Google has only just released Android 13 but is already working hard to get it ready for Android 14. Based on the latest findings, it looks like the new version will make the use of the AV1 codec mandatory for all devices. This new method of encoding video is more efficient than other systems and will help save bandwidth, all without any loss in quality. Not only that, but it seems that some devices using Android 14 will be forced to support 64-bit apps, which eventually puts an end to 32-bit apps as well.
As Mishaal Rahman of Esper shares in his Android 14 preview, the new AV1 requirements are coded in the Android open source project, Gerrit.
The entry reads: “According to Android cdd 14, sec 2.2.2 with sec 2.6, implementations for handheld and tablet devices must support decoding AV1”. The CDD here refers to the Android Compatibility Definition Document, which lists all the requirements that a device must meet in order to be certified for an update or release by Google. It looks like work on this document has started early in the project this time, as Mishaal Rahman has found the skeleton page for the next version of the compatibility definition.
Forcing all devices to support AV1 in Android 14 is a big deal, and it could reduce the bandwidth requirements for different network services across the platform – it’s worth noting that YouTube already uses AV1 to make transfers of certain resolutions more efficient while using less bandwidth.
There is also a potentially more impactful change for devices using Android 14. Those devices with Armv9 CPUs will be forced to support running only 64-bit applications. The latest processors are all bound to make this switch, with the Snapdragon 8 generation of 2021 already based on the Armv9 architecture. the Pixel tablet has also begun this switch and is said to be 64-bit only when the product launches.
This means that Google is finally getting serious about phasing out 32-bit apps, a step that Apple already took in 2017. Most modern apps have already been updated to work on 64-bit architectures, and this change shouldn’t hurt users too much – in fact, 99% of apps on the Play Store have already been updated. However, it may mean that a few older games or apps that have been abandoned by developers will no longer work.
As we get closer to 2023, it is therefore likely that we will learn more details about the new version before it comes to us in beta form, with the official version expected to appear in April next year.
