Google Releases Android 15 To Developers

Google has released Android 15 for developers, with support for Pixel phones expected in the coming weeks. The update will roll out to compatible devices from Samsung, Motorola, OnePlus, and other manufacturers in the following months.

Key features of Android 15 include single-tap passkeys, theft detection, improved multitasking for large-screen devices, and app access limitations. The update also enhances TalkBack, Android's screen reader, with Gemini AI integration for audio descriptions of images. Google is expanding its Circle to Search feature with song identification capabilities and extending earthquake alerts to all U.S. states and six territories. The alerts use data from Android devices' accelerometers to detect potential seismic activity, complementing traditional seismometer readings in states with access to the USGS ShakeAlert system.

Update years?

[colonslash]

New Pixel phones are supposed to support 7 years ("from when the device first became available on the Google Store in the US" (August 22)) of updates, and Google usually releases the new phones alongside the major Android release, but in this case the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro came out before Android 15... this might cutoff the 7th year of getting the full Android release. The major Android releases are often released in September or even October.

Best feature

[AmiMoJo]

Android now has a built in 80% charge limit to preserve your battery. Many manufacturers offered it, but now it's baked into Android and available on Pixel devices.

Re:

[Zekolas]

Honestly I don't know why it took so long I always try to do this manually but it means I have to keep track of how much it charges then pull it off once it reaches 80% , or when I go to bed I might want to charge it over night but not to 100%

Re:

[AmiMoJo]

I have an app called Battery Charge Notifier that makes a noise when it reaches 75%, so I can take it off charge. I charge during the day while I'm working.

I also use Tasker to put the phone in airplane mode and extreme power saving mode overnight, to reduce battery drain when I'm not using it. I suppose I could turn it off, that would be even better.

Re: Unsure

[RealNeoMorpheus]

That ship sailed a long time ago.

Just look at Chromes and Firefox versioningâ¦

Not many improvements

[Mononymous]

I just upgraded to 14 yesterday. It doesn't want to let you install older apps, which is just dumb.
The last time I saw any improvement in Android was the move to version 6.0 Marshmallow, which restored the ability to write to the external SD card.
It seems every new version just makes things a little bit worse.

Re:

[bn-7bc]

older apps, hmm you meen apps that hasn't been updated for a long time, it might be that google wants un maintained apps (abandonware) gone, whet is the issue?

Re:

[NotEmmanuelGoldstein]

Wh[a]t is the issue?

Older applets haven't been modified to display advertising, to access unknown IP addresses, to nag you to update the applet NOW, to copy your unencrypted data to your Google account, to cripple copy and paste operations. In short, older applets don't have spyware and monetization and enshitification baked-in. So being forced to abandon them for teeny-bopper-approved crap-ware, makes the Google ecosystem feel like an enema in a dark alley.

If Linux really wants recognition as a Popular OS, this is a massi

I'm not falling for this lie again...

[Fly Swatter]

"The update will roll out to compatible devices"... Yea just like my Windows phone got the version 8 update and my Moto Z3 Play got the Android 10 update - oh wait the updates for both of those had the plug pulled.

Never buy an Android device expecting it to ever be upgraded to the next version. And in hindsight never buy a Windows Phone, ok I might be a bit late to warn of that one.

Re:

[znrt]

Never buy an Android device expecting it to ever be upgraded to the next version.

rather, your experience is outdated or you should choose your android device much more wisely, as nowadays many will receive 3-4 system upgrades before support ends. my pixel 7 started with android 13, is now at android 14, it seems pretty likely that it will run android 15 rather soonish and is expected to get android 16. so do the xaomi 13 and many more, several others sold today are expected to get to android 17.

Re:

[NotEmmanuelGoldstein]

... choose your android device much more wisely ...

Unfortunately Samsung phones don't have the confession "this device will never update" or "this device will be updated only twice" (which may be an abandoned policy, given the new policy) printed on the box. So, while the current advice, buy a phone 3 times their budget price, is accurate, it would be nice to know which phones were built to be (rough-handling) broken before they reached end-of-life.

Been using the beta a while

[p51d007]

On my Pixel 7 Pro and now the 9 Pro XL. No issues.