Google's blog post on Android 14 Beta 2 is now up!
The Android 14 beta is available from partners including iQOO, Lenovo, Nothing, OnePlus, OPPO, Realme, Tecno, vivo, and Xiaomi.
Android 14 adds the Ultra HDR format that's backward compatible with JPEG.
Camera Extensions have been improved, lossless audio experiences over USB wired headsets is now supported, custom meshes are now supported, the aforementioned Health Connect Mainline module, data sharing updates feature, and full screen intents permission are also mentioned.
Predictive back remains gated by the developer option.
The Android 14 beta is available from partners including iQOO, Lenovo, Nothing, OnePlus, OPPO, Realme, Tecno, vivo, and Xiaomi.
Android 14 adds the Ultra HDR format that's backward compatible with JPEG.
Camera Extensions have been improved, lossless audio experiences over USB wired headsets is now supported, custom meshes are now supported, the aforementioned Health Connect Mainline module, data sharing updates feature, and full screen intents permission are also mentioned.
Predictive back remains gated by the developer option.
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In this thread, I’ll cover EVERYTHING that’s new in Android 14 Beta 2 👇
(Click the hyperlink for my tweet thread!)
(Click the hyperlink for my tweet thread!)
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Google has formally announced App Streaming on Chrome OS, which lets you stream apps from select Android 13 devices to your Chromebook. It's part of the broader Phone Hub feature.
This feature quietly rolled out for users in early April. You can see my hands-on of it here.
Here's Google's announcement and the support article.
The support article says app streaming currently only works on the Pixel 4a or later running Android 13, as well as the Xiaomi 12T, 12T Pro, 13, and 13 Pro running Android 13. It should also be available on other non-Pixel phones soon, as I previously reported.
This feature quietly rolled out for users in early April. You can see my hands-on of it here.
Here's Google's announcement and the support article.
The support article says app streaming currently only works on the Pixel 4a or later running Android 13, as well as the Xiaomi 12T, 12T Pro, 13, and 13 Pro running Android 13. It should also be available on other non-Pixel phones soon, as I previously reported.
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Mishaal's Android News Feed
Google's blog post on Android 14 Beta 2 is now up! The Android 14 beta is available from partners including iQOO, Lenovo, Nothing, OnePlus, OPPO, Realme, Tecno, vivo, and Xiaomi. Android 14 adds the Ultra HDR format that's backward compatible with JPEG.…
Here is the full list of OEM devices that currently have an Android 14 beta available for them:
* iQOO 11
* Lenovo Tab Extreme (WiFi)
* Nothing Phone 1
* OnePlus 11
* OPPO Find N2
* OPPO Find N2 Flip
* Realme GT2 Pro
* Tecno Camon 20 series
* Vivo X90 Pro
* Xiaomi 12T
* Xiaomi 13
* Xiaomi 13 Pro
* Xiaomi Pad 6
You can find links to the Android 14 beta programs run by each device's respective OEM here.
(Some of the links are broken/lead to unpublished posts, though!)
It's also worth noting that the beta builds OEMs are offering probably aren't up-to-date with what's in Google's Android 14 Beta 2 release for Pixels (I don't know when partners forked).
Also, these builds are generally unstable and lacking features (ie. most are basically AOSP, but some will have their respective OEM "skins" implemented on top already). You probably shouldn't flash these builds unless you're a developer who needs to test their app on a device they already own!
* iQOO 11
* Lenovo Tab Extreme (WiFi)
* Nothing Phone 1
* OnePlus 11
* OPPO Find N2
* OPPO Find N2 Flip
* Realme GT2 Pro
* Tecno Camon 20 series
* Vivo X90 Pro
* Xiaomi 12T
* Xiaomi 13
* Xiaomi 13 Pro
* Xiaomi Pad 6
You can find links to the Android 14 beta programs run by each device's respective OEM here.
(Some of the links are broken/lead to unpublished posts, though!)
It's also worth noting that the beta builds OEMs are offering probably aren't up-to-date with what's in Google's Android 14 Beta 2 release for Pixels (I don't know when partners forked).
Also, these builds are generally unstable and lacking features (ie. most are basically AOSP, but some will have their respective OEM "skins" implemented on top already). You probably shouldn't flash these builds unless you're a developer who needs to test their app on a device they already own!
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The Wear OS 4 Developer Preview is live! The first (64-bit only) emulator build is available right now if you have Android Studio Hedgehog installed. The build ID is TWD3.230425.001.E2 and it's based on Android 13.
According to Google, some of the new features in the Wear OS 4 Developer Preview are support for the new Watch Face Format, support for Tiles 1.2 which brings platform data bindings (tiles that use platform data sources like heart rate, step count, or time are updated 1/s), support for tile animations, and built-in support for splash screens (a platform feature carried over from Android 12).
Wear OS 4 will also bring some nice user-facing enhancements, like the ability to backup & restore apps, device-to-device transfer of app data, syncing permissions for apps you've already granted permissions to on your phone, and general performance and battery improvements.
If you're a developer, you can get started with the Wear OS 4 Developer Preview from this page.
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EDIT: Oh yeah, another feature I forgot to mention that's likely coming to Wear OS 4 (thanks to Adam Conway for reminding me): Material You support.
Watch faces that use the Wear Watchface API can expose their colors to the system, which can choose its color palette based on this.
According to Google, some of the new features in the Wear OS 4 Developer Preview are support for the new Watch Face Format, support for Tiles 1.2 which brings platform data bindings (tiles that use platform data sources like heart rate, step count, or time are updated 1/s), support for tile animations, and built-in support for splash screens (a platform feature carried over from Android 12).
Wear OS 4 will also bring some nice user-facing enhancements, like the ability to backup & restore apps, device-to-device transfer of app data, syncing permissions for apps you've already granted permissions to on your phone, and general performance and battery improvements.
If you're a developer, you can get started with the Wear OS 4 Developer Preview from this page.
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EDIT: Oh yeah, another feature I forgot to mention that's likely coming to Wear OS 4 (thanks to Adam Conway for reminding me): Material You support.
Watch faces that use the Wear Watchface API can expose their colors to the system, which can choose its color palette based on this.
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Android 14 is adding a new safety feature to protect your hearing: Headphone loud sound alert.
Android will alert you if you've been listening to audio at a volume above the recommended level for long periods over your headphones. You can keep listening or lower the volume.
This was announced during the "what's new in Android Accessibility" session (H/T Cooooooob on Telegram).
I've actually been tracking this feature since before Google announced it and have a few more details to share.
Android keeps track of how often you’re “exposed” to excessively loud “sound doses.” The OS can show warnings about “momentary exposures”, but once you exceed 5x the “loud sound signals” you can “safely listen to in a week over headphones”, Android can auto lower the volume.
This feature is controlled by config_audio_csd_enabled_default, which is now enabled by default in Android 14 Beta 2. It seems this “headphone loud sound alert” feature is intended to comply with updated recommendations in the IEC 62368-1 3rd edition.
I couldn’t get my hands on a copy of this document to tell you exactly how this works. You have to pay ~$452 for it, and all I want to see is chapter 10.6.5 - protection of persons. Sorry, I ain’t paying that lol.
I did find a document summarizing the requirement, though. “In 2018, IEC 62368-1 was reviewed and the concept that weekly sound dose should be limited to the equivalent of 80dBA for 80 hours/week or 1.6 Pa²h as a standard safety level was also added to this standard.“
If I'm not mistaken, the volume safety recommendation in the previous edition of IEC 62368-1 is what formed the basis of Android's existing warning when you try to raise the volume of audio (when connected to a headphone) above a "safe level", as required IIRC in the EU.
Parts of this feature are already implemented in AOSP (eg. the HAL), though I'm not sure if the feature is actually functional in Beta 2 yet. Once Android 14’s source code is out, we can see exactly how it works. If you see this feature in Beta 2, let me know!
Android will alert you if you've been listening to audio at a volume above the recommended level for long periods over your headphones. You can keep listening or lower the volume.
This was announced during the "what's new in Android Accessibility" session (H/T Cooooooob on Telegram).
I've actually been tracking this feature since before Google announced it and have a few more details to share.
Android keeps track of how often you’re “exposed” to excessively loud “sound doses.” The OS can show warnings about “momentary exposures”, but once you exceed 5x the “loud sound signals” you can “safely listen to in a week over headphones”, Android can auto lower the volume.
This feature is controlled by config_audio_csd_enabled_default, which is now enabled by default in Android 14 Beta 2. It seems this “headphone loud sound alert” feature is intended to comply with updated recommendations in the IEC 62368-1 3rd edition.
I couldn’t get my hands on a copy of this document to tell you exactly how this works. You have to pay ~$452 for it, and all I want to see is chapter 10.6.5 - protection of persons. Sorry, I ain’t paying that lol.
I did find a document summarizing the requirement, though. “In 2018, IEC 62368-1 was reviewed and the concept that weekly sound dose should be limited to the equivalent of 80dBA for 80 hours/week or 1.6 Pa²h as a standard safety level was also added to this standard.“
If I'm not mistaken, the volume safety recommendation in the previous edition of IEC 62368-1 is what formed the basis of Android's existing warning when you try to raise the volume of audio (when connected to a headphone) above a "safe level", as required IIRC in the EU.
Parts of this feature are already implemented in AOSP (eg. the HAL), though I'm not sure if the feature is actually functional in Beta 2 yet. Once Android 14’s source code is out, we can see exactly how it works. If you see this feature in Beta 2, let me know!
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Google is apparently rolling out the "Quick Launch V2" feature that I first spotted back in the Android 13 QPR2 beta. This feature lets you quickly launch an app by typing part of its name in the search bar and then pressing enter.
According to 9to5Google, this feature is rolling out to some users on the latest Android 13 QPR2-based stable release. I do not have this on my Pixel running the Android 13 QPR3 beta or Android 14 Beta 2, though.
The Quick Launch V2 flag in the QPR2 beta was controlled by a launcher flag that could be toggled via DeviceConfig, but IIRC the launcher flag itself is gone.
If this feature has been enabled for you on your Pixel device, let me know! There's something I wanted to check.
According to 9to5Google, this feature is rolling out to some users on the latest Android 13 QPR2-based stable release. I do not have this on my Pixel running the Android 13 QPR3 beta or Android 14 Beta 2, though.
The Quick Launch V2 flag in the QPR2 beta was controlled by a launcher flag that could be toggled via DeviceConfig, but IIRC the launcher flag itself is gone.
If this feature has been enabled for you on your Pixel device, let me know! There's something I wanted to check.
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Google is apparently preparing to let you use your phone as a dashcam, according to 9to5Google. A dogfood build of the Personal Safety app was released via Google Play (probably by accident), and in it there's a new, hidden Dashcam feature.
As the article explains, your phone can record video for up to 24 hrs. You can use your phone while recording or lock it to save power. Videos are compressed and average ~30MB/min. Unsaved videos can be auto deleted after 1 day, 3 days, or 1 week.
Recording can auto start when connected to a specific Bluetooth device and you can choose whether to record audio.
There are already loads of 3P apps that offer dashcam functionality, but it's nice to see Google implement this into a 1P app that's preloaded on many devices.
As I previously explained, the Personal Safety app became an optional preload for OEMs with Android 13. Some OEMs like Nothing and Sony ship it on their devices; others like ASUS do not currently.
It's unclear if the Dashcam feature will be exclusive to Pixel or not, but theoretically it should be easier to ship on non-Pixels than, say, car crash detection. BUT given the thermal/OIS concerns, it'll probably need extensive testing before it's shipped on any device.
I've already got a dashcam, but being in Texas...no way would I use my phone as a dashcam. It would literally explode lol.
(Screenshots: @nailsad_eleos)
As the article explains, your phone can record video for up to 24 hrs. You can use your phone while recording or lock it to save power. Videos are compressed and average ~30MB/min. Unsaved videos can be auto deleted after 1 day, 3 days, or 1 week.
Recording can auto start when connected to a specific Bluetooth device and you can choose whether to record audio.
There are already loads of 3P apps that offer dashcam functionality, but it's nice to see Google implement this into a 1P app that's preloaded on many devices.
As I previously explained, the Personal Safety app became an optional preload for OEMs with Android 13. Some OEMs like Nothing and Sony ship it on their devices; others like ASUS do not currently.
It's unclear if the Dashcam feature will be exclusive to Pixel or not, but theoretically it should be easier to ship on non-Pixels than, say, car crash detection. BUT given the thermal/OIS concerns, it'll probably need extensive testing before it's shipped on any device.
I've already got a dashcam, but being in Texas...no way would I use my phone as a dashcam. It would literally explode lol.
(Screenshots: @nailsad_eleos)
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Google has announced that it is implementing a new "quality rating system" for security vulnerability reports submitted as part of its Android and Google Devices Vulnerability Rewards Program (VRP).
Google will rate vulnerability reports as High, Medium, or Low quality based on the level of detail provided in the report.
They are looking for reports to come with:
* An accurate and detailed description
* A root cause analysis
* A proof-of-concept
* A step-by-step explanation on how to reproduce it
* And evidence that shows the type of issue and level of access or execution it achieves
The "highest quality and most critical vulnerabilities" are now eligible for payouts of up to $15,000.
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In addition, Google says that, starting March 15, 2023, Android will no longer assign CVEs to "most" moderate severity issues. CVEs will continue to be assigned to critical and high severity vulnerabilities.
Google will rate vulnerability reports as High, Medium, or Low quality based on the level of detail provided in the report.
They are looking for reports to come with:
* An accurate and detailed description
* A root cause analysis
* A proof-of-concept
* A step-by-step explanation on how to reproduce it
* And evidence that shows the type of issue and level of access or execution it achieves
The "highest quality and most critical vulnerabilities" are now eligible for payouts of up to $15,000.
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In addition, Google says that, starting March 15, 2023, Android will no longer assign CVEs to "most" moderate severity issues. CVEs will continue to be assigned to critical and high severity vulnerabilities.
Google Online Security Blog
New Android & Google Device Vulnerability Reward Program Initiatives
Posted by Sarah Jacobus, Vulnerability Rewards Team As technology continues to advance, so do efforts by cybercriminals who look to explo...
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