Android 14, WhatsApp and Samsung S24 (Android News #15 2023)

From now on, you can already test Android 14 and WhatsApp comes with a very handy functionality. This is the top Android news of the week.

This is how to install Android 14 beta on your Google Pixel phone

The Android 14 public beta has been released by Google. This means anyone with a recent Pixel phone can download the new Android version now to see what’s improved. Please note: smartphones from other brands are not supported (yet). It is also a beta version that Google will be working on for months.

Just like last year, the Android 14 beta will be released before Google I/O, the developer conference entirely dedicated to Google’s new software. During the event, the search giant will highlight the most important features of Android 14 and officially “announce” the update.

→ Do you really want to try Android 14?

HBO Max Goes ‘Max’: That’s About to Change

HBO Max drops the HBO premium title and continues as Max. The name change was announced along with the arrival of new films and series. The name change will be implemented for the first time in the United States, on May 23, 2023. The plan is to introduce the Max to more countries in 2024, including the Netherlands.

The future of HBO Max was unclear for a while after it was acquired by Warner Bros. Discovery. It also offers the Discovery Plus streaming service. Now the parent company sees a future in the form of the Max. However, not everyone is happy with the name change.

→ HBO Max will change to Max next year

WhatsApp finally actually works on two smartphones at the same time

WhatsApp can now be used on multiple smartphones at the same time. Beta users can now start using the new feature. You can simply receive notifications, make (video) calls, and send photos right in the app. You can link up to four devices to WhatsApp. The function currently only works on Android smartphones, but iPhone users can also connect an Android device.

Using WhatsApp on other devices was possible through the WhatsApp web page or the app on the laptop. Last year we showed how you can also use the WhatsApp Web app on two smartphones at the same time, but this is no longer necessary after this update.

→ This is how you use WhatsApp on two smartphones

“Samsung Galaxy S24 smartphones will have the same cameras again”

We also expect big improvements every year with Samsung’s new flagship. This year we saw that with the Samsung Galaxy S23, especially in performance and battery life. The Ultra model was also the first Galaxy smartphone with a 200MP camera.

Unfortunately, it seems that the Galaxy S24 phones will not get major improvements in the camera field, according to reports GizmoChina. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra will have the same 200MP sensor as its predecessor. The S24 and (possibly) the S24 Plus use the same 50MP sensor as the S23, which is already three years old by then.

→ More on the Samsung Galaxy S24 cameras

Rumour: Google Pixel 8 will get a more compact display

In 2023, very few small sized smartphones will be released. Google may change this later this year with the Pixel 8. According to new information from inside the smartphone Ross YoungThe phone will have a smaller screen than its predecessor.

value The Pixel 7 will have a 6.32-inch screen, and the Pixel 8 will have a 6.16-inch screen. The difference is not very big, but it makes the new smartphone more compact, and therefore easier to operate with one hand. The Pixel 8 Pro will also be 6.7 inches in size, just like the Pixel 7 Pro.