new section in the location runtime permission dialog”.According to the Android Developers Blog,the tool will let you know when an app on your phone “shares location data with third parties, where [you] can get more information [on the process], and control the app’s data access.” Additionally, users will receive a “periodic notification” if any app suddenly begins sharing data with third parties so you’re not caught unaware.Googlestates the revamped data sharing will work with apps from other online stores; not just whatever you download from thePlay Store.
Health Connect, “an on-device repository for user health and fitness data”, will now be a native app on the OS where it will receive automatic updates. That way, it’ll always have up-to-date security keeping your information safe “without requiring a separate download.”
HDR imaging
Moving past the security update,Google is adding support for HDR(high-dynamic range) to Android 14, allowing the OS to take photographs sporting “vibrant colors and greater contrast”.
What’s different is the newUltra HDRformat which is said to be backward compatible with the JPEG format. This will give older phones a way to view thoseHDRpictures albeit more compressed, since it’ll be in a standard dynamic range. Theoperating systemis also set to improve Camera Extensions. This performance boost will allow “apps to handle longer processing times” for certain types of images like those from low-light photography.
There’s more to the beta than this handful of features.Bug fixesare a part of the package too. One addresses stability problems that would cause the user interface to either lag or crash. You also have a fix for a biometrics bug causing “some apps to not work properly.”
A lot of the upcoming changes shown at Google I/O 2023 won’t be a part of this beta, but you can get a first-hand look onThe Keyword blog. Later down the line, users will be able to create their own phone wallpaper via generative AI. All you have to do is enter a prompt. And there’s Magic Compose to help you write basic texts you’re too lazy to write.
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Availability
If you’re interested, you can install Android 14 Beta 2 by joiningGoogle’s Beta Program. Alist of compatible devicescan be found in the Android Developer Blog which consists of but is not limited to thePixel 7,Pixel 7 Pro, and thePixel 6a. The beta won’t be available for the recently releasedPixel 7a, unfortunately. Speaking of devices, thefirst Android 14 betais now available on a handful of third-party phones like theOnePlus 11and theNothing Phone 1if you want to try it out there.
The third Android 14 beta is set to release in June with the official launch expected to be sometime in the late summer; most likely August.
Be sure to check out TechRadar’s coverage of Google I/O 2023. The tech giant is goingall in on AI, and a lot of what was shown was admittedly pretty impressive.
Cesar Cadenas has been writing about the tech industry for several years now specializing in consumer electronics, entertainment devices, Windows, and the gaming industry. But he’s also passionate about smartphones, GPUs, and cybersecurity.
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