Subj : Android 15: latest news, rumors, and everything we know so far To : All From : TechnologyDaily Date : Thu Feb 15 2024 08:30:06 Android 15: latest news, rumors, and everything we know so far Date: Thu, 15 Feb 2024 08:24:46 +0000 Description: Android 15 could include a lot of new features, and we have a good idea of what to expect. FULL STORY ====================================================================== Android 15 or Vanilla Ice Cream as its reportedly codenamed is unlikely to launch in finished form for quite a while yet, but the first previews and betas could land very soon, giving us an early taste of Googles next big Android update. Ahead of even that though, numerous possible features and improvements have leaked, so we already have some idea of what to expect. Youll find all the news and rumors about Android 15 below, including possible features, plus the predicted release date and the phones that are set to support it. Check back here soon too, because well be updating this article whenever theres new information about Android 15. Cut to the chase What is it? The next major Android version When is it out? Expect the finished version between August-October How much will it cost? This will be a free update Android 15: expected release date The first Android 15 developer preview could be just a day away at the time of writing, as it might land on February 15. This date was put forward by a Google developer posting on the Android Open Source Project , and spotted by 9to5Google . They claim the first Android 15 developer preview is scheduled for February 15, and presumably they would know. So while we cant quite take this as a confirmation, February 15 is likely the date, especially as the first preview should be due around now, since Android 14 s first developer preview launched on February 8 of last year. The first Android 14 preview landed last February (Image credit: Google) That said, as the name suggests this is a very early Android 15 release thats aimed specifically at developers. That means it will probably be very buggy and almost certainly wont contain every Android 15 feature. So its not aimed at most people, and unless youre a developer we wouldnt recommend downloading it, but it will provide an early look at some of what to expect from Android 15. Following this, based on past form well probably see the first public beta in April or May, and thats the earliest you should really consider jumping on board. The finished version of Android 15 will likely land sometime between August and October. Again, thats based on past form. For reference, Android 14 launched properly on October 4 of 2023, but Android 13 landed on August 15 of 2022. In any case, hopefully Google will reveal a roadmap soon, giving us a clearer idea of when to expect the public betas and the finished release. Android 15: compatibility As usual with Android, its Pixel phones that will likely get access to the first previews and betas, as well as being among the first to get the finished Android 15 update. But plenty of other handsets will get Android 15 too. With most device manufacturers committing to a set number of updates, we also have a good idea of which phones will get Android 15. On the Google front, everything from the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro onwards should get Android 15, including the Pixel 6a , Pixel 7 , Pixel 7 Pro , Pixel 7a , Pixel Fold , Pixel 8 , and Pixel 8 Pro . Theres a chance that the Pixel 5a 5G will also get Android 15, as thats guaranteed updates until August of this year. The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra should get Android 15 (Image credit: Aakash Jhaveri) For Samsung, the Samsung Galaxy S24 , Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus , Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra , Galaxy S23 line, Galaxy S22 line, and Galaxy S21 line should all get Android 15. As should Samsungs foldable phones from the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 onwards, including the yet-to-be-released Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6. Many Galaxy A models will also get Android 15, such as the Galaxy A24, A33, A34, A53 5G, A54 5G, and A73, among others. Numerous phones from other brands should also get Android 15, with highlights including the OnePlus 12 , OnePlus 11 , OnePlus Open , Sony Xperia 1 V , Sony Xperia 5 V , Xiaomi 13 , and Motorola Razr Plus 2023 . Thats by no means all the phones that we expect to get Android 15. As a general rule, if your phone is mid-range or above and will be no more than two years old at the launch of Android 15, it will probably get the update. Many older and cheaper phones will too though. You can also expect to see Android 15 on many Android tablets , such as the Pixel Tablet and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 series. Android 15: rumored features While we dont know for sure what Android 15 will offer yet, a number of possible features have leaked. Youll find these below. Battery health percentage The battery health screen hidden in Android 14 QPR2 beta 2 (Image credit: Android Authority / Mishaal Rahman) One small but extremely useful new feature we might see in Android 15 is a battery health percentage . This would allow you to see the estimated percentage of charge the battery can currently hold compared to when it was new, so youd have a clear indication of how worn out your phones battery is. That can be beneficial in particular when trying to diagnose whether increased battery drain is due to a worn-out battery of some misbehaving software. Its a feature youll already find in iOS, and an inactive version of it has been found hidden in an Android 14 update by Android Authority and Nail Sadykov (the editor of the Google News Telegram group). So its definitely a feature Google is working on, and it's a likely candidate for Android 15. Lock screen widgets The in-progress Communal Space (Image credit: Android Authority / Mishaal Rahman) Android hasnt natively supported lock screen widgets since Android 4.2, but they might be coming back with Android 15, as a hidden Communal Space feature has been found in a recent Android beta . Spotted by Android Authority, this unfinished feature would let you add widgets to a Communal Space on the lock screen. However, there are a couple of big caveats here. First, theres currently only support for Google Calendar, Google Clock, and the Google app, though its likely more apps would be supported in time for launch. Second, this appears to currently only be designed for devices with Hub mode, which right now means just the Pixel Tablet. So it could be quite limited. Private Space (Image credit: Android Police / Google) Android 15 could also include a native version of Samsungs Secure Folder feature, giving non-Samsung phones the ability to hide sensitive apps in a separate, hidden area called Private Space. Spotted in unfinished form in a recent Android beta by Android Police , Private Space would require a PIN, pattern, password, or biometrics to access, and would contain its own instance of the Google Play Store, which you could use to download apps you dont want anyone else using your phone to know you have or be able to open. These apps would appear only within the Private Space, making this a handy feature if you ever pass your phone to someone else. Bluetooth Auracast The Pixel Buds Pro don't support Auracast but the next ones might (Image credit: TechRadar) A recent Android 14 update has lots of code mentioning Bluetooth audio sharing hidden in it, which strongly suggests that Bluetooth Auracast support is in the works. This is a feature that lets you share the audio youre listening to on your phone be it music, a podcast, or whatever else with other people around you over Bluetooth. It allows multiple Bluetooth headphones or earphones to tune into the same audio stream, so you could for example listen to an album in sync with a friend. The code thats been spotted mentions the use of QR codes to let other people tune into what youre listening to, so they wouldnt have to go through the usual Bluetooth pairing process either. Easy mode (Image credit: Android Authority / Google) If youre reading this then you probably dont need Android to be any simpler, but some less tech savvy people in your life might, and Google is seemingly working on a feature to help with that. A hidden settings page for a new feature called 'easy pre-set' has been spotted by Android Authority in a recent Android beta, and code strings explain that this feature would optimize the Android UI for improved readability and ease of navigation, by enlarging icons and text, adding contrast and bold, and adding navigation buttons to the bottom of the screen. So this would likely benefit not just those who are less comfortable with tech, but also people with impaired vision or dexterity. The feature doesnt work yet, but it may well land as part of Android 15. App archiving (Image credit: Android Authority / Google) Android 14 already has an app archiving feature, in which the Google Play Store will automatically archive apps you dont often use, in order to claw back storage space. But this version of it only works within the Play Store, and you cant manually choose to archive an app. With Android 15, you might be able to choose which apps to archive a process which removes part of the app without fully uninstalling it, so you dont lose the icon on your home screen, and nor do you have to fully set it up again next time you launch it, but you can still get some storage space back. Various hints that manual app archiving is in the works have been found by Android Authority in Android code, so while theres no guarantee this will come with Android 15, theres a good chance. Saved app pairs (Image credit: Android Police / Google) If you make much use of split-screen modes on your Android device, you probably have certain pairs of apps that you tend to use together, such as YouTube and Chrome. And with Android 15, you might be able to save these pairs, so you can automatically launch the two side-by-side. Google is definitely working on this, as the feature was found hidden in a recent Android beta by Android Police , so the question really is just when it will launch. The site even managed to get this feature working, so its presumably almost ready for launch, which means it might land in a future version of Android 14 rather than Android 15. But wed certainly expect to see it in Android 15 if not before. ====================================================================== Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/phones/android/android-15 --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 (Linux/64) * Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100) .