Recently, Google released Android 14 Developer Preview 1, which is the first developer preview of Android 14. As always, Android 14 also has a dessert name as a codename, which is "UpsideDownCake". At the overseas developer forum XDA, developers holding Google's "own son" Pixel 7 have experienced Android 14 Developer Preview 1 first-hand and announced information about this new version of the system.
In the first developer preview of Android 14, there are three main changes that are relevant to users. First, it supports the dual-opening feature of native apps that was once glimpsed on Android 12; Second, the new system component "Photo Picker" on Android 13 has been fully popularized, and every APP must force support this component; Third, Android 14 adds a new background installation control feature that allows users to delete apps pre-installed by OEMs or carriers.
Android application cloning or application double/multi-open, is obviously not unfamiliar to most domestic users, and this technology has been launched by domestic mobile phone manufacturers a long time ago. In the era of mobile Internet, with the explosive growth of social applications enveloping almost all users, so that our work and life are forcibly mixed on social platforms (mainly WeChat), so that some users need to create another identity to isolate the two. In the face of this demand from users, mobile phone manufacturers quickly took action.
In fact, the principle of applying double open is very simple, which is nothing more than using different device codes to create a plural image of the same APP, so that the system thinks that this is a number of different APP, so that 2 data storage paths can be generated, and the multi-open at this time is equivalent to opening two APP that do not interfere with each other. Or divide a memory area in the system, and then install a virtual machine, so that the APP mistakenly thinks it is in another device, so as to achieve double opening.
But for the vast majority of developers, the app dual-open feature is something they are against. For example, it is clearly written in the user agreement of WeChat that a single user identity is allowed to log in to at most one WeChat account, and even the application will be blocked if it is detected.
For a long time, the reason why domestic mobile phone manufacturers dare to publicly do application avatar functions is due to the chaos and disorder of the domestic Android ecosystem. After all, the APP in the user's mobile phone is not necessarily downloaded from the official app store, so mobile phone manufacturers that only provide application avatar services do not have to bear relevant responsibilities.
However, the situation in overseas markets is very different, Google Play almost monopolizes the distribution channel of overseas Android applications, which means that Google faces the same situation as Apple, that is, it can force developers to comply with review guidelines, and in turn must comply with the terms of service set by developers for apps. This is why for a long time, even if the voice of domestic iOS users is so high, Apple has always been unwilling to "open the back door" for users. I just don't know how Google will coordinate third-party developers this time to calm the anger of the losers.
Of course, for users who don't have social pressure or the need for multiple apps, Android 14's native support for app cloning doesn't make much sense. But Android 14 mandates that every app must support a photo picker, which is crucial to each user's privacy.
You know, Pinduoduo "helped" users to delete pictures remotely, and after the user uploaded a rights protection video as evidence, he received a mobile phone prompt to detect that the "Dewu" APP deleted the relevant video and successfully intercepted the news, all of which caused heated discussions on the Internet.
One of the highlights of Android 13 was the photo picker, a new system component that allows users to choose which photos and videos can be accessed by the app. Apps don't need to ask for any permission to access items that users select through the photo picker, making it a privacy-preserving way to share photos and videos with apps.
Simply put, this feature allows users to decide which photos and videos the app can access, but unfortunately, although the photo picker is backwards compatible and even available for Android 4.4, there are still quite a few apps that don't support it.
Android 14 changes the API level so that all apps must force support for photo pickers, which is undoubtedly a big victory for protecting user privacy. If the function goes live as scheduled, it means that users will always have the ability to decide which photos or videos an app can access in the future, and there will be no chance that Pinduoduo will "help" users delete pictures remotely in the future.
Finally, and the feature that most users care about, that is, the pre-installed APP on Android 14 can finally be removed. Historically, in addition to basic functions such as system components, cameras, calls, and text messages, a new phone often comes pre-installed with a variety of applications, such as game centers, wallets, e-books, music, videos, weather, etc. What's more, because pre-installed apps are usually directly bundled with the system, users can't delete them if they want to, and they are forced to let these apps that may never be used occupy the storage space they paid for.
Whether it is for mobile phone manufacturers or operators, pre-installing their own or partners' APP in mobile phones is undoubtedly an effective way to expand user groups, which is also the key to the pre-installation problem that is always difficult to solve. Now, Google does it first.
In Android 14 there is a hidden "Installed Apps in the background" menu, which is not accessible by default and only appears when developer mode is turned on. This menu lists almost all the apps on your phone and prompts, "None of the apps listed here are necessary for your device to work properly, you can uninstall unwanted apps." ”
Overall, compared to Android O, Android 10, and even Android 12, the first developer preview of Android 14, although it shows no earth-shaking changes, may make the experience more comfortable for every user.
[The picture in this article comes from the Internet]