Android 15 Developer Preview 2 was launched by Google on Thursday, permitting builders to check out an early model of the corporate’s subsequent main working system replace for Android smartphones. The second preview comes with a number of enhancements to present options in addition to new options that reap the benefits of fashionable smartphone {hardware}, together with satellite tv for pc connectivity and foldable screens. Apps will even achieve new talents, akin to detecting when the display is being recorded. Most of those options are anticipated to be part of the primary open beta scheduled to reach subsequent month.
Some of the notable new options arriving with Android 15 shall be satellite tv for pc connectivity. Whereas producers might at all times construct in help for these options, the arrival of official help implies that the consumer interface for this characteristic ought to really feel extra cohesive throughout totally different satellite tv for pc networks — together with new UI components akin to a standing bar icon and interactive notifications, whereas apps also can detect when a handset is linked to a satellite tv for pc and provide messaging companies.
Close to discipline communication (NFC) help has been improved on units operating on Android 15, permitting smartphones to ‘observe’ or hearken to NFC readers with out responding to them. In the meantime, Google will enable apps operating on Android 15 to find out when the display is being recorded, enabling them to forestall probably delicate data from being proven on the display on the identical time — apps like Google Pay presently provide this performance when display recording is enabled on iOS.
Foldable smartphones — particularly clamshell-style handsets just like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 and the Motorola Razr 40 Extremely — presently provide manufacturer-optimised help for operating apps (or widgets) on the smaller exterior cowl display. With Android 15, utility builders can declare a property that may allow the usage of these apps on foldable telephones’ cowl screens, regardless of their small measurement, based on Google.
With newly added help for the CTA-2075 loudness customary, Android 15 will allow loudness consistency throughout totally different content material sorts — which means that you will not be consistently reaching for the amount buttons to regulate the amount of your telephone. The Settings app has additionally been up to date with a piece known as Audio sharing which is able to allow you to handle your Auracast (a brand new Bluetooth ‘broadcasting’ characteristic) classes.
Google will even enable builders to set a selected HDR headroom stage, permitting their apps to stability HDR and SDR content material, as an alternative of the elements of display displaying the previous overpowering the elements displaying SDR content material. Additionally, you will be capable of configure the app archiving characteristic by way of the Settings app, selecting to archive or restore apps straight by way of the Settings app.
All of those options are presently out there on the most recent model of Android 15 DP 2, and are anticipated to make their technique to the general public beta releases which can be scheduled to start rolling out in April. A few of these options could possibly be additional improved, augmented, or eliminated in upcoming releases. A clearer concept of the Android 15 options is more likely to emerge when the software program reaches platform stability beginning in June, based on the corporate’s schedule.
