Android 14's First Beta Introduces a Back Arrow That Matches Your Background 22
The first beta of Google's Android 14 OS is available to download today, introducing new features focused on system navigation, privacy, performance, and user customization. From a report We already had a good idea of what to expect thanks to the first two developer-only previews, but the beta release is the first opportunity for the general public to test the changes. Gesture navigation has been updated to include a more conspicuous Material You-themed back arrow that adjusts to complement the device's theme or wallpaper. Aside from arguably being more aesthetically pleasing, the updated back arrow is designed to help users better understand Android 14's predictive back gesture experience, which now previews the screen users are navigating to within applications.
Android 14 also introduces a new system share sheet -- the page that opens when you tap to share content. This allows developers to add custom app-specific actions to the top of the share menu. Google describes this as a "superior" experience compared to the existing Android share sheets in which share targets (the app you're sharing content to) are always sorted alphabetically. The new share sheet also uses more app signals to determine where the direct share targets that appear toward the top of the page should rank (though it's not clear what exactly those signals are).
Android 14 also introduces a new system share sheet -- the page that opens when you tap to share content. This allows developers to add custom app-specific actions to the top of the share menu. Google describes this as a "superior" experience compared to the existing Android share sheets in which share targets (the app you're sharing content to) are always sorted alphabetically. The new share sheet also uses more app signals to determine where the direct share targets that appear toward the top of the page should rank (though it's not clear what exactly those signals are).
Killer feature (Score:4, Funny)
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Just sayin' anyone who got this far really needs to read my sig for the cherry on top.
Lies (Score:4, Insightful)
New features focused on system navigation.
Unless it is an option to force all the tabs back to the top in every app so I can stop hitting the home or back areas by mistake, this will end up pissing me off more than providing any sort of benefit.
Privacy
Google really needs to stop promoting this when nothing they do helps.
Performance
Moores law is still a thing. So things will get faster. They are running on faster hardware
User Customization
This I doubt. I still cannot set my background to a solid color. I need a 1x1 black pixel PNG to do it.
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You've been able to set background to solid colors in at least the last couple major versions of Android available on Pixels. I've had mine set that way for awhile. Pretty sure even very old versions could be it's been awhile since I checked.
Rest of your comment is valid though.
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Unless it is an option to force all the tabs back to the top in every app so I can stop hitting the home or back areas by mistake, this will end up pissing me off more than providing any sort of benefit.
What tabs are you talking about? How some apps might have navigation at the bottom? If so, this system navigation doesn't apply to you, because I'm assuming you're using the 3 button navigation and this applies to the gesture kind.
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Your Moto G5 and a Galaxy S10E aren't going to be getting Android 14 anyway.
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Your Moto G5 and a Galaxy S10E aren't going to be getting Android 14 anyway.
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Privacy
Google really needs to stop promoting this when nothing they do helps.
You're totally wrong, it does help. It helps Google. And they are fully focused on your privacy. And fully intent on taking as much of it as they can. Guess what, it's working, and people have generally given up...
Oh look, Google invented.. colors. (Score:3)
We already had a good idea of what to expect thanks to the first two developer-only previews, but the beta release is the first opportunity for the general public to test the changes. Gesture navigation has been updated to include a more conspicuous Material You-themed back arrow that adjusts to complement the device's theme or wallpaper. Aside from arguably being more aesthetically pleasing, the updated back arrow is designed to help users better understand Android 14's predictive back gesture experience, which now previews the screen users are navigating to within applications.
Wow that's so cringey it shoulda been presented by a dude wearing jeans and a turtleneck.
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Re: Oh look, Google invented.. colors. (Score:4, Funny)
Kodak invented colors. Before that the world was greyscale. That's why old films look black and white. Film stock could record modern color scince photography was invented.
It took time for Kodak to bring color to the entire world so this is why there is a mixture of color and B&W films from the 1930s to roughly the 1970s.
Material-You! (Score:2)
Also, when does this come to Lollipop?
Back Arrow That Matches Your Background (Score:2)
My first thought was that meant it was camoflaged so you wouldn't see it (eg green on green)
Middle left of the screen? (Score:2)
I'd say oh hell no, but that's not enough. I'm going with an outright FUCK NO. My phone is too big for me to reach that position with my thumb on my right hand. Make it whatever f-ing colour you want just leave the damn button on the bottom of the screen where it has been for 15 years already.
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This is about the back *gesture*, not the button. if you're still using 3-button navigation nothing will change for you. the back gesture technically covers the edges of the screen, so it's not really "middle left of the screen"
ARGH NO! (Score:3)
"This allows developers to add custom app-specific actions to the top of the share menu. Google describes this as a "superior" experience compared to the existing Android share sheets in which share targets (the app you're sharing content to) are always sorted alphabetically"
We allowed web delelopers to add "custom actions" to right click/long tap and they went and abused this to no end.
And I don't need an "experience", I need a device to do what I tell it to do.
Re: ARGH NO! (Score:2)
And on tbe custom actions (where the don't disable right click entirely), there is never "save page" or "save image" as one of the actions.
They all fall in line and worship the Copyright Cartel as their lord, master, fuhrer, commadant, and saviour.
I just want a notification (Score:2)
volume control. Since it's legal to records calls where I live, it would be nice if the phone could also record calls. How about I choose what colors I want rather than the phone choosing some god awful color that makes me cringe. How stupid is it that you need to change your background image to change your foreground color?
Who even thinks up stupid shit like this?
With every release Android just becomes even more undesirable.
WOW!!! FINALLY! (Score:2)
I've been waiting years for them to modify the God-damned broken piece of shit back button. I'm not exaggerating when I say how delighted I am to hear they've finally fixed it. I can't wait to see the improvements, believe me any change is an improvement. It will enhance my productivity and I look forward, or rather backward, to finally getting the most out of my smartphone experience. Many times I've used an application and wanted to go to the previous screen but couldn't figure out A) what was the back b