Google announced that they postponed the release date of the Android 14 stable version in the past weeks as they continue to work on improvements. Analyst Mishaal Rahman announced that he caught a clue about the lock screen widget feature in Android 14 Beta.
Rahman stated on X (Twitter) that he discovered a new SystemUI function called widget_on_keyguard. This function gives the hint that Google will bring widgets back to the lock screen.
Some analysts think that since Apple added the widget structure to the iOS lock screen, Google will reactivate the feature in older Android versions. It is also claimed that the new feature will be exclusive to Google Pixel devices.
Android 14 release date revealed!
Google’s Android 14 work is not fully finished yet, so the release of the stable version has been postponed. Here are the details!
In addition to the new feature, the latest beta version allows you to change shortcuts on the lock screen. The shortcuts in the lower left and right corners of the screen can now be replaced with the application you want.
You can now choose from a wide variety of apps and actions instead of default shortcuts. You can use the Camera application, Do Not Disturb mode switch, Flashlight, Google Home app, Mute switch, and QR code scanner directly from the lock screen. All you have to do is go to the Wallpapers & style menu in Settings, select Lock screen, and find the Shortcuts submenu.
With the latest Android 14 beta update, the following problems have been fixed:
- Fixed various issues that caused devices to hang during reboot.
- Fixed issues that could disrupt cellular connectivity of devices using E-UTRAN New Radio – Dual Connection (ENDC) when connected via 5G NR low band frequencies.
- Fixed an issue that caused the fingerprint sensor to become unresponsive in some cases on Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet devices.
- Fixed an issue that caused Perfetto tracking data to be missing on Pixel Fold devices.
- Fixed an issue where animations would get stuck on Pixel Fold devices when viewing or tapping a notification of an ongoing call.
- Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the system UI to crash after using the fingerprint sensor on Pixel Fold devices.
- Fixed an issue that caused the screen to flicker briefly on Pixel Fold devices when the device was turned on.
- Fixed an issue on Pixel Tablet devices that would sometimes cause a colored bar to appear or flicker after unlocking the device.
- Fixed an issue on Pixel Tablet devices that caused the system to play incorrect sounds when docking or undocking the device.