What you need to know
- A dive into Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2.1 shows that Google is working on a new “color contrast” settings page to improve app readability.
- The page, housed within the beta code, will allow users to change the contrast level of “text, buttons, and icons.”
- Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2.1 was released yesterday (April 1) and includes many bug fixes and fixes for system bugs.
Getting into the latest Android 14 beta seems to show signs of a new settings page that could help improve the readability of apps.
As noted by Mishaal Rahman on Android Headlines, Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2.1 contains a hidden “color contrast” page that allows users to change how text appears on their screens. Google’s description reads, “higher contrast makes text, buttons, and icons stand out more.” The development page gave Rahman a quick preview of how his changes would affect the app.
It looks like users will have three options to change: Default, Medium, and High. Leaving the contrast at “default” allows Android to express your Material You theme in paler colors than it currently does. However, pushing things to “medium” or even “high” shows just how deep and rich the colors become.
This page includes another toggle option that allows users to “maximize text contrast”. Google states that this button will “add a black or white background around the text to increase contrast.”
It’s worth noting that Android supports these changes in its user interface in light and dark modes. The settings page warns that users may find that not all apps support “all color and text contrast settings.”
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Rahman states that this new color-contrast site could be the final product of the older “contrast levels” slider seen during Android 14 Developer Preview 2 2023.
Those diving into the code of the latest Android 14 beta will be able to discover new settings, but they remain hidden from the average tester. Rahman states that once it is officially released, users will find it under Settings > Accessibility > Color & Motion. Speculations suggest that this should happen during the arrival of Android 15 later this year.
Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2.1 started rolling out to registered Pixel testers yesterday (April 1), which included a number of bug fixes. Many of the bugs that Google intended to fix included launcher issues, charging and freezing issues, and other system bugs.
Google revealed its second development preview of Android 15 back in March, and with it came a few hints about what’s coming, like satellite connectivity. It was recently revealed that Android 15 is likely to feature the long-awaited volume rocker redesign. The new design shows a menu that would spring from the bottom of your screen, carrying large pill-shaped sliders to change the sound.
While we wait for Android 15, it was previously stated in April that it would hold the start of an open beta as we approach its full release later this year.