Announced in May 2024, the Android 15 update has been available on the first smartphones since October 15, 2024. Compatible smartphones, functions… Here is all the information on the new update of the mobile operating system.
Android 15 is the latest update to Google’s mobile operating system, the most used OS on the planet. Deployed since October 15, 2024, and pre-installed on new smartphones that will be released after this date, Android 15 brings several new features to Google Pixel, Samsung or Xiaomi smartphones.
Google officially unveiled Android 15 on May 15, the day after its I/O 2024 conference. The update, which was long delayed, arrived on Pixels in the fall.
What are the main new features of Android 15?
Private space, to lead a secret life
The most important new feature in Android 15 is called “Private Space”. It takes the form of a hidden area in the application launcher, with software that does not appear in the list without unlocking the space with a code or fingerprint.
Nothing really new? Wait until you understand how it works. Private space hides notifications, can work with a dedicated secondary Google account, does not store any logs on the smartphone and technically allows you to lead a second life without being surprised. It’s a real phone within a phone, which required a rewrite of part of the OS.
Two apps together on a big screen
Google takes inspiration from Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold and adds to Android 15 the ability to paste two applications, so that they always open simultaneously.
More protection in the event of theft or fraud
Android 15 introduces several system-level protections. Among them, the possibility of deactivating a phone more easily in the event of theft, a telephone scam detector or an algorithm which recognizes a snatching and deactivates the screen (this function will also be available on old versions) . Android 15 can also detect a fake cellular connection, if the antenna is rigged to intercept data.
Linking Android 15 with satellites
Starting with Pixel 9, some Google smartphones support satellite connectivity. The update improves the native management of this function, even if Android 14 already contains some files on the Pixel 9.
Automatic storage optimization
Android 15 will think about smartphones with little storage. An option will automatically archive applications used little or more. Google takes inspiration here from what Apple offers.
Improved PDF reader
Progress on opening and displaying PDF documents in Android is also expected. Among the supposed advances, searching for text inside a file, annotations, filling out a form, or copying and pasting. Password-protected documents will be better supported.
Screen recording detection, smoother NFC, AV1…
Other modifications are also in the program, such as a tool that will detect whether the screen is being recorded. On the NFC side, Google also plans progress in the user experience (with the possibility of updating this part from the Play Store). Finally, better management of the AV1 codec is mentioned, to improve streaming. Other APIs are updated.
When was Android 15 presented?
The official presentation of Android 15 took place on May 15, 2024, the day after the Google I/O. This is the first time that Google hasn’t talked about the new Android during its main conference.
When was Android 15 released?
Usually, Google releases the new version of Android with its new Pixel smartphones. In 2024, that was not the case. Since the Pixel 9 was released in August, and Android 15 was not ready, the phones were released under Android 14.
Android 15 was officially released on Pixel smartphones on October 15, 2024, after its open source version was finalized in September.
Which smartphones are compatible with Android 15?
A first list of eligible phones to Android 15 was provided by Google. These are eligible devices from the release date, but this list is not exhaustive. Other devices, from other brands like Samsung, Oppo or Xiaomi, will also receive Android 15.
What is the code name of Android 15 (pastry)?
It’s been several years now since Google decided to abandon nicknames for Android. Until 2018, the American company had the custom of taking the names of cakes or confectionery to designate each new major version of the OS, following alphabetical order. But in 2019, this tradition stopped.
Behind the scenes, however, these code names have not disappeared. We saw this with Android Tiramisu (Android 13), for example. We also saw this with Android 14 (Upside Down Cake). In a world where Google is still playing with the names of pastries, Android 15 would be called VanillaIceCream (vanilla ice cream). Yum.
Source: www.numerama.com
