Android 15: Supported phones, features & more

Android 15 is the next big update for your Android smartphone. Here’s everything you need to know about it.

Google will be releasing the annual operating system (OS) update for Android devices later this year. Android 14, which currently powers the best Android phones, will soon be replaced by Android 15.

The new OS update isn’t expected to be made public anytime soon, considering Google released Android 14 in late 2023. But as always, the search giant has released several developer builds of the new OS, revealing some notable features.

Android 15 is rumored to bring plenty of new features as well as improvements. Its user interface may see some changes, and you may also see some privacy and performance tweaks. Below, we’ve gathered the leaks and rumors of the upcoming Android 15 release.

Android 15 release rumors

Google dropped an early peek at Android 15 with the developer preview in February, and it looks like things are moving fast.

Google

The company also laid out a clear timeline for the new OS. You can expect six releases in total before it hits phones. There are developer previews that were first available in March, followed by another in May. It’s expected there will be four betas spread out between April and July. The final, stable version is scheduled for sometime after July.

Android 15: Expected supported devices

Google develops Android, and its Pixel devices get it first. We expect the upcoming Pixel 9 to be the first in the line to receive Android 15. Other Pixel smartphones, such as the Pixel 8 and Pixel 7, may also receive it around the same time.

A good chunk of Samsung smartphones may also receive the Android 15 update. Galaxy S24 models might receive the OS before other Samsung phones. OnePlus could also roll out the update to its phones, with the latest OnePlus 12 possibly being the first to receive it.

The Nothing Phone 1 and Phone 2 are also slated to get the Android 15 update, as will select Motorola and TCL smartphones.

Before releasing a public build, most Android OEMs should announce a beta testing program that will give early access to some users.

Android 15 Beta 2 features

As expected, at Google I/O, the company teased several features we could expect to see with Android 15. 

Although we would have loved to hear more about Google’s plans to add Gemini as a core feature on our phones, the recently released Android 15 Beta allows users to try several upcoming features before being publicly released.

The Android 15 beta is now available on several eligible devices from brands like Honor, iQOO, Lenovo, Nothing, OnePlus, OPPO, Realme, Sharp, Tecno, Vivo, and Xiaomi. This list is in addition to the devices already eligible for Android 15 Developer Preview 1.

Google has yet to release a specific list of compatible devices. With that in mind, you may need to check if your smartphone is eligible for the Android 15 Beta update.

If you have a Pixel device and want to try the Android 15 Beta release, you can sign up for the Android Beta program, flash the factory image, or sideload the ROM.

Google

Private Space

One of the most important features that Google is adding to Android 15 is Private Space, which makes it easy to hide certain apps from your app drawer. Private Space is like a digital safe that lets you pick applications you don’t want others to know about.

A similar feature is already available on various smartphones, however, Google is now adding this feature natively to Android.

Once added to Private Safe, the app icons will not show in the app drawer or the settings menu and can only be accessed using biometrics or device passwords. 

You will also not get any notifications from these apps, keeping your financial, health, or personal details away from prying eyes. Moreover, these applications will remain deactivated and not consume the device’s battery or resources.

Secure app launches

Android 15 is expected to make it difficult for malicious applications to run in the background while keeping another application running in the foreground. Though this feature has been available since Android 10, the upcoming OS release will make it nearly impossible for interlopers to run “task hijacking” apps.

Google

Improved multitasking on large screens

For large-screen devices like tablets and foldable phones, Google is bringing an option that allows users to save a pair of frequently accessed applications. 

This ‘Save App’ feature pairs and lets you save preferred split-screen combinations on the home page. This not only helps you fire applications quickly but switch between applications easily.

Predictive back gestures

The back gesture on the phone is designed to take you to the previous screen or page. However, it isn’t always accurate. Google is making this gesture more helpful by adding a predictive back option to offer a quick preview of where the back button will take them. It’s expected that this will help reduce the number of erroneous application visits.

Google

Other features in Android 15 Beta 2

Google is also adding Remote Views to the Widget Picker on Android 15 Beta 2. This lets you preview widgets before placing them on the home screen. Google will also allow Health Connect to gather mode data for better health and fitness tracking. It will now support skin temperature from wearables and training plans for structured workouts.

New features in Android 15 Preview 1

Developer previews are for developers (of course). This build aims to let devs test their apps and give initial feedback. It’s not as feature-rich as the final version which you get through an OTA. However, the latest Android 15 preview did reveal some upcoming features.

Android 15 Preview 1 brings some tweaks to how you manage Bluetooth. Tapping the Bluetooth button in Quick Settings now pops up a menu, just like how the Wi-Fi and mobile data buttons work. This is a step up from Android 14, where tapping Bluetooth just turned it on or off, and a long press took you to the full settings.

With the first preview, Google also introduced an option to turn off keyboard haptic feedback globally. Earlier you had to do it from the keyboard you were using but now you can directly turn it off from the settings.

Elsewhere, Android 15 may give you an option to save yourself from the flurry of notifications. Google is preparing a change in Android 15 to “lower the notification volume when you get many successive notifications from the same app”. Android 15 Preview 1 also adds vibration feedback to the brightness slider.

Android 15 rumored features

Android 15 will keep all the features Google announced with Android 14, but it will also introduce several new ones. According to an early rumor reported by Mishaal Rahman, Android 15 will split NFC from system updates. This change will help Google quickly address issues related to the NFC stack, allowing updates to be delivered through the Play Store.

Battery health percentage is another interesting feature coming to Android 15. As reported by Android Authority, this feature will tell you an estimated percentage of charge the battery can currently hold compared to when it was new. Does this ring a bell? A similar feature is already available on iPhones.

Android 15 is also expected to feature a hidden space called Private Space. It will allow you to hide apps in a folder that will require PIN, pattern, password, or biometrics to access. Private Space would contain its own Google Play Store, which could be used to download apps you don’t want anyone else using your phone to see. Samsung phones already have this feature in the form of Secure Folder.

Android Police reports that Android 15 will simplify multitasking with Saved App Pairs. This feature will let you save app pairs in split-screen mode, making it easy to start using both apps with just a tap. For instance, if you frequently use X and Chrome in split-screen mode, you can create an app pair for them to launch them side-by-side automatically.

Lock screen widgets could make a return with Android 15. An option to share the audio you are listening to with people around you may also be announced.