Google's latest Android version — Android 14 — is set to launch during the fall season this year. As the tradition goes, Android 14 is currently available in beta for owners of select smartphones to try out the upcoming features before a wider release. Following the Android 14 Beta 2 that was released during Google I/O 2023 developers' conference nearly two weeks ago, Google is now releasing Beta 2.1 for Pixel 4a and newer Pixel phones.
Google recently took to the Android Beta Program subreddit to announce the massive changelog of the latest Android 14 Beta 2.1 update with the build number UPB2.230407.019. Being an X.1 build, the update primarily aims to iron out a long list of issues with Beta 2.
Foremost, Android 14 Beta 2.1 patches the bug that prevented users from exiting Android 14 beta testing. The update adds the May 2023 security patches to specific models, including the Pixel 6 series and Pixel 6a on Verizon.
Next, the update fixes a bug that previously hid the actual battery percentage and showed 0% instead. It also patches issues with the phones' audio and rubs out what was causing several apps, including Google Photos, to crash.
Additionally, the update fixes problems with Always-On Display, including scenarios with missing Google Messages notifications or jitter when using Android Auto. Lastly, it also patches the issue that made the Google TV app disappear in picture-in-picture mode when gesture navigation was turned on.
If you are already registered as an Android beta tester, you can check for the update under Settings > System > System Update if it hasn't already popped up in the notifications. But if you aren't part of the beta yet and would like to test it, you can enroll for Android 14 Beta on your Pixel phone(s) by going to the dedicated portal and selecting the suitable device.
However, before you enroll to receive Android 14 Beta updates on your phone, remember that it may still not be free of bugs as we are still a few months away from receiving a release candidate. Besides a buggy performance, beta updates may also break functionality for crucial apps, especially for banking and payments. Returning from the beta to a stable Android 13 version will require you to factory reset your smartphone, so ensure you weigh the prospects before making the leap.
With Android 14, Google pegs many features around AI, such as lockscreen customizations, emoji-based and AI-generated wallpapers, a major update to Find My Device, contextual back gesture, and much more announced at Google I/O 2023. However, a lot of these features have yet to make it to the available builds and can be expected to be added in the weeks leading to the final release (tentatively in August or September based on previous releases).
We, thus, recommend you wait for a few months and avoid enrolling in Android 14 if you are especially looking to try out these new features.
