Google is progressing towards the public release of Android 14, with the introduction of Beta 4, now available for the latest Pixel devices, including the highly anticipated Tablet and Fold models.
Similar to the previous month, the builds will not be immediately accessible, as Google has removed the corresponding blog post.
Today marks the release of Android 14 Beta 4, a significant step towards the forthcoming general availability launch of Android 14. This beta version is now accessible for the Pixel Tablet and Pixel Fold, in addition to the rest of the supported Pixel lineup. Developers can utilize these devices to conduct comprehensive testing and directly observe the enhancements we have implemented to enhance the user experience on large-screen and foldable devices.
Following the Platform Stability phase in the previous month, Beta 4 is classified as a near-final build.
As we progress through Beta 4, Beta 5, and subsequent final beta releases, we will provide release candidate builds for your final evaluation. Upon completion of testing, it is essential to release compatible updates for your applications, SDKs, libraries, tools, and game engines, ensuring a seamless user experience for individuals who upgrade their devices after the final release.
To report any issues encountered, users can utilize the Android Beta Feedback app on their Pixel devices, accessible from the app drawer or Quick Settings, allowing them to report bugs through the Google issue tracker. Additionally, the Android Beta community on Reddit provides a platform for discussions and support.
Android 14 Beta 4 (UPB4) is accompanied by the July 2023 security patch and can be obtained for various Pixel devices, including the Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 5, Pixel 5a, Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7a, Pixel Tablet, and Pixel Fold. Moreover, the Android Emulator is also eligible for this update.
While most users will choose to install the update via the Android Beta Program, alternative methods such as flashing or sideloading are available. For detailed instructions on installing Android 14, refer to our comprehensive guide.
Installation links for Android 14 Beta 4 Factory Images and Over-the-Air (OTA) updates are as follows:
- Pixel Tablet: Factory Image — OTA
- Pixel Fold: Factory Image — OTA
- Pixel 7a: Factory Image — OTA
- Pixel 7 Pro: Factory Image — OTA
- Pixel 7: Factory Image — OTA
- Pixel 6a: Factory Image — OTA
- Pixel 6 Pro: Factory Image — OTA
- Pixel 6: Factory Image — OTA
- Pixel 5a: Factory Image — OTA
- Pixel 5: Factory Image — OTA
- Pixel 4a (5G): Factory Image — OTA
Android 14 Beta 4 Fixes
Here is the official changelog of the Android 14 Beta 4.
Developer-reported issues
- Fixed a system issue that caused both notifications to stop appearing and Quick Settings tiles to stop working until the device was restarted.
- Fixed system issues that sometimes caused VoIP apps to stop recording audio when the screen was locked or the app was put in the background.
- Fixed an issue where the title of the currently playing song would abruptly disappear or be replaced with other information when transitioning a device from always-on-display mode to the lockscreen.
- Fixed an issue that sometimes prevented devices from charging or allowed a device to charge but erroneously reported that there were issues with the connected charging cable or accessory.
- Fixed a system issue that sometimes caused the Android System Intelligence service to crash.
Other resolved issues
- Fixed an issue that caused the
CredentialManagerregistry to fail when using more than one set of credentials. - Fixed issues where the HealthConnect API returned null pointer exceptions in some cases to calling apps.
- Fixed issues that could cause boot loops and “Application not responding” messages on some devices.
- Fixed an issue where some elements on the system UI didn’t retheme correctly when switching between day and night modes.
- Fixed a system issue that caused the Picture-in-Picture (PiP) window to be unresponsive when using an app (such as Google Maps) in PiP mode and then locking the screen and reopening the app by tapping the notification on the lock screen.
- Fixed an issue where the lockscreen wallpaper was sometimes reset to a blank, black screen when setting a new wallpaper for the home screen.
- Fixed issues that caused poor UI animations in the launcher.
- Fixed an issue where an intent picker dialog was incorrectly shown during work profile setup, which interfered with a user completing setup successfully.
- Fixed an issue that caused the rounded borders on notifications to display incorrectly.
- Fixed an issue where a device could sometimes become unresponsive if eSIM was disabled.
- Fixed an issue where the lock screen sometimes got stuck with a blank, black screen.
- Fixed an issue with
ConnectivityServicethat could cause a device to crash and restart in rare cases. - Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the system volume slider to be stuck on the screen.
- Fixed issues where the titles of some Settings pages were not announced correctly and some areas within the system Settings app couldn’t be accessed when TalkBack was enabled.
- Fixed an issue that could cause fingerprint enrollment to fail if the device was rotated during enrollment.
- Fixed an issue where connected Bluetooth devices were not ranked correctly in the system audio output switcher.
- Fixed an issue where the notification shade didn’t close after tapping a notification to launch an intent. Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the analog clock to fail to display when viewing wallpaper preview.
- Fixed an issue that sometimes caused only a right-side Bluetooth earbud to be paired.
- Fixed issues that prevented app launch animations from playing correctly.
- Fixed an issue where notifications from a prioritized conversation were erroneously dismissed when the group of non-prioritized notifications was dismissed.
- Fixed an issue where the sharesheet sometimes crashed after pressing the copy button.
- Fixed an issue where the UI didn’t return to the sharesheet workflow if a user edited an image from the sharesheet.
- Fixed an issue that sometimes caused Face Unlock to fail.
- Fixed an issue that sometimes caused a USB headset to consume additional power when connected to a device that was making a call using Voice over LTE (VoLTE).
- Fixed a null pointer exception that sometimes caused the launcher to crash after launching an app.
- Fixed an issue where, when using a device with a work profile, the Google Play Store app in the work profile would hang or crash when launched.
- Fixed various issues that caused the system UI to crash in some cases.
- Fixed other various issues that were impacting system stability.