Summary
- Android 14 Beta 5 has been released, signaling the imminent launch of the stable version. Developers should start preparing their apps.
- Beta 5 includes numerous fixes and optimizations, addressing issues such as incorrect audio, excessive battery consumption, and display glitches.
- The final beta update is considered a "release candidate," suggesting it is mature enough for stable status. Further point upgrades may still occur.
The stable version Android 14 is almost here, but we'll have to wait a few more weeks until it's available to the public. To prepare for this significant transition, Google today released the final pre-release build in the form of Beta 5 to let enthusiasts as well as regular users offer last-minute feedback. As expected, the fifth beta build features finalized SDK and NDK APIs and app-facing system behaviors, so it's time for developers to get their apps ready for the new OS.
Beta 5 features an array of fixes and optimizations that weren’t included with Beta 4.1 at the end of last month. The build did not see any major user-facing changes as Google winds down the Beta Program ahead of Android 14’s consumer launch. The top resolved issues in the Beta 5 release can be found below:
- Fixed an issue where after unlocking a device using a PIN, TalkBack provides incorrect audio.
- Fixed an issue where Wi-Fi scanning was consuming too much battery.
- Fixed an issue where some pictures would glitch with extra shadow blocks.
- Fixed an issue where in some cases, the fingerprint sensor icon wouldn't appear as expected.
- Fixed an issue where voice over Wi-Fi wasn't enabled by default.
- Fixed an issue on Pixel Fold devices where the device loses antenna ranging session information and cannot recover it.
- Fixed an issue where an extraneous white bar would appear in some apps.
- Fixed a background color issue with the UI used to add a shortcut to the home screen.
- Fixed a launcher issue that was causing frequent crashes and other quality issues.
- Fixed an issue on Pixel tablets where user interaction during the transition from screen saver to low-light clock causes a SysUI crash.
- Fixed a Pixel Fold issue where tapping would fail to wake the device.
- Fixed a Pixel Fold issue where the system buttons would have inconsistent positions after folding and unfolding.
- Fixed an issue causing SysUI crashes when removing an app pair in landscape.
- Fixed an issue the launcher doesn't fully render after setup.
- Fixed an issue where the system displayed an incorrect mobile connection type.
- Fixed an issue where navigating back to exit an app leads to users no longer being able to open the app.
- Fixed an issue where wallpaper previews were sometimes blank.
- Fixed an issue where the system theme changes from yellow to pink after rebooting.
- Fixed an overscroll issue with ScrollView.
- Fixed an issue where certain color palettes were difficult to see when the lock screen was activated.
- Fixed an issue where users couldn't enable battery sharing if a work profile exists on the device.
- Fixed an issue where a tablet screen inappropriately turns off when docked.
- Fixed an issue where the device policy manager was preventing notifications from appearing.
- Fixed an issue where group notifications couldn't be expanded.
- Fixed an issue where the lockscreen didn't properly display the clock.
- Fixed various camera issues that were causing crashes and reductions in quality.
- Fixed an issue with power consumption during video playback.
- Fixed a Weather clock rendering issue.
- Fixed an issue where the lock screen customization preview didn't match the end result.
- Fixed an issue that was causing the wallpaper selection screen to crash.
- Fixed an issue where Pixel devices weren't connecting with some routers.
- Fixed a toast search result issue where the color was too similar with the background color.
- Fixed an issue where tapping a notification before using facial unlock does not open the notification.
- Fixed an issue on Pixel Fold where two clocks were displayed at the same time when in widescreen.
- Fixed an issue where widgets would overlap and stack incorrectly.
- Fixed an issue where closing the PiP window doesn't stop YouTube playback.
- Fixed an issue with switching call audio sources.
- Fixed an issue where after unlocking a device, only the background appears.
- Fixed an issue with dragging folders to remove them.
Apart from the aforementioned changes, the new build (UPB5.230623.003) also bumps the security patch level to August 2023.
According to Google, the final beta update is also a "release candidate" build, which means the compilation is matured enough to graduate to the stable status - assuming nothing goes wrong. As an interesting matter of fact, Google has pushed several point upgrades for new beta launches. Following the trend, there could be one (or more) point upgrades for Beta 5 on the way. However, even if that does happen, the codebase of Android 14 is ready to go.
You can download Android 14 Beta 5 today on all compatible Pixel devices, including the Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet. If you have an older beta installed, you should see an OTA notification about upgrading to the latest version. Alternatively, you can manually install the firmware files needed to update your Pixel phone to the latest beta, using either the download links that Google provides or the Android Flash Tool. We have links to all the Android 14 Beta downloads as well as detailed instructions on how to install them, so be sure to check out those articles if you're interested.
Keep in mind that there's still time to catch any bugs that arise following today's release. If you encounter any bugs while testing Android 14 Beta 5, be sure to leave feedback so Google can address them before kickstarting the stable rollout.
Source: Android Developers Blog, Android Beta Program on Reddit