Google has just shown us a sneak peek of what we can expect from Android 14 for TVs, and it’s a big change from Android 13.
They’ve been keeping things hush-hush about this new version, not saying much about it during the recent Google I/O event. And true to their secretive style, they quietly released a beta version for Android TV and Google TV devices without making a big fuss or providing detailed information.
Typically, if you want to try out an Android TV beta, you have two options: either download and run an emulator using Android Studio or install a special build on ADT-3 boxes.
However, right now, the second option isn’t available on the Android Developers website. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to install the Android 14 preview on Chromecast devices either.
Here’s something interesting: Google recently updated the 4K model of Chromecast with Google TV, but they decided to stick with Android 12 instead of going for an Android 13 update on all Android TV and Google TV devices.
They even made a code change that suggests Android 13 for televisions is being “retired,” and the associated emulator will be moved to a “non-recommended menu” in Android Studio.
“We are retiring T as a version in Android TV. Moving the T image to the non-recommended menu should dissuade developers from creating a T images if not required.”
Skipping Android 13 and quickly releasing a beta preview of Android TV 14 shows that Google is breaking away from their usual yearly update schedule.
They’re planning a similar leap with Wear OS too, where the upcoming Wear OS 4, scheduled to come out in the fall, is expected to jump directly from Android 11 to Android 13.
While we don’t have many details about the exciting features of Android 14 just yet, Google’s surprising move has certainly caught the attention of developers and users alike.
We’re all eagerly waiting for more information. It looks like Google is getting ready to make some big changes and upgrades to its TV and wearable platforms with Android 14 and Wear OS 4.
Abdur Rahman is a seasoned journalist who covers all things related to TV and streaming. As of May 2, 2023, Abdur is writing for Homespoiler.com. More about him