By this time last year, we had already been treated to Android Upside Down Cake, AKA Android 14, with Google releasing its first Developer Preview build on February 8. So we had reason to believe Android 15, Google’s next major OS update, would make an appearance sometime in the near future, and now it appears that time will come sooner than later.
Android 15: News, leaks, release window, and our wishlist
Here’s what we know about Android 15 so far and our wishlist of what we would like to see in the release
As spotted by 9to5Google, a comment posted by a Google engineer on an AOSP commit page indicates that Android 15’s “first Developer preview is scheduled for Feb 15” — that’s this Thursday. The comment refers to this release as Android V, and we know the code name for Android 15 will be Vanilla Ice Cream, so everything adds up.
We’re censoring the Googler’s name here so as not to get them caught up in a scandal, but the post is still visible on the Android Open Source Project page as of this writing, where code commits and comments are open to public review.
If Android 15 DP1 drops on Thursday, it’s expected to first be made available to Google Pixel devices as a set of image files that need to be flashed manually, rather than installed as a system update in Settings. In years past, the simpler types of OTA updates haven’t been offered until the new version becomes available in the Android Beta Program. As this is a Developer Preview, it’s intended for app makers and OEMs to test their software for compatibility with the new version, and thus, easy installation is not a priority.
How to manually install Google Pixel updates
You have plenty of choices if you don’t want to wait it out
Android 15 should be available on all of Google’s phones and tablets, starting with the Pixel 6. The Pixel 5a is only guaranteed updates through August 2024, which is likely to be just before the new version’s release. As for software changes, we’re expecting the debut of a new Private Space feature, which should function similarly to Samsung’s Secure Folder. Lock screen widgets could also make their return in the new version, and Google might force apps to go truly full-screen. So there’s lots to be excited about with Android 15, and luckily, it appears the wait won’t be long at all.
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