We don’t just make good resolutions for ourselves, but also for our phones: 2023 will be the year of Android 14 and, although we know more and more details about what the next operating system will be from Google, we also have our wishlist we’d like to see on android this new year: Some are already rumored and others would be nice if they happen.
Add widgets to the lock screen (again)
Comparisons suck, but when we saw what iOS 16 looked like, we were left with its new, fully customizable lock screen. Among the options offered, we particularly appreciated the possibility of add widgets with additional information.
What’s worse is that it’s not a new feature on Android, but we saw it in Android KitKat, allowing you to replace the clock or integrate new widgets. In any case, customization has always been the flagship of Android and this, if solved well, would make it possible to rationalize the user experience.
Separate buttons for Wi-Fi and data
When in Android 12, Google decided to opt for a simpler and more minimalist interface by reducing the quick access settings. As a result, Wi-Fi and data have been regulated with a single toggle for internet. What yes what we have gained in simplicity, but we have also lost in agility
Without going any further, it is common to disconnect or connect the Wi-Fi when it offers an unstable connection or delete the data to pull the Wi-Fi when you are at home (and incidentally, save a little battery ). Although these options can be done in the settings, its return to quick access would be good news.
hello dynamic island
In the smartphone sector there are not only trends, but there are also aesthetic currents that make more sense than others. While Android manufacturers continue to bet on placing the selfie camera on the screen as discreetly as possible, Apple has chosen to change its emblematic notch by integrating a pill called “dynamic island”.
The most interesting thing about “Dynamic Island” is its ability to expand and collapse to view useful information and background activities, such as timers or readings. If Google brings it to Android and with the push of third-party apps for this adaptation, the possibilities are huge.
Satellite connections for everyone
Amid a slower-than-expected 5G expansion scenario and with questionable mainstream functionality, eyes are turning to the importance of establish communications in emergency scenarios.
We saw it in the iPhone 14 only for the United States and Canada and also in Huawei for Canada, but this 2023 satellite connectivity will continue to expand its geographic boundaries and reach more operating systems and manufacturers. In fact, it is rumored that it will be available on the Samsung Galaxy S23.
More than a wish will be a reality on some Android phones, given that it was announced by Google’s senior vice president, Hiroshi Lockheimer. We do not know how it will be implemented, if it will be only for emergency calls, for SMS or for low-speed data connections.
However, it would be desirable for it to be implemented as a widespread feature built into the operating system itself.
Improve gesture navigation
If you navigate by gestures, surely you have already suffered from swiping back and forth in a specific application, you end up returning to the main screen of your Android.
As we saw in the Android Dev Summit ’22 (minute 34), Google plans to put together a preview of what we’re going to do when we go back, avoiding unexpected shutdowns.
This is a small but useful improvement that is part of a necessity: make text navigation smooth and natural, both in the system and in the applications. Google has a lot to do and say to help developers in this task visually and functionally.
Custom privacy settings for apps
From a version of iOS 14, apps need to ask user permission to track them, which allows them to generate custom ad templates. In practice, leave the decision to us.
For this option to come to Android would be great news, but it seems unlikely given Google’s business model. For the moment, we will have to be satisfied an intermediate privacy sandbox that appeals to both advertisers and users.
In theory, the idea is that companies can obtain information to bombard us with more personalized advertisements through a function of the system and not through their own tracking.
That security certificates are independent of system updates
It’s a change you might not appreciate on a day-to-day basis but will appreciate when your phone is a veteran. Until, root certificates in android go hand in hand with full system updateswhich means you only have them updated when you update, but of course there may be times when you don’t update or there are no system updates for your phone.
The consequence is that you can take your old phone to search for something on the internet and find that You cannot browse because the various websites display security warnings that prevent you from doing so.. This almost happened on phones running Android 7 or earlier in 2021 when the root certificate expired.
According to Android Police, this could change with Android 14, as Google is reportedly working on a new module that will update root certificates on the fly. So that we understand each other, instead of being part of a system package, with this new certification module, we will be able to update through Google Play Services, so that Google can send updates as they come. they are needed. As a consequence, you will be able to continue browsing the internet without any problem.
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