Google rolled out the secure construct of Android 14 again in October, nevertheless it does not wait round to start out work on the following model of Android. The model likes to roll out preview builds as quickly as attainable to offer builders an opportunity to check out the brand new options effectively prematurely, and these releases additionally function a strategy to ship suggestions to the model over the newest additions heading to Android.
Google launched the primary preview construct of Android 15 on the finish of February, and adopted it up with DP2 on March 21. These builds are focused at devs, and are not meant for public use — these will come a bit later. The preview builds give us an early look into the options Google is constructing into Android, and whereas there wasn’t a whole lot of pleasure round Android 14, there’s loads of new stuff in Android 15.
I put in Android 15 Developer Preview 2 on my Pixel 8 as quickly because it grew to become obtainable, and I have been testing it a couple of days now. Earlier than we get to the brand new options, a phrase of warning: the construct could be very unstable, and it is not remotely near being prepared as a every day driver. Whereas the Play Retailer does not crash on launch — which was the case in Developer Preview 1 — there are many points with the construct. With that out of the day, here is what’s new in Android 15.
Android 15 launch timeline
Google has a clearly outlined timeline with its Android releases, and that is no completely different with Android 15. The preview builds will run till March, and we’ll get a public beta construct of Android 15 someday in April, with Google planning 4 beta builds at this second, operating via July.
The secure construct follows quickly after, and whereas Android 12 and Android 13 debuted within the month of August, Android 14 was delayed till October final yr. That stated, it’s probably that Google will return to its traditional cadence this yr, so a secure construct must be obtainable in August — I am going to have extra to share as we get extra particulars.
Whereas Google does not use codenames in public-facing documentation, all Android releases nonetheless have inside dessert codenames, and Android 15 is designated Vanilla Ice Cream. Like earlier years, the Android beta program is restricted to the Pixels, and this time, the Pixel 5 collection is not eligible — solely the Pixel 6 and upwards will decide up the replace. This is the listing of gadgets:
- Pixel 6
- Pixel 6 Professional
- Pixel 6a
- Pixel 7
- Pixel 7 Professional
- Pixel 7a
- Pixel 8
- Pixel 8 Professional
- Pixel Fold
- Pixel Pill
Android beta builds often make their strategy to the very best Android telephones by different manufacturers as effectively, however this does not kick off till a lot later within the yr. I am going to share further particulars as and once they’re obtainable.
Notification cooldown turns down the noise
Notification cooldown is a good new function that lowers the amount of incoming notifications whenever you get successive notifications from the identical app. So in case you’re in a bunch chat and begin getting fixed notifications, Android 15 robotically lowers the amount of subsequent notifications. What’s nice is which you could choose this setting for simply conversations, or all apps. As somebody who does not like getting many notification alerts (I exploit DND a lot of the day), it is a nice new addition, and one which I’ll use to good impact.
Keyboard vibration will get its personal toggle
Android 15 is including a system-wide toggle to allow or disable keyboard vibration. You would do that beforehand by going right into a keyboard’s settings and toggle the function individually, however the possibility to take action at a system-wide degree that works throughout keyboards is an efficient addition. Google can also be integrating a slider that permits you to modify the depth of haptic suggestions, just like what OPPO and different manufacturers already do.
The brightness slider vibrates now
In a bid to carry higher suggestions throughout the system, Google is including haptic suggestions to the brightness slider in Android 15. The impact could be very delicate — it isn’t on the identical degree because the nav gesture depth, however it’s nonetheless nice that you simply get some quantity of suggestions when adjusting the brightness.
Partial display screen recording enables you to share solely what’s wanted
Google took its candy time integrating a display screen recorder into Android, and by the point it added it, all different manufacturers had their very own tackle the function, which was often higher. Anyway, Android 15 is getting an replace that permits you to take partial display screen recording. As a substitute of recording your complete display screen by default, now you can choose to report a person app, and it will not present the remainder of the display screen and notifications.
Bluetooth tile is definitely helpful
Google moved the Wi-Fi and mobile connection tiles to a single tile referred to as Web, and it’s a fixed supply of frustration because it provides one other step if I simply wish to toggle my residence web on or off. In contrast, the Bluetooth tile — which might have truly benefitted with this performance — was an ordinary toggle that turned the Bluetooth radio or on off.
Fortunately, Google is addressing this concern in Android 15, and a brief press on the Bluetooth tile now pulls up a dialog field just like the Web one — you get to see your paired gadgets, and you’ve got the power to simply swap between gadgets, and there is the choice to toggle Bluetooth connectivity. If you wish to pair a brand new system, hitting the + icon on the backside of the dialog field to drag up the Bluetooth settings web page and join a brand new system.
Samsung’s One UI and Nothing OS already use this technique, and it is good to see Google baking it into Android.
Higher continuity on foldables
Google is lifting a function that debuted on the OnePlus Open that switches no matter motion you are doing on the interior display screen to the duvet display screen whenever you fold a tool. This can be a very helpful function, and different foldables just like the Honor Magic V2 even have it. With it being built-in into Android 15, we must always see it heading to much more foldables sooner or later.
Android 15 ought to have higher optimization
Google is making it simpler for sport and app makers to immediately entry the {hardware}, and the Android Dynamic Efficiency Framework consists of a set of APIs that permit higher optimization, and in Android 15, Google is introducing a power-efficiency mode that is designed for “long-running background workloads.” That is to make sure any background apps do not make the most of extra system sources than essential.
In an analogous vein, Google is rolling out new thermal thresholds that ought to make a distinction with throttling. Even the newest telephones with highly effective {hardware} wrestle with throttling points in demanding titles, and I am excited to see if this alteration makes a distinction in real-world use.
Android 15 rolls out an HQ webcam mode
You should utilize your telephone as a webcam, and with Android 15, Google is rolling out an HQ mode that makes a distinction to video high quality. There’s now a toggle that permits you to allow HQ mode, and it gives higher element decision. The one concern is that your system will get noticeably heat, however it’s a good addition nonetheless
Android 15 has an always-active taskbar
Android 15 DP2 brings a brand new function to the Pixel Fold and Android tablets that allows a persistent taskbar on the backside of the display screen. Different manufacturers supply this function as customary on their foldables, so it’s good to see Google including it natively in Android 15.
Android 15 enables you to share audio like its the ’90s
One other new function in Android 15 DP2 is the power to pay the identical audio throughout a number of headphones — no must share earbuds. The Audio sharing sub-menu is situated throughout the Linked gadgets web page, and it enables you to forged music to a couple of Bluetooth system at a time. I wasn’t in a position to get this function to work simply but, nevertheless it must be usable in later builds.
Android 15 options I wish to see
The perfect a part of Android is its sheer range; completely different manufacturers have their very own tackle what Android ought to appear like, and so they roll out customized options that go above and past what Google gives on the Pixels. As I get to make use of all of the flavors of Android, these are the options I wish to see in Android 15 — that stated, it is unlikely Google will embody any of those in upcoming builds.
Floating home windows
ColorOS and MIUI rolled out floating home windows three years in the past, and it’s a helpful utility that permits you to maximize display screen actual property. Floating home windows basically enables you to resize any app in order that it matches on the show with out taking on its whole width, and it may be overlaid onto one other app, making it fairly handy to make use of. My finest use case is launching the calculator in a floating window each time I want so as to add up a couple of issues, and it really works exceedingly effectively on this state of affairs.
If Google is trying so as to add floating home windows to Android 15, it ought to think about ColorOS’ implementation and never MIUI. In all its knowledge, Xiaomi thought it finest to have floating home windows enabled as default, with no strategy to flip off the function. Because of this everytime you pull down on a notification, it opens in a floating window, and I’ve had a number of situations over time the place I inadvertently launched floating home windows with out that means to.
Higher icon customization
Google launched themed icons in Android 12 (albeit in beta), and two years after launch, the function continues to be half-baked at finest. The issue is not all the way down to Google, however devs — as this function is not mandated, most app makers nonetheless select to disregard it, and it makes the house display screen look much less cohesive. Even well-known companies like Evernote do not supply the function, and whereas that is extra to do with the state of Evernote, it is annoying to not have all icons make the most of the function.
Whereas Google’s at it, if it may well roll out the power to alter icon form and dimension, that may be unbelievable. I am nonetheless aggravated at how little customization is on the market on a Pixel telephone on this specific regard, and actually must do higher.
Display screen Distance
Display screen Distance is a intelligent new function in iOS 17 that makes use of the entrance digital camera to find out in case you’re holding your telephone too near your eyes. The aim right here is to scale back eye pressure, and if the digital camera detects that you simply’re utilizing your system nearer than 12 inches out of your face, it triggers a full-screen alert asking you to maneuver your telephone or pill additional away.
This function proved to be fairly helpful on the iPhone 15 Professional Max, and I discovered that I had an inclination to carry the telephone slightly nearer at evening. Display screen Distance is designed to scale back threat of myopia in youngsters, however in case you have a tendency to make use of your telephone in mattress quite a bit, it may be fairly a useful device. Google must carry an analogous utility to Android, and on condition that it makes use of the digital camera to gauge distance, it should not be onerous to implement.
Higher At all times On Show
Google’s tackle an At all times On Show has all the time been lackluster, and Android 14 does not do a lot to alter that. You solely get the choice to indicate time and date when selecting an always-on display screen, and when you get notification icons on the backside, there’s no customization attainable.
Different interfaces, in the meantime, supply in depth customizability on this space. I just like the vary of types obtainable in ColorOS and the truth that I can design my very own sample that reveals up on the lock display screen, and whereas One UI does not supply a lot out of the field, you’ll be able to all the time set up Good Lock and unlock a slate of customization choices.
App cloning
Most Android manufacturers provide the choice to clone an app so you’ll be able to run two situations of it. That is useful in case you’ve bought two SIM playing cards and wish to totally make the most of messaging companies like WhatsApp or Telegram, however you do not have the power to take action on a Pixel telephone. Because it often does, Google teased this function in earlier Android 14 beta builds, nevertheless it was nowhere to be present in subsequent betas, and is lacking on the secure model.
Android 15: Rather more to come back
We’re simply getting began with Android 15, and the public-facing beta builds are nonetheless a month away. That is after we often see the massive interface modifications, and by that point, the builds are often secure sufficient for use every day. I am going to usually replace this publish as new builds present up, however even the little we have seen of Android 15 suggests it is going to be an thrilling launch.