- Android 14 Developer Preview 2 has added a new Credential Manager
- Credential Manager will give users passwordless logins for various apps
- Other updates to the new preview include a photo picker and more
A new developer preview has been released for the upcoming edition of the world’s most used operating system, Android. The Android 14 Developer Preview 2 comes in line with the progression of the overall development process, and the latest release has brought to the fore one primary new feature that could change the way we use apps and services on our Android smartphones — Credential Manager. As per the latest release, Credential Manager will be offered as an application programming interface (API) to developers, who can then build on this to create passwordless login experiences for users.
Android 14 Developer Preview: What do the new features mean
Credential Manager could be a big move for Google to adopt, as the Android 14 Developer Preview has showcased. It is similar to how Apple offers users the ability to login using their Apple ID and on-device biometric data on iPhones, therefore removing the hassle of remembering passwords.
Along with the threat of forgetting, passwords, even with two-factor authentication procedures, are deemed to be significantly unsafe. As a result, replacing passwords with systems such as on-device parameters such as biometrics are expected to increasingly replace passwords, with Android integrating the feature in the upcoming version.
It will be interesting to see how the feature would be isolated from being a Google-dependent one, or be adopted by other brands as well. The Android 14 Developer Preview 2 also brought other new features, such as a selective photo-picker API for all apps on Android, which will give apps selective and revocable access to your on-device media and files. There are also performance enhancements to memory and battery consumption, which will seek to streamline the amount of resources that background apps and services consume on your phone.
