Key Takeaways
- Android 15 has formally launched, and might now be downloaded and put in on eligible Pixel units.
- The Android 15 replace brings with it many under-the-hood platform enhancements, however solely a comparatively small smattering of latest user-facing options.
- Listed here are a few of my private favourite new options included on this newest model of Android.
Android 15 — Google’s huge function replace for Android in 2024 — is now out there for obtain on eligible Google Pixel devices. For some context, model 15 of the corporate’s flagship cell working system was truly finalized back on September 3, within the type of an Android Open Source Project (AOSP) launch.
It took Google just a bit bit longer than anticipated to ship its modified Pixel implementation of Android 15 to us, however we lastly have our palms on it now. The change log is fairly lengthy, although many of the enhancements and tweaks are under-the-hood versus user-facing. Nonetheless, there are a number of notable additions to mess around with — listed here are my 5 private favorites.
Associated
Android 15 and Google’s latest Pixel Feature Drop are here to give your phone a pick-me-up
The newest model of Android is rolling out now, alongside Pixel-exclusive updates that deliver some Pixel 9 options to older telephones.
1 Android lastly has its personal devoted Personal Area.
A protracted-time staple of third-party Android skins makes its technique to the Pixel
Google / Pocket-lint
Many third-party producers have lengthy supplied a password protected ‘non-public’ mode as a part of their Android pores and skin overlay. It has been a very long time coming, however I am joyful to see Google lastly implement a comparable function into the core Android expertise.
Enter Personal Area — as soon as activated in settings, it will create a separate enclave inside your app drawer for securing any app behind safe authentication. If this sounds much like iOS 18’s ‘Hide and Require Face ID’ feature, that is as a result of it’s (although applied in another way, the core idea is comparable)
Associated
5 upgrades that’d make Android 15 the perfect mobile OS for me
Android is a mature working system, however there’s loads extra I might like to see added to the platform.
2 Theft Detection Lock, Offline System Lock, and Distant Lock are all much-appreciated additions
Hopefully, you may by no means want to make use of any of those security measures
Google / Pocket-lint
This subsequent perform, Theft Detection Lock, makes use of on-device AI in live performance together with your telephone’s gyroscope sensor to activate itself. Within the unlikely occasion that an individual snatches your telephone out of your hand and takes off with it, the function shortly locks your telephone display screen to guard your private knowledge.
Offline System Lock mechanically lockd your telephone display screen if the Android system detects that any person is attempting to disconnect your telephone from the web for prolonged intervals. After which there’s Distant Lock: a new web portal that lets you remotely lock your Android’s display screen just by typing within the telephone quantity related together with your SIM.
Associated
Google’s latest Android 15 beta simplifies passkey usage and improves stability
Android 15’s third developer preview exhibits off a less complicated passkey UI and platform stability.
3 App archiving is applied on the system degree
The right instrument for once you’re working low on cupboard space
App archiving is a great tool that lets you delete the elements of an app that take up valuable cupboard space with out having to delete your private knowledge within the course of. Basically, it lets you extra simply re-download the complete utility and proceed off precisely the place you left off.
As telephone apps proceed to develop in scope and measurement, simple archival choices are an enormous high quality of life addition.
App archiving is nothing new to working techniques, however now it is correctly constructed into Android at a decrease degree than beforehand. Even higher, based on a deep dive by Mishaal Rahman over at Android Authority, the function seems to work on apps put in from sources outdoors the Google Play Retailer. As telephone apps proceed to develop in scope and measurement, simple archival choices are an enormous quality-of-life addition in my eyes.
Associated
The second Android 15 public beta is live, and on many more phones
There are nonetheless a number of huge gaps in beta assist.
4 We lastly have a battery cost limiter baked into the OS
On the subject of smartphone battery administration, extra choices are higher than fewer
A battery cost limiter setting is yet one more function that is been round on different working techniques and Android skins for a while now. Briefly, it lets you cap your telephone’s battery to an 80% cost versus 100%, with a purpose to protect the long run well being of your energy cell.
Batteries degrade faster after they’re uncovered to low cost or excessive cost percentages for prolonged intervals of time.
Batteries degrade faster after they’re uncovered to low cost or excessive cost percentages for prolonged intervals, so this function is a justified OS inclusion. At the moment, the setting solely permits for an 80% cap. I might like to see further flexibility in a future replace, with non-compulsory cap charges of 85% and even 90%.
Associated
My Android 15 wishlist: 5 features I want Google to deliver
From lock display screen widgets and app pairs to improved wi-fi audio, Android 15 may very well be a low-key hit.
5 The Android pill expertise simply received higher
Google continues to slowly however certainly enhance on Android for large screens.
Google / Pocket-lint
Google started reinvesting within the pill area with the launch of Android 12L in 2021. Since then, the corporate has slowly been chipping away at tablet-friendly OS enhancements, one replace at a time. Fortunately, this development continues with Android 15.
There is a new choice to drive the taskbar to stay on display screen always, versus the ‘transient’ model that floats out and in of view. In the meantime, a brand new app pairs function allows you to shortly launch any two apps concurrently in split-screen mode, which is nice from a productiveness perspective.
There’s additionally a brand new devoted widgets space accessible from the lock display screen, just by swiping over to the appropriate. Curiously, Google has elected to maintain lock display screen widgets tablet-exclusive at the moment. I am hopeful that the function shall be backported onto phone-sized screens in a future replace. Google seems to be enjoying the lengthy sport in relation to Android tablets, and I am excited to see how the OS will continue to evolve to higher accommodate big-screen devices.
Associated
Google Pixel Tablet review: Hi honey, I’m (Google) home
Google’s return to tablets sees optimised apps for the bigger show, a concentrate on sensible house integration – however do you have to purchase the Pixel Pill?
Trending Merchandise
