Android 14 Beta is Now Available on Non-Pixel Phones: What to Expect

Following its yearly I/O developer conference, Google released Android 14 Beta 2 earlier this month. Google also officially expanded the beta and developer preview programmes to include phones other than its own Pixel portfolio with this move.

Installation process

It takes a little bit more effort to install Android 14 Beta or Developer Preview on phones that aren't part of the Pixel series. The difference is evident when using the Android 14 preview on the Nothing Phone 1, Vivo X90 Pro, and Xiaomi 13 Pro.

The Nothing Phone 1, Vivo X90 Pro, and Xiaomi 13 Pro all require you to download updated files and/or system images and manually install them, whereas Pixel phones make opting into the beta on a dedicated Google website simple since Beta 1.

The installation guide for Android 14 Beta for Nothing phones

Nothing is the simplest to follow and makes it clear which features work and which do not. The organization gives an Android 14 OTA download document on site allows you to update from its most recent stable delivery, Nothing operating system 1.5.4.

To activate a hidden manual OTA installation tool, place this file in a specific directory on Phone 1 and enter some numbers and symbols into the phone app. While a touch obscure, essentially it doesn't need initiating engineer choices or dabbling with ADB, the Android Investigate Extension.

Android 14 Beta for Vivo, Xiaomi

Vivo's establishment guide is similarly basic, however the directions are emphatically more limited and there is certainly not a particular overview of which elements work and which don't. Having said that, all you need to do to get started is place the update file in a specific directory on the phone. From there, you can use the standard system update process in system settings without having to open any hidden menus.

With Xiaomi 13 Expert, I'm miserable to report that I needed to leave my arrangements to test Android 14 on it during the beginning stages of this examination. Xiaomi is the only manufacturer of the devices I tested that requires you to connect your phone to a computer in order to install the update; its installation guide specifically states that you need a Windows PC. I can't easily get around that because I use ChromeOS and a Mac.

You will lose all of your data on all three phones when you upgrade, so make sure you have backups of important files ready or, even better, don't even bother with the beta program if you rely on your phone.