Android 14 — Overview

Android 14 is the fourteenth major release of the Android mobile operating system, released in 2023. It is a software platform for smartphones, tablets, and related devices that extends the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) and is distributed both as reference builds from Google and as customized builds from device manufacturers.

Origin and development

Android was originally created by Android, Inc. in the United States and acquired by Google in 2005. Android 14 is primarily developed and maintained by Google's Android engineering teams (headquartered in the United States) together with contributions from device OEMs, silicon vendors, carriers, and the global open-source community.

Manufacturing and distribution

As software, Android 14 is produced and built in multiple countries: source code is hosted and collaborated on globally, reference builds and official releases are published by Google, and commercial device images are compiled and customized by OEMs for their hardware. Therefore the product is best described as manufactured in multiple countries and distributed worldwide.

Ownership and licensing

The Android brand and core platform are ultimately owned by Google LLC (United States). The platform combines open-source components (AOSP) under permissive licenses with proprietary Google services (Google Mobile Services, Play Store, and bundled Google apps) that Google licenses to OEM partners.

Deployment

Android 14 is deployed broadly across handset makers, tablets, and other devices via OEM updates, carrier releases, and direct Google Pixel updates. Its ecosystem and distribution model mean that while Google is the ultimate owner and lead maintainer, practical builds and device-level distributions are created worldwide by many partners.