Availability, timeline, and new options

Android 15
is the most recent model of Google’s cellular OS. Following the discharge of a crop of recent Pixel units launched with final yr’s Android 14 this summer time, the long-awaited replace is lastly right here. Given how lengthy we have waited, it is not a very massive refresh — a lot of the modifications are behind the scenes, and even the larger user-facing upgrades are fairly delicate in comparison with heavy-hitting updates like Android 10, which rolled out fashionable gesture navigation, or Android 12, which debuted Google’s Materials You dynamic theming.

Nonetheless, Android 15 guarantees safety, efficiency, and digital camera enhancements for the newest and best Android telephones throughout the board. Learn on to be taught all the things it’s essential learn about Android 15, which units are supported now, and what new options will come to your cellphone down the highway.

Android 15 timeline and gadget assist

Android 15’s steady launch started rolling out to Pixel units on October 15, 2024, after an unusually lengthy preview interval that started in February. It carries on the quarterly launch schedule Google’s adopted since 2021’s Android 12, that means we will count on three main updates earlier than Android 16 lands subsequent fall. The primary massive replace, Android 15 QPR1, is slated for December, and its beta is ongoing now.

As for gadget assist, you may count on your favourite telephones from current years to get Android 15 at some stage. Android producers are getting higher and sooner at offering long-term assist for his or her {hardware}: Samsung, OnePlus, Asus, and Motorola provide cheap replace insurance policies starting from three to seven years after launch. Google’s main the pack as we speak with the Google Pixel 9 collection, which receives full OS updates till 2031, seven years from its launch. The Galaxy S25 collection is predicted to hold an identical promise, which might see Samsung’s subsequent era of flagship telephones getting updates till early 2032.

Android 15 is at the moment accessible for the next Pixel units:

• Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Professional, and 9 Professional XL
• Pixel 8a
• Pixel 8 and eight Professional
• Pixel 7a
• Pixel 7 and seven Professional
• Pixel 6a
• Pixel 6 and 6 Professional
• Pixel Fold
• Pixel Pill

You possibly can count on Android 15 to return to many current units from most top-end producers, however it may take a while. Samsung specifically has already confirmed it will not be distributing its Android 15-based One UI 7 replace till early 2025, although builders can have entry to a One UI 7 beta someday earlier than then.

What’s new in Android 15 QPR1 Beta 2

QPR1 Beta 2 landed on September 12 and is on the market now for Pixel telephones enrolled within the Android 15 beta program. Beta 2 features a hefty checklist of bugfixes, but in addition a good quantity of recent user-facing options. Moreover, it is the primary Android 15 beta construct accessible for the smaller Pixel 9 Professional.

Here is the checklist of bugs squashed, as reported by Google on Reddit:

At present we’re sending you an Android 15 QPR1 Beta 2 (AP41.240823.009) that features the next repair:

• Fastened a difficulty that generally triggered the system to over-report GPS battery utilization. (Difficulty #354135496)
• Fastened a difficulty that prevented the 80% gadget cost restrict from being disabled. (Difficulty #363170385)
• Fastened a difficulty that prevented passwords from being managed by means of Google Password Supervisor. (Difficulty #361846097)
• Fastened a difficulty that triggered the Google Maps app to crash. (Difficulty #364843770)
• Fastened a difficulty that interrupted Bluetooth connectivity on some units. (Difficulty #362156070)
• Fastened a difficulty that generally triggered NFC-based funds to fail. (Difficulty #363914347)
• Fastened a difficulty that might generally trigger a tool to restart unexpectedly. (Difficulty #363109091)
• Fastened a difficulty the place Now Enjoying did not seem on the lock display whereas working. (Difficulty #361709269)
• Fastened a difficulty within the Pixel Suggestions app that prevented the Satellite tv for pc SOS demo from launching. (Difficulty #362061150)
• Fastened numerous different points that had been impacting system stability, efficiency, connectivity, and interactivity.
• (Bluetooth) Made AIDL modifications to assist LE Audio multi-codec, together with extensions for vendor codecs.
• (Bluetooth) Fastened a bug of ScanRecord.getManufacturerSpecificData() to return merged a number of Producer Particular Information as an alternative of solely returning the primary Producer Particular Information.
• (Bluetooth) Fastened a difficulty the place the cellphone will get caught in an incorrect state when the distant gadget does RFCOMM Disconnection throughout Codec Negotiation whereas the cellphone is already having an energetic reference to a distinct gadget.
• (Bluetooth) Fastened a difficulty the place subsequent connection makes an attempt failed regionally after an outgoing HFP connection try was discarded.
• (Bluetooth) Fastened a difficulty the place the primary paired gadget misplaced audio focus when a second gadget was paired and reconnected.
• (Bluetooth) Fastened a difficulty the place some headsets could not pair utilizing Quick Pair as a result of a race situation the place the Bluetooth stack incorrectly treats a LE-ACL disconnection throughout basic pairing as a pairing failure.

Famous Android tinkerer Mishaal Rahman has noticed a number of in-development options current within the new construct. Probably most curiously, Beta 2 consists of the modernized Settings menu we first noticed earlier this summer time. The revamped settings menu provides a contrasting background behind settings choices, doubtlessly making the format simpler to grasp.

Fast-draw keyboard switching

There’s additionally a brand new keyboard switcher function that makes swapping between a number of software program keyboards sooner. Fairly than opening a menu so that you can select your keyboard from, the up to date button immediately swaps between your put in keyboards. You possibly can nonetheless convey up an inventory of your keyboards by urgent and holding the button.

Improved display casting and recording controls

There is a new standing bar chip displayed when recording or casting your display, which you’ll be able to faucet to floor related controls. Beforehand, these controls had been displayed as a part of a persistent notification. The brand new implementation requires fewer faucets and appears lots cleaner in motion.

Slimmer notification previews

Android 15 QPR1 Beta 2 features a new notification type that sees pop-ups for brand new notifications take up much less room in your display, just like the default Compact type notifications are displayed in on Samsung units. Apparently, we’ve not seen this function on our personal units working QPR1 Beta 2, so it is attainable it is a staged rollout.

Helpful new show choices

Shade correction filters can be found in system settings as of QPR1 Beta 2. This function had been noticed in growth again in July, however is barely simply now accessible on this beta construct.

Additionally noticed by Rahman: Android 15 QPR1 Beta 2 allows a system setting that allows you to put your cellphone’s show in an “additional dim” mode in a surprisingly intuitive manner: adjusting the brightness slider all the way in which to the left.

Charging Optimization is truly right here

The Charging Optimization function that went reside for a choose few QPR1 Beta 1 customers — with no possibility to show it off — is now useful in Beta 2. Charging Optimization enables you to restrict your battery’s cost degree to 80 % to guard its capability long-term. A settings web page for the function now provides the choice to show the function off after enabling it, resolving a bug some Beta 1 customers skilled.

What’s new in Android 15 QPR1 Beta 1

Google dropped the primary beta for Android 15’s first Quarterly Platform Launch in August. Most Pixel telephones at the moment enrolled within the Android 15 beta program will see the replace, although the Pixel 9 collection is not at the moment eligible. New options are nonetheless being found within the QPR1 beta. Android 15 QPR1 is predicted to see a steady launch in December.

Charging Optimization is right here, kind of

Android 15 is predicted to ship with a charging optimization function that lets customers select to cease their units’ batteries charging at 80 %, an possibility that ought to delay battery well being and sluggish capability loss over time. Whereas we’ve not tried it ourselves, at the least one Reddit consumer has famous that, after enabling charging optimization from a pop-up dialog on their Pixel 8a, they haven’t any choice to disable the function. That habits is clearly a bug that must be ironed out in future releases.

A brand new Fast Settings animation

As reported on the unofficial Google Information Telegram channel, opening the settings app from fast settings tiles seems and feels a bit of totally different in Android 15 QPR1 Beta 1. Urgent and holding on a fast settings tile will take you to the related part in your gadget’s settings, as at all times. However now, there is a snazzy new animation that makes it appear to be the short settings tile expands into the total settings app. The animation is accompanied by haptic suggestions, and solely appears to play out if the settings app is not already open beneath the short settings panel.

Beta 1.1 brings Pixel 9 aboard

Android 15 QPR1 Beta 1.1 dropped in late August. Beta 1.1 fastened a bug that triggered seemingly random reboots, and likewise opened the beta program as much as the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Professional XL, which weren’t elegible for earlier Android 15 betas or Android 15 QPR1 Beta 1.

What’s new in Android 15

Android 15 is a comparatively slim replace so far as new user-facing options go, however along with the discharge’s modest new performance, there are many tweaks underneath the hood. This checklist might not be complete and can be up to date over time as we be taught extra, however listed below are the brand new Android 15 options it’s essential learn about.

Non-public house is a spot to cover delicate apps

There are numerous causes it’s possible you’ll need to hold a few of your exercise in your cellphone to your self, and Android 15 means that you can disguise apps of their entirety. Android 15 accommodates a brand new function referred to as “personal house,” which makes use of a separate consumer profile to cover particular apps out of your homescreen, app launcher and nearly in all places else. You possibly can then lock the profile and guarantee it could possibly solely be reopened by means of authentication.

All of the apps included in personal house are in a separate container inside the launcher, they usually will not seem in parts like settings or your notifications. This can be useful for these in conditions the place your gadget is shared with somebody who you do not need to have entry to sure apps.

Android 15 formally makes app archiving a system-level function

Google added app archiving to the Play Retailer final yr. The function is supposed that can assist you avoid wasting treasured storage: it means that you can take away the most important portion of most apps, nevertheless it leaves behind a small stub with private information in your cellphone. With Android 15, this functionality is baked into Android itself, so you may archive apps from the app data display. Because of this all suitable launchers will be capable to show a obtain icon, and it additionally signifies that app archiving is changing into accessible for third-party app shops.

Save your favourite split-screen app mixtures

On larger-screen Android units, it’s possible you’ll end up persistently utilizing split-screen. When you’ve got a favourite mixture of apps to make use of side-by-side, Android 15 means that you can particularly save a mixture of apps, so it is simple to tug up instantly. These mixtures could be added to your house display or pinned to your taskbar. This function truly debuted on the Pixel 9 Professional Fold working Android 14, nevertheless it’s constructed proper into Android 15.

Now you can pin the taskbar on large-screen units

On most big-screen units working Android 14, to entry the dock-like taskbar whereas utilizing an app, you need to swipe up on the gesture navigation deal with and maintain — a mixture of actions that feels a bit of awkward. On Android 15, you’ve got the choice to pin the taskbar so it exhibits up on a regular basis, besides when viewing full-screen content material like movies or video games. Like app pairs, this additionally premiered on the Pixel 9 Professional Fold, nevertheless it’s a core Android function beginning in model 15.

The Pixel Pill will get House Controls as a screensaver

Pixel Pill homeowners working Android 15 can now entry a screensaver underneath their show settings that delivers good dwelling controls in an easy-to-use UI just like what you will discover within the precise app. It is a small change, however ought to assist the pill really feel extra cohesive as a Nest Hub alternative.

Adjustments to passkeys

With Android 15, your passkeys now seem as autofill solutions inside your keyboard in the event you unintentionally bypass the display, simply as it could with another login data. That makes logging in with a passkey a single step course of, displaying account particulars on the identical web page because the authentication controls. It is one more small change, however a crucial one to make passkeys as handy as your traditional password supervisor.

Android 15 will drive apps to show content material edge-to-edge

When apps are up to date to focus on Android 15, they are going to routinely be compelled to show content material edge-to-edge by default. Because of this there can be much more apps that do not add a black field across the gesture navigation bar. Given that it’ll solely be necessary for apps to focus on Android 15 by the top of 2025, it could take fairly a very long time till this would be the case for many apps. It is nonetheless a giant push for a extra immersive and simply prettier expertise throughout Android.

Android 15 provides inter-character justified textual content

Android must work properly throughout all languages on the market, which is a frightening process. In Android 15, the corporate is bettering this facet with a brand new inter-character methodology for justified textual content. In Latin languages, justified textual content normally inserts greater areas between phrases to make every line take up the total width of the view, however this does not work properly for Japanese or Chinese language, for instance. That is the place the inter-character facet is available in, which provides extra space between particular person characters. That is the popular solution to create justified textual content in these languages.

Android 15 could make your third-party pockets app default extra simply

In case your financial institution presents its personal contactless cost resolution somewhat than counting on Google Pockets, it is possible for you to to make this your default cost supplier extra simply in Android 15. In Beta 1, the choice to take action sits proper alongside the opposite default app choices underneath the apps part in system settings. This makes it lots much less concerned than in Android 14 and decrease, which required you to move to a separate part referring to NFC settings. Functionally, there are not any modifications.

A brand new emoji font

Android 15 removes Android’s legacy emoji font, which saved emoji photographs as PNG information. Now, telephones working Android 15 will use vector-based emoji that may scale to any dimension with out changing into pixelated. Google launched vector emoji in Android 13, however maintained assist for PNG emoji in Android 13 and 14. With this alteration, all telephones that run Android 15 and use Google’s emoji library will solely use the vector variants.

Well being Join will now get entry to pores and skin temperature and coaching plans

The Well being Join platform inside Android now has entry to pores and skin temperature information, so when you’ve got a suitable wearable you’ll report that extra simply. Android 15 additionally lets Well being Join entry information about diet, coaching plans, and extra, that means builders will be capable to construct well being and health apps that work higher collectively. Whether or not this can be taken benefit of stays to be seen.

Android 15 enables you to flip off keyboard vibrations

When you can normally flip off haptic suggestions inside no matter keyboard app you are utilizing on Android, you have not been in a position to globally flip it off — till Android 15. The brand new launch provides a toggle in system settings, which helps you to globally activate or off vibration for all keyboards it’s possible you’ll use. That is significantly helpful while you use multiple keyboard app, or while you need to swap to a brand new one with the identical vibration possibility utilized.

Android 15 provides vibration suggestions to the brightness and quantity sliders

In an effort to make the system really feel extra haptic, Google has added vibration suggestions to the brightness and quantity sliders in Android 15. The impact is refined, and on Pixel, serves to focus on the standard of your cellphone’s haptic motors. It goes a good distance in making Android really feel extra polished and create a way of hardware-software unity.

Android 15 turns down the quantity for spammy notifications

Generally, the group chat with your pals goes wild, and new messages are available in second after second, spawning a brand new notification sound in your finish time and again. Android 15 needs to repair this downside for you with a new notification cooldown function. It routinely lowers the quantity of notifications while you hold getting new ones from the identical app.

The settings web page for this selection is at the moment not easy. It exhibits an outline of how notification cooldown works, which it’s essential faucet as soon as extra to entry its settings. By default, cooldown is utilized to all apps, however you may also change it to solely apply to conversations or to not use it in any respect.

Android 15 enables you to proceed utilizing apps while you fold

Google began experimenting with a “Proceed utilizing apps on fold” function on Android 14 QPR preview builds. In Android 15, this function has now arrived within the system settings app. It enables you to select what is going to occur while you fold shut the Pixel Fold.

You possibly can at all times proceed on the outer display, swipe as much as proceed, or go away the outer display turned off when closing always. The choice to swipe up is new in Android 15, and it appears impressed by the OnePlus Open.

Android 15 incorporates the OnePlus Open’s continue-on-outer display function

As suspected earlier, Google is taking a key function from the OnePlus Open and provides it to the Pixel Fold. With Android 15, you can now resume an exercise from the internal display on the outer display by swiping up on the lock display while you fold the cellphone. This habits could be tweaked to your liking in system settings. It is precisely the identical manner it really works on the OnePlus Open.

Android 15 will get partial display sharing

Android has lengthy supported display recording, however utilizing the function generally is a privateness nightmare while you neglect to disable notifications or swap to an app that you simply did not imply to report. With Android 15, Google enables you to to decide on just one app to report, with notifications and different apps routinely blocked from view. Pixel telephones obtained this functionality sooner than others with Android 14 QPR2, included within the March 2024 Pixel Characteristic Drop, however the possibility goes mainstream in Android 15.

Android 15 helps digital MIDI 2.0 units

Musicians, rejoice: after introducing assist for MIDI 2.0 USB units in Android 13, Google is popping its consideration to virtualization. Google expands Common MIDI Packet (UMP) assist to digital MIDI apps. Based on Google, this permits “composition apps to manage synthesizer apps as a digital MIDI 2.0 gadget identical to they’d with an USB MIDI 2.0 gadget.”

Android 15 will get Privateness Sandbox updates

Google is on a quest to “develop applied sciences that enhance consumer privateness and allow efficient, customized promoting experiences,” and with Android 15, introduces its new Privateness Sandbox as a system-wide different on its working programs. The corporate claims that it is a extra privacy-preserving solution to serve related and focused adverts to customers. With Android 15, Google raises the Android AD Providers as much as extension degree 10, permitting it so as to add the most recent revisions to the Privateness Sandbox.

Android 15 revamps its built-in PDF reader

Android has lengthy provided a baked-in PDF rendering engine for different apps to hook in, nevertheless it’s fairly rudimentary. In actual fact, it’s so stripped from options that some apps like Chrome don’t use it in any respect, routinely redirecting you to the Google Drive PDF viewer as an alternative. That’s altering with Android 15 which incorporates upgrades to the built-in PDF viewer that add “superior options reminiscent of rendering password-protected information, annotations, kind modifying, looking, and choice with copy.”

Android 15 expands satellite tv for pc assist

Google first began experimenting with satellite tv for pc connectivity with Android 14, and this work continues with Android 15. Google’s added a brand new satellite tv for pc connectivity indicator that lives alongside the Wi-Fi and cellular community icon within the high proper of your standing bar. It makes use of totally different shades of grey to depict how sturdy the connection is. There’s additionally the choice so as to add notifications telling you that you simply’re now linked to a satellite tv for pc somewhat than Wi-Fi and cellular community. Google additionally provides assist for SMS and RCS functions by way of satellite tv for pc, making it rather more versatile than Apple’s emergency-only resolution for its newest iPhones.

Android 15 presents improved foldable assist

With Android 15, apps will lastly have a standardized solution to assist cowl screens on flip-style foldables. A brand new property lets builders set particular person views or full apps as suitable with small cowl screens. Often, common Android apps are constructed with greater shows in thoughts, so builders have to do some optimization. Therefore, the function is opt-in. It could simply level at Google’s curiosity within the {hardware} kind issue, although a flip-style Pixel isn’t anyplace to be seen simply but.

Android 15 provides apps a solution to detect display recording

Android apps can already detect while you take screenshots, however with Android 15, they may even be capable to inform while you report the display. This makes it simpler to account for switching between totally different apps whereas recording, which might go away the recorded app with a clean display. Apps may use this detection function to remind customers to not unintentionally share delicate info. Word that that is separate from the instruments that builders can use to totally block screenshots or recordings.

Android 15 might make HDR content material stick out much less

The illustration exhibits the perceived distinction when viewing SDR content material solely or a mixture of HDR and SDR

HDR photographs and movies look extra vivid and pure than SDR content material (customary dynamic vary). Once you combine and match HDR and SDR content material on a single view, although, SDR content material can simply look washed out and too darkish. That’s the place new HDR headroom controls are available in. Builders can management the headroom with a brand new setDesiredHdrHeadroom, which makes it attainable to create a greater steadiness between customary and excessive dynamic vary content material.

Android 15 might provide extra constant quantity

Android 15 introduces assist for the CTA-2075 customary, which is meant to forestall inconsistent loudness throughout totally different audio sources. That manner, you don’t need to hold adjusting quantity as you turn between totally different video or audio sources. Android 15 will use standardized traits of output units (like audio system or headphones) after which intelligently alter the audio to make it match throughout every kind of content material. For this to work, builders want so as to add loudness metadata to their AAC audio content material, so it could take a while till these automated loudness controls work as meant.

Different Android 15 particulars

Android 15 is named Vanilla Ice Cream

Google does not use its inner Android code names for advertising and marketing functions anymore, however the firm is extra open about its upcoming variations. That is why we all know Android 15 can be referred to as Vanilla Ice Cream. Given the alphabetical ordering of its variations, it is an apparent option to comply with after Android 14 Upside Down Cake.

The Vanilla Ice Cream title can be a nod to the historical past of Android. The bottom model of Android is also known as vanilla Android (as in “plain” Android). We’re wanting ahead to the jokes about how some producers’ variations of Android 15 can be much less vanilla than others, although actually, no cellphone is transport with something near the untouched Android Open Supply Challenge (AOSP) code anymore today, not even Pixels.

Android 15’s icon and visuals stay space-themed

Like yearly, Google up to date the visuals that associate with new Android launch. Android 15’s new emblem sits in a triangular form with a inexperienced define, with the acquainted bugdroid mascot with a 15 on its again, wanting in the direction of one thing like a gate on the finish of an extended bridge or line. Within the background, some stars are sprinkled round.

Google normally hides a brand new Easter egg in each model of Android, accessible by tapping in your cellphone’s Android model quantity a number of instances in settings. On Android 14, this brings up a NASA-style badge with the Android mascot in it. The brand new Android 14 QPR3 beta launch tweaks the design of the badge to be triangular and loses the Android 14 point out, which is correct consistent with that new Android 15 emblem.

The remainder of the Easter egg, together with the spaceship minigame that pops up while you maintain on the badge for a very long time, is left intact.

Android 15 is lastly right here, however most of us nonetheless have to attend

Android 15 is formally rolling out to Pixel units now, however Google’s telephones are hardly the vast majority of Android units on the market. There’s nonetheless a while to go earlier than the most recent model can be tailored for and distributed to units from third-party producers like Samsung and OnePlus, with the previous already having confirmed that its rollout will start in 2025. That is simply the way in which these items go; in the event you’re keen, beta packages ought to begin ahead of that.

With Android 15 rolling out to units now, we flip our consideration to the subsequent QPR replace, slated for December. It seems set to convey extra user-facing modifications than Android 15 itself did, together with redesigned system settings, a brand new keyboard switcher, lockscreen widgets on tablets, and extra. In case you’re serious about making an attempt out the QPR1 beta in your Pixel gadget, you may join it at Google’s official Android developer website.