The work on Android 15 seems to be complete. Google has released the source code and pretty soon, it will be pushed via an OTA update to all eligible Android smartphones. A look at the source code reveals a list of features. Without getting too technical about the developer team’s inner workings, let’s take a look at these Android 15 features that matter to you – the end users.
Here’s a summary of each feature mentioned in the Android 15 release:
Table of Contents
1. Improved Camera Performance in Low-Light Settings
Low Light Boost automatically brightens the Preview stream in dim conditions, unlike the night mode camera extension, which merges multiple shots into one enhanced still image. While night mode is excellent for creating a single high-quality photo, it can’t continuously stream frames. Low Light Boost, however, can. This feature enables new camera functions, such as:
- Offering a clearer image preview, making it easier for users to frame their shots in low light.
- Allowing QR codes to be scanned even in dim lighting conditions.
2. Better Control Over Camera Flash Intensity
In Android 15, you can now fine-tune the brightness of the camera flash in both SINGLE and TORCH modes, giving you more control over how your images are lit.
3. Save Favorite App Pairs for Split-Screen Use
Users can easily save their favorite split-screen app setups for quick access and even pin the taskbar on the screen, making it much simpler to switch between apps when multitasking on larger screens. This makes it crucial for your app to be adaptive to these new features.
Android 15 will improve multitasking on bigger screens for both tablets and foldables.
4. One-Tap Pay with NFC
Android Os will allow apps to enter observe mode and set up filters. In simpler words, it makes it possible for users to complete payments with one tap across multiple NFC-enabled apps.
5. Partial Screen Recording
You can now record only a part of the screen rather than the entire screen improving privacy and security while sharing screen recordings with others.
6. Private Space
A “Private Space” feature to hide sensitive apps on your device. It works like the secret folder feature that Samsung Galaxy phones already have preinstalled. A place to hide your private apps, media, and files.
7. Taskbar on Folding Phones
Folding phones are like tablets and hence should be treated like one. Android 15 will bring taskbar support to foldables that you can pin at the bottom of the screen if you want. That will help quickly launch favorite apps and also switch between open apps.
8. Priority for Sensitive Notifications
OTPs and bank messages are sensitive in nature and as such should be dealt with quickly but safely. Android 15 will add a new feature where such messages will get priority in the notification panel while preventing other apps from reading them.
9. DND Mode Gets New Mode
A new priority mode will be added and Google may rename the DND mode menu with something else. The new menu will house several options like priority mode, DND mode, AoD, greyscale mode, and some more settings.
10. Better Bluetooth Control
Clicking on the Bluetooth tile will allow you to toggle individual Bluetooth connections on/off using a single tile. For example, you can turn on/off Blueooth for your headphone, TWS, controller, and other smart devices without opening settings.
11. Webcam Mode
Do you also use your Android phone as a webcam device paired with your PC? Android 15 will add a new high-quality webcam mode eliminating the need for using 3rd-party apps to set it up. Samsung Galaxy phones already work with Windows where you can use your Samsung as a webcam natively. Now it will work with all Android phones.
12. Bluetooth Beacons
Android’s Find My Device is getting a much-needed update. Your phone will now use Bluetooth beacons of nearby (participating) Android phones to search and find other nearby Android devices.
Android 15 will add Automatically turn on tomorrow option. A Bluetooth Auto-On setting will pause and enable Bluetooth radio the next day instead of turning it off by default unless the user re-enables it.
13. Home Control Settings
Do you have smart devices at your home? Who doesn’t? When your phone is idle or charging, a new Home Controls widget will appear allowing you to control your smart devices without unlocking or waking up the the device.
Other Small Changes
- Better support for small cover screens on foldable phones for more apps.
- Continuity feature will return to folding phones where folding the phone will bring the app to the front/cover screen.
- Easier sign-in using passkey (one-tap sign-in and auto-fill), a simpler alternative to passwords.
- A new universal control to toggle keyboard vibration on/off.
- Smarter audio volume adjustments based on your environment.
- Feature to archive apps to save space without losing data.
- Apps can now detect if they’re being recorded and notify you to improve privacy and security.
- Improved security to prevent unauthorized app launches in the background that may intend to spy on you.
- Changes to how apps run in the background to boost battery life and performance.
- Improved text display for some Asian languages like Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.
- Support for old Japanese writing styles to display ancient documents.
- Better connectivity for music creation apps with virtual instruments.
- Change vibration levels in real time using the adaptive vibration feature. It will use microphone and other sensors to figure out your surrounding’s sound levels.
- There are some new color contrast options in the wallpaper settings screen.
- Your Google account avatar can be your profile photo if you want.
Note that Android 15 will land on Pixel smartphones before any other. Usually, Pixel phones launch happens with the latest Android version running on them from day one. However, this was the first time Google launched them without the latest Android leading to speculation around 7 years of OS updates for the Pixel 9 series that the search giant promises.
