The first Android 14 Beta update is available for Google Pixel phones, from a Pixel 4a up to Pixel 7 Pro, with Google describing it in a blog as a smarter system UI.

There’s also better support for tablets and foldables. But the biggest user-facing feature seems to be a gesture-based mid-display back arrow UI feature. This will match the colour scheme you’ve selected.

“The gesture navigation experience includes a more prominent back arrow while interacting with your app to help improve back gesture understanding and usefulness,” Google says. “The back arrow also compliments the user’s wallpaper or device theme.”

There is also a new share sheet. Basically it’s a menu when you try to share a link or image from inside an app, not unlike an iOS feature.

Google have previously said there will be per-app language preferences, better accessibility options from the Parth API and better graphical capabilities.

Google will keep developing Android 14 through the coming months, then enter platform stability phase in June and July before the eventual release.

“Today we’re releasing the first Beta of Android 14, building around our core themes of privacy, security, performance, developer productivity, and user customisation while continuing to improve the large-screen device experience on tablets, foldables, and more.

“We’ve been making steady progress refining the features and stability of Android 14, and it’s time to open the experience up to both developers and early-adopters,” says Dave Burke, Android’s VP of Engineering.