8849 Tank 2 Pro by Unihertz Review - the current battery life champion

OS, UI and software

8849 Tank 2 Pro by Unihertz is the first model from the Tank series to run on Android 14 out-of-the-box. It uses almost a stock version of the OS reflecting the main new features arriving with the 14th version. The default Lock and Home screen wallpaper is animated and its cyber style is a strong reference to the octagonal shapes on the rear shell. The Lock Screen is dominated by a huge Clock widget adjoined by a tiny Date widget and basic status bar icons. By default, a swipe up unlocks the smartphone but with Android 14 you will be diligently prompted to change the type of lock. The Home Screen has the same design and layout as the ones of the previous Tank models with projectors - a docked row of apps at the bottom, a row of favorite apps above it, and the projector app icon above those. The top of the screen is occupied by the Google search bar with Lens and Voice search embedded. The Customization Picker is simplified and contains a list of standard widgets, wallpapers and styles, as well as home settings. These allow you to show and hide Google Discover, change the icon size, the home screen layout, as well as change the launcher style - you can have an app drawer or consecutive desktops listing apps. The Task Manager tiles the apps horizontally with options to access the app info or enter split-screen mode (if supported). The Volume controls are standard in both collapsed and expanded view. The Notifications shade and the Quick Settings also feature a standard layout. The entire UI theme uses a very light lavender color as an accent one. The preloaded apps are in their most basic set and comprise Assistant, Calculator, Calendar, Camera, Chrome, Clock, Contacts, Drive, Files, FM Radio, Gmail, Google Discover, Keep Notes, Maps, Meet, Messages, Mobile Manager, NFC Cards, Phone, Photos, Play Store, Remote, Safety, Sound Recorder, Student Mode, Toolbox, YouTube, and YT Music. There's also a dedicated app for the built-in projector. It appears on the Home Screen and is a simple toggle for switching on/off the projector. The settings are simplified and appear in the Settings under a dedicated menu. NFC Cards is an app that allows you to keep in one place and manage all your cards for electronic payment. The Mobile Manager combines in one place shortcuts to the network manager, the battery saver, the app blocker, the app lock, and the app freezer. A dedicated app for the remote control function of the device is also at place. Toolbox is another typical app for ruggedized smartphones but the one on the Tank 2 Pro contains some features that are not found on every device. For starters, there's an app serving the barometer for showing the air pressure. Then there's a Clean Water & Dust feature for when you immerse the device in water or dust/dirt. The camping light has also a dedicated feature from within the Toolbox in addition to being accessed directly by the red physical button on the left frame. There's an additional app that imitates various sirens, manages the emergency lights as well as features such as an always-on light and a flashing light to use as signaling. On the Tank 2 Pro, this has a third emergency light in green color joining the red and blue ones. Additional tools include a noise measuring app, bubble level, compass, protractor, magnifier, flashlight, underwater camera, etc. The list of "Settings" consists of 22 menus headed by a settings search bar. Each menu has a symbolic icon in color in front of its name. The first begins with "My Device" which doubles the information provided in the last menu - "About Phone". They both provide information about the model, its basic hardware specifications, IMEI numbers, build version, etc. "Network & Internet" is the second group of settings and from here you manage your mobile connections, SIM cards, mobile data, Wi-Fi connections and preferences, Wi-Fi hotspots, and Wi-Fi Direct. The "Connected devices" menu is third and manages your Bluetooth connections, Cast display, NFC, etc. The fourth menu manages your applications. The fifth is the "Projector" meu. It contains an off/on toggle, a screen orientation toggle, a brightness level bar, and options for keystone correction and output style. The "Intelligent Assistance" is sixth and contains five sub-menus, including a call recorder, RAM extension options, fingerprint vibrator, etc. The "Notifications" menu contains all the standard Android settings for managing device and app notifications, history, conversations, bubbles, DND, wireless emergency alerts, etc. "Shortcut settings" is the eighth menu and allows you to set various functions and services to the two physical keys on the left frame of the device. You can make one of those a dedicated button for the camping light and the other a PTT key, for example. Moreover, you can assign an app or a service depending on three types of interaction with each button - a single press, a double press, and a long press on it. It is followed by the "Battery" menu which is discussed in the dedicated section of this review and the "Storage" menu with a toggle for the Storage Manager and a direct link to the Files app. The "Sound & Vibration" menu is next and remains unchanged with its four volume-level bars, DND mode, ringtones, Live Caption, vibration and haptics, and various specific toggles. The "Display" group follows with its refresh rate options, lock screen settings, font size and style, icon shape, etc. It is succeeded by the "Wallpaper & style" menu which is essentially the same as the one in the Customization picker. The "Accessibility" menu is next, comprising the usual options for assisted app management, viewing/hearing content, etc. It is here that you will find the "System controls". These comprise the system navigation - the place where you select on-screen gestures or virtual buttons for navigation and customize them. The same feature is to be found in System => Gestures. There's also a toggle for enabling the power button to end calls and another one for auto-rotating the screen. The "Security & Privacy" menu reflects the new features of Android 14. For starters, it combines security and privacy options into one. The main security features are renamed. The devices with Android 14 promptly remind you to set a device lock if you haven't and have a default option for security scanning. The "Privacy" sub-menu contains the usual permission manager, privacy dashboard, ads management, health connect, and activity controls. The "More Security & Privacy" options include Lock Screen Notifications, App Content, Android System Intelligence, Autofill Service from Google, Extend Unlock, and others. Extend Unlock is the Smart Unlock feature renamed. The "Location" menu which again deals with privacy but in the context of granting access to your location information to apps and services. The "Safety & Emergency" menu is the "Safety" app in its essence, containing the same options. The "Passwords & Accounts" menu is next and is about managing your passwords saved on the device, autofill service, synced accounts, etc. It is followed by the usual "Digital Wellbeing & Parental Controls" and "Google" settings. "System" and "About Phone" are the last two groups of settings. The "System" one is about managing your languages and keyboard settings, which in Android 14 comprise two separate sub-menus. Here you can also access the system navigation options as well as use other options related to setting the date and time, backing up data, resetting the device, managing multiple users' access to the device, and checking for updates. It also contains a feature that was present on older Android versions - schedule power on and off. The "About Phone" menu contains another system update option and all other info that can be accessed from the "My Device" menu.