4 Android 14 Features We're Excited to Try

pcmag.com:

The headliner at I/O 2023 was Google's upcoming Search Generative Experience, a new AI-driven approach to search that has digital media publications staring off into the distance and questioning their life choices. But also, Android 14 will let you customize your wallpapers and ask AI to come up with snappy comebacks in text messages, so it all evens out. Or something.

Google released the first developer preview of Android 14 in February, and the second beta dropped(Opens in a new window) this week at I/O. A final release is scheduled for "later in the year," Google says. At the company's annual developer conference this week, we got a peek at consumer-focused AI customization options for the new mobile OS, plus a few extras for those with older handsets.

Some of these improvements are coming to all Android devices, while others are Pixel-exclusives. Here's what we're looking forward to testing out.

Google's Material You(Opens in a new window) design approach lets you customize your Android device with a robust selection of dynamic wallpapers and complementary colors. Android 14 will add new lock-screen customizations, including clocks, shortcuts, and wallpapers.

Cinematic wallpaper, for example, turns photos in your library into 3D images, while emoji wallpaper lets you customize your device using emoji combinations, patterns, and colors. Look for both to roll out first on Pixel devices in June.

Generative AI, meanwhile, will let you create a wallpaper from text prompts when it lands on Android devices this fall.

Are your texts getting boring? Similar to Smart Compose on Gmail, Magic Compose for Android gives you a handy writing tool, letting you reply to others with messages suggested by AI. These can be simple