Android 14 Wish List: AI Shortcuts, Foldable Perks and More

The future big Android update, Android 14, is envisioned to get there afterwards in the yr, and thanks to numerous developer sneak peeks and betas, we have acquired a very good notion of what is coming. But there are probably capabilities in the complete launch that we haven’t encountered still, so here is anything we’d like to see.

So significantly, Android 14 previews and the open beta have released swipe gestures, assistance for the PS5 DualSense controller, more app customization, and cloning applications for numerous accounts. Even though all that is valuable, we are rather in the darkish as we wait around for Google to unveil far more of the functionality which is coming in the upcoming main update to its mobile phone software package.

We will in all probability study a lot more about the update at Google I/O 2023 in Might, and we count on to see it absolutely released in the slide together with the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro phones. In the meantime, we’re left to envision the most effective updates to Android, together with additional functionality for future-generation equipment and technologies.

It really is distinct Google’s rivals are integrating AI into software package, so it would make perception to do the similar with Android, but there are a good deal of other possibilities, like integrating devices this kind of as wearables and foldables.

Below are our most-needed upgrades in Android 14.

AI shortcuts

It can be no key Google was a minimal blindsided by ChatGPT, which reportedly prompted a “code purple” at the business and hastened internal advancement of AI tools. Offered that Microsoft has been integrating its Bing AI into all the things from Home windows 11 to its SwiftKey 3rd-social gathering mobile phone keyboard, we could see a good deal far more AI built-in into Android.

You will find much that AI could do in Android, such as swiftly accessing Google’s Bard AI to answer random queries. But it could come to be a thing of a cell phone OS concierge, utilizing the greatest pieces of the Google Assistant functionality to meet up with consumer desires by way of text as a substitute of voice.

Wellbeing wearable integrations?

Google introduced Wellbeing Connect at Google I/O 2022 as a nexus for own wellness, gathering all your exercise and exercise from multiple applications into a single put — and sharing that information concerning the apps, meaning your exercise sessions would depend for all applications in its place of just what is operating. Wellness Connect is nevertheless in beta, but we would like to see it a lot more absolutely integrated into Android 14 to formalize it across applications.

Exercise and wellness applications have to opt for to guidance Health Join, and consumers have to manually down load it, so acquiring it appear built-in into telephones with Android 14 would go a long way toward adoption. Android code analyst Mishaal Rahman theorized that Google could be planning this sort of integration.

Handoffs to other devices

Android 13 enhanced handoffs, but what about calls? Android 14 could make it very easy for you to have a get in touch with on one Android machine and seamlessly hand it in excess of to a different, as advised by a code string Rahman found out.

This is a feature Apple’s gadgets have had for years, and it tends to make feeling for Google to combine it among products that are all working Android or Don OS, from phones to tablets to wearables to televisions.

Make a difference set up help

Google released its Matter smart property regular late very last 12 months to make it a lot easier for units from distinctive providers to website link collectively, and it rolled out compatibility updates to its own Android and Nest Thermostat devices. We have not witnessed many units launch still that support the system, and we’re even now waiting around on current Amazon and Apple equipment to be current with Subject assist. But in the meantime, we’re looking for bigger relieve of use when setting up our sensible residence units.

Samsung Galaxy Fold 4 slightly folded in the middle of the screen like a book

Lisa Eadicicco/CNET

Much better Foldable application

Android 12L was the initial forked model of Android created to far better use the bigger screens on tablets and foldables and strengthen consumer working experience. Those people upgrades have partly filtered into the most important version of Android, but we want to see additional usability and functions that take better edge of huge and flexible screens.

Even though rollable phones might not be coming whenever quickly, we see flexible display prototypes each and every 12 months at CES — which includes new foldable ideas outside of the clamshell and “guide” formats. It would be fantastic to see Google planning for the upcoming wave of mobile phone types by actually giving a persuasive element or utility for them. As it stands, there just isn’t considerably reason to try out out devices with versatile and expanded displays.

That could alter with the upcoming Pixel Fold, the company’s very first foldable, and we would appreciate it if Google experienced some display-halting software package for its new system — which we hope would increase the bar for all foldables.

A lot quicker updates for cellular phone makes

Our perennial desire is that the latest edition of Android will get to non-Google telephones more quickly than final 12 months. Although Samsung rushes out updates within just a number of months of the latest version’s launch, Motorola and other individuals choose issues into the following 12 months — we might like to see that time shortened, primarily for reduced-stop telephones that are generally up to date later.

We also want to see much more of the Pixel-only capabilities unfold to other Android phones — and yes, Magic Eraser is usable by Google Just one storage subscribers, but we would like it was natively readily available on other gadgets, even if it just isn’t as helpful as it would be on a Tensor-driven Google cellular phone.