What you need to know
- Google recently launched the first developer preview of Android 14.
- A hidden menu in the build allows users to find apps installed in the background by carriers and OEMs.
- Stable Android 14 will be released later this year, probably in August.
Android 14 developer preview is officially underway. Google didn’t highlight any significant changes, but some users began to discover interesting behind-the-scenes changes.
Diving into the Android 14 developer preview, Mishaal Rahman (via XDA-Developers) discovered a settings menu hidden behind some developer flags. The new version of Settings is called “Spa” and provides access to a service called “Background Installation Control”. Here he found the “Apps installed in the background” feature. This feature targets and tracks apps installed on mobile phones by OEMs and carriers.
Device manufacturers may install apps on their devices in the background or allow carriers and other partners to do so. The apps listed here are not required for the device to function properly. You can uninstall unnecessary apps.
This could be a big step towards allowing users to remove bloatware from their devices. This is a problem that has plagued Android phones for quite some time. Apps are often downloaded in the background without the user’s knowledge, but carriers often give users the option to include some apps when setting up a new phone. These apps usually come in the form of random games or carrier/OEM copies of Google apps. Many of these apps can usually be easily uninstalled, but in some cases they can only be disabled from the app settings.
For Mishaal, the feature didn’t show the app on his device, but he points out that the feature appears to have appeared on AOSP a few months ago.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t necessarily prevent bloatware from being installed, but it may help you find and remove it. It’s not clear when we’ll reach the final stable build, but we’re keeping our fingers crossed.
The first Android 14 developer preview can be manually downloaded and installed on Pixel phones ranging from Pixel 4a 5G to Pixel 7 Pro. Since this is an early build for developers, we do not recommend installing it on your main smartphone.
If you’re excited about Android 14, the Pixel 6a is probably the phone for you. Not only does it offer great performance and a very affordable price, you’ll also be among the first to receive the next major update when it’s released.
