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The market share tracking website, Statcounter, is now reporting that Android 15 has a market share of 10.06%, putting it over the 10% milestone for the first time since it launched in September 2024. This is the latest stable version of Android, but given the slow pace at which Android updates reach users, it has only now passed 10% of usage. Android 14 peaked in January 2025 at 37.08% and has since been declining. For the most recent month, it sits at 33.44%. Android 13 also declined from 17.38% to 16.94%. For any iPhone users out there not that familiar with Android updates and looking aghast at these figures, it’s important to understand that Android users still get security patches from OEMs if their devices are still supported, as well as updates to core components from Google. Credit: Statcounter What’s interesting looking back at the data is the fact that Android 15 seems to be taking longer to be adopted compared to Android 14. Version 14 was released in October 2023 and by February 2024 it had already reached 12.58% market share. That’s a much quicker uptake than Android 15 which had only hit 3.3% after the same period of time. One of the main cited reasons for the slower uptake is the delayed release of OneUI 7 by Samsung. Given that Samsung is one of the main players in the Android landscape, this will have had a big effect on Android 15 adoption. Neowin reported that OneUI 7 started rolling out at the start of April beginning with the Galaxy S24 and Z Fold series. Here is the rollout timetable, current when the article was published: April: Galaxy Z Fold 5, Galaxy Z Flip 5, Tab S10+/S10 Ultra, Galaxy S23/S23+/S23 Ultra, S24 FE. May: Galaxy Z Fold 4, Z Flip 4, Galaxy Tab S9/S9+/S9 Ultra, S23 FE, Z Fold 3, Z Flip 3, A34, A35, S22/S22+/S22 Ultra, Tab S8/S8+/S8 Ultra, S21/S21+/S21 Ultra, Galaxy A16, Galaxy Quantum 5, Galaxy Quantum 4. June: Galaxy Tab S9 FE/S9 FE+, Galaxy A73, A53, A33, A25, A24, A15, Quantum 3, Jump 3, Jump 2, Buddy 3, Galaxy Tab A9/A9+, Tab Active 5, Tab Active 4 Pro, Wide 7. Hopefully, OneUI 7’s rollout over the next couple of months will significantly drive Android 15 adoption. We should have a clearer picture around July, August, or September when all the above eligible devices will likely have upgraded. Source: Statcounter Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. News posts... 2023: 5,800+ | 2024: 5,700+ | 2025 (till end of March): 1,357 RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

Keep any app locked away from prying eyes. While there aren’t a lot of new features in Android 15, it does offer some useful additions for your phone — and one of the most interesting is called “Private Space.” Think of it as a separate app vault that locks away specified apps on your Android device. Of course, the main lockscreen already stops other people from accessing your phone, but Private Space puts an extra barrier in place. The idea is that if you lend someone your device to make a call or look at a photo, they won’t accidentally (or deliberately) stumble into something they shouldn’t. It’s also an extra safety net if your phone is lost or stolen while it’s unlocked. I tried the feature on a Pixel 8 phone running Android 15. Here’s how it works. Setting up Private Space There is a lot of screen guidance when you set up your first private space. Screenshot: Google You get the option to use a lock that’s different from that of your main screen. Screenshot: Google Begin by going to Settings and selecting Security and privacy > Private space. You then get a comprehensive overview of how it works and your options. Tap Set up. On the next screen, you get the option (if you want) to use a different existing Google account for your private space or create a new one. You don’t have to do this, but it means you don’t run the risk of data from your private space being synced to your normal, more public areas on other devices: think photos, browsing history, and emails, for example. It also prevents your private data from being used in your browsing history or to prompt suggested content. Choose Got it to select another account or Do it later to skip this step. Once you’ve chosen your account (or created a new one), you’ve got another choice: tap Choose new lock to set a new authentication method (like a PIN) for this private space or Use screen lock to use the security method already configured for your phone’s lockscreen. After a few moments, your private space will have been created. Click Done. You’ll find that a selection of Google apps, including Google Chrome and Google Photos, is already included. Now, whenever you want to go to your private space, just scroll to the bottom of the app drawer, tap on the padlock icon, and authenticate (using either a biometric method like fingerprint recognition, or a PIN). Configuring Private Space Your private space lives at the bottom of the app drawer. Screenshot: Google There are options to fully hide the private space and lock it automatically. Screenshot: Google You can’t drag apps in and out of your private space — you have to install them. Think of it almost like a completely different Android device. When you’re within the space, tap the Install button to add new apps, and long-press on an app icon and choose Uninstall to remove them. You can receive notifications from apps in the private space, but only when it’s unlocked. To use the same example as I used above, it’s effectively like a separate device, and when the space is locked, it’s like you’ve turned off that device. For this reason, Google doesn’t recommend using it to store apps that might need to send you critical information. Once you’ve unlocked your private space, it stays open on the app drawer until you lock it again via the Lock button. You can also have the space lock automatically in certain situations: this and other options can be configured by tapping on the gear icon in the private space window. Choose Private space lock to change the lock method used to access the private space. Select Lock private space automatically to set when the private space is locked automatically: whenever the phone is locked; five minutes after a screen timeout; or every time the device restarts. Tap Hide private space to remove it from the app drawer so other people don’t know it’s there. When it’s hidden, you can only find it by searching for “private space” in the search bar at the top of the app drawer. Choose Delete private space to erase the private space and everything in it (though anything synced to the cloud isn’t affected). Note that you can’t transfer your private space to a new phone. The standard Android-to-Android setup process won’t include any private space apps. You’ll have to start the private space again from scratch, though you can sign in with the same Google account you used for the private space on the older phone, which will restore your data in apps such as Gmail and Google Keep. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. 2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of September): 4,292 news posts RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend

New tools aim at phone snatchers, snooping kids or partners, and cell hijackers. Android 15 started rolling out to Pixel devices Tuesday and will arrive, through various third-party efforts, on other Android devices at some point. There is always a bunch of little changes to discover in an Android release, whether by reading, poking around, or letting your phone show you 25 new things after it restarts. In Android 15, some of the most notable involve making your device less appealing to snoops and thieves and more secure against the kids to whom you hand your phone to keep them quiet at dinner. There are also smart fixes for screen sharing, OTP codes, and cellular hacking prevention, but details about them are spread across Google's own docs and blogs and various news site's reports. Here's what is notable and new in how Android 15 handles privacy and security. Scroll down your all-apps list and you'll see a lock at the bottom and a new kind of panel you can pull up. Google Unlocking the Private Space with biometric or passkey reveals the apps that have been tucked down there. Google Private Space for apps In the Android 15 settings, you can find "Private Space," where you can set up a separate PIN code, password, biometric check, and optional Google account for apps you don't want to be available to anybody who happens to have your phone. This could add a layer of protection onto sensitive apps, like banking and shopping apps, or hide other apps for whatever reason. In your list of apps, drag any app down to the lock space that now appears in the bottom right. It will only be shown as a lock until you unlock it; you will then see the apps available in your new Private Space. After that, you should probably delete it from the main app list. Dave Taylor has a rundown of the process and its quirks. It's obviously more involved than Apple's "Hide and Require Face ID" tap option but with potentially more robust hiding of the app. Hiding passwords and OTP codes A second form of authentication is good security, but allowing apps to access the notification text with the code in it? Not so good. In Android 15, a new permission, likely to be given only to the most critical apps, prevents the leaking of one-time passcodes (OTPs) to other apps waiting for them. Sharing your screen will also hide OTP notifications, along with usernames, passwords, and credit card numbers. This might also prevent apps from doing the convenient thing of automatically pasting codes they are expecting, but it's likely a good trade-off. Google notes that there are exceptions for apps with companion apps for wearables (i.e., Pixel Watch). AI-powered Theft Detection Lock, Remote Lock, and Offline Device Lock Thieves' tactics are constantly evolving. One of the more effective ways to steal a phone—and steal something of value from it before the owner can remotely lock it—is to yank it from the owner's hands. So long as the phone is unlocked and functional, a thief who gets far enough away can check emails, apps, and messages for rich targets, like money transfer or banking apps. Android's theft protection, i.e., Plan B after a phone jacking. Theft Detection Lock on Android uses AI to sense if someone has yanked a phone and is rapidly moving away with it, automatically locking the phone if so. Google's security blog post on the feature suggests it uses "on-device machine learning" to "analyze various device signals" and determine if a device was yoinked. Google is unlikely to give away the full details of what it's looking for. If theft detection didn't work, there are at least two backups. Offline Device Lock activates if the Internet connection is disabled on your phone. And, using another device, you can use Remote Lock at android.com/lock to quickly lock your device with a phone number and a security challenge. It's a faster way to secure your device while you use Find My Device to locate and further lock your gear. Those three key features—Theft Detection Lock, Offline Device Lock, and Remote Lock—are not exclusive to Android 15 but are rolling out along with its release. Users on Android 10 or higher should get a Google Play Services update to enable the features, though they'll have to be turned on in the device settings. Live Threat Detection in Google Play Protect Having an AI core raising the cost of your Pixel may not be an entirely bad thing. In Android 15, the app-scanning Google Play Protect will start using on-device AI from the "Private Compute Core" to "analyze additional behavioral signals related to the use of sensitive permissions and interactions with other apps and services." Should strange happenings be detected, users can send the suspect app to Google for further review and disable the app from a notification in the meantime. Cellular security It can be easy to forget that your phone is actually a phone and is constantly communicating over the air. It's one of the most vulnerable parts of a phone, and Android 15 does some things to address the cellular part of your cell phone—even if none of them are available yet, even on Pixel phones. Android 15 can tell users when they're using an unencrypted cellular connection to prevent potential interception or injection of their traffic or SMS messages. Certain "at-risk users like journalists or dissidents" can be alerted to potentially false cellular base stations or attempts to identify their device. But these features are not on by default and require "OEM integration and compatible hardware," with Google saying it expects OEM adoption "over the next couple of years." Little changes to deeper settings Should a thief or snoop have access to your phone before you can lock it, Android 15 has instituted some smarter defaults for making changes to deeper settings, including: Changing something in the Find My Device settings requires either a PIN, account password, or biometric verification. Logging in multiple times with the wrong PIN or password will lock the device for some time (similar to iOS's lock-out). Google says that "enhanced factory reset protection" will make it harder to wipe a device if you don't have the owner's Google account credentials. Identity Check is an opt-in feature that always asks for biometric authentication when changing critical settings or accessing passkeys from previously unused locations. There's now a device toggle for sending your device name to network and Bluetooth connections. Android devices put into Lockdown mode now entirely block USB data access to accessories and computers, which should block attacks over ADB (Android debugging bridge) channels. Source RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. 2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of September): 4,292 news posts

The update technically launched in September, but now it’s here for Google’s devices. Android 15 is now rolling out to Pixel devices, bringing them new privacy features, security tools, and improvements for foldables and tablets. The operating system first launched last month through the Android Open Source Project, but at the time, it wasn’t yet available on Pixel phones and tablets — or other major Android devices. Google announced today that it’s finally coming to Pixels alongside a series of Pixel feature drops. One major new feature in Android 15 is the ability to make a “private space” for apps you might want to keep hidden from other people who get ahold of your phone. (Google gives the examples of social, dating, or banking apps.) Apps you put in the private space won’t show up in your recent apps, notifications, or settings, according to Google. To access the space, you’ll have to provide additional authentication, and you can even “hide the existence of private space from view on your phone,” Google says. On foldables and tablets, Android 15 will let users pin and unpin the taskbar so they can choose to have somewhat easier access to their apps. And if you have certain apps that you frequently use side by side, you can set up an app pairing and access that pairing from one icon. Many devices running Android — not just Android 15 — will also be getting Theft Detection Lock, which lets your phone automatically lock itself if it detects (with the help of AI) that it has been stolen. Google is also adding a feature called Remote Lock that lets you lock your phone using another Android phone, your phone number, and a “simple security check.” The company says that “most” devices on Android 10 and newer will get these features, and some people already have them. If you want to learn more about what’s included in Android 15, we have a post with a full rundown of the biggest features. Google is also starting to roll out a new Pixel feature drop for October that includes Night Sight for Instagram for taking better low-light photos and more controls for Audio Magic Eraser. In “the next few weeks,” Google is also adding a feature that lets you move media from a Pixel Tablet to a Pixel phone by holding the devices next to each other. Source RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every day for many years. 2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of September): 4,292 news posts

After iOS 16 reintroduced lock screen widgets, Google is dusting off its old code. It sure looks like Android 15 is going to have lock screen widgets. The Android 14 QPR2 beta landed the other day, and Mishaal Rahman over at Android Authority found a hidden unfinished feature that brings back lock screen widgets. We've expected this to happen since Apple's big lock screen widget release with iOS 16. Rahman found a new "communal" space feature that resembles lock screen widgets. After enabling the feature and swiping in from the right of the lock screen, a pencil icon will pop up. Tapping the icon opens up a widget list, allowing you to move some widgets to the lock screen. Right now, in this unfinished state, the default lock screen clock and notification panel UI don't know how to get out of the way yet, so you get a pile of widgets with the usual lock screen UI on top. It's a mess. Lock screen widgets... sort of. It's early. Android Authority Any time one smartphone operating system does something, the other tends to copy it, and iOS added lock screen widgets in 2022. Two years later is plenty of time for Google to adjust and copy the feature. The thing is, Android added lock screen widgets in 2012 with Android 4.2. Google removed the feature two years later in Android 5.0, so really, this is Android copying iOS copying Android. Some of this code is apparently making a comeback, as all the widgets available to the lock screen were ones that still had the 10-year-old "keyguard" flag set for Android 4.2. The widget lock screen has strangely been named the "communal" space, and Rahman speculates this might be because this particular UI experiment was meant for tablets in a dock mode. "Communal" would mean that everyone in your house could see them, and maybe it would be good to limit the amount of personal data displayed without needing to pass the lock screen. This is just one of the feature experiments that happened to slip out the door, though, and it's hard to imagine Google not letting phones do this, too, when iOS already does it. Source

Google is slowly prepping up Android 15 for its release. The Android Preview program which started in February 2024, will continue until the stable version rolls out, which is slated for late 2024. Meanwhile, the Android 15 Developer Preview 2, which came out in March, seems to pack a new feature that will enhance the privacy of apps and data on your Android smartphone. Some strings of codes have been spotted in the Android 15 Developer Preview 2 release for a new 'Adaptive Timeout' setting. According to the description in the string, the adaptive timeout feature "automatically turns off your screen early if you're not using your device." While the description doesn't mention how this would work, it may use your smartphone's advanced sensors, front-facing cameras, or a combination of both to detect whether or not you are using your phone. Here are the strings that were reportedly found in the teardown of Android 15 Developer Preview 2: One interesting thing is that these codes were found to belong to classes under the com.google.* namespace. This suggests that the adaptive timeout feature may not be a part of Android 15's open-source build but be a part of Google's Android 15 build for its Pixel phones. The adaptive timeout feature is great as it will intelligently detect if the user is using the phone or not, and when not in use, it will turn off the screen, making it difficult for others to access your phone's data. Moreover, it will also help battery life since longer screen time means a quick drain of your phone's juice. Android smartphones have the option to extend the screen time-off display, where you can prevent your smartphone's screen from turning off for a specific set period. Besides, phones from Samsung and Pixel come with a feature that allows the phone's screen to stay on as long as the user is viewing it. This feature keeps the screen awake as long as it can detect a face viewing it using the front-facing cameras. Source: Android Authority Source

Google still isn't letting Play Store apps use RCS, though. Android 15 continues its march toward release with the Android 15 Developer Preview 2. Android 15 won't be out until around October, but the first preview shipped a month ago. It's time for another one! Android's satellite messaging support has been in the works for about a year now, and it sounds like Android 15 is going to launch the feature for apps. The new OS is including notifications and better status bar indicators for when you're connected to space. A "NonTerrestrialNetwork" API will let apps know when they're limited to barely there satellite connectivity. Google says Android 15 will let third-party SMS and MMS applications tap into the satellite connectivity APIs, but enhanced messaging with RCS support will be limited to "preloaded" applications only. It seems incredible that Google doesn't have public APIs for third-party RCS apps, but here's your confirmation that Android 15 will continue locking out Play Store apps from RCS. Android 15's new satellite messaging UI. Google The new PDF reader. Google Android's PDF support can be all over the place depending on what device you have, so Android 15 is including making some big improvements to the built-in PDF render. First it's going to end up as a module so it can be updated via the Play Store. Google says this Android 15 version is getting "advanced features such as rendering password-protected files, annotations, form editing, searching, and selection with copy." Flip phone-style foldables are upending the Android app ecosystem with tiny little screens that are too small to work with normal Android apps, and Google is trying to do something about them with Android 15. Today devices like the Motorola Razr and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, with ~3-inch-square front screens, are mostly limited to the packed-in apps. For now it looks like Google is only standardizing the opt-in flag, with a "cover screen support" property. Google says: "These screens are too small to be considered as compatible targets for Android apps to run on, but your app can opt-in to supporting them, making your app available in more places." As for how exactly a developer is supposed to support a bunch of proprietary, ultra-tiny screens, it sounds like Google isn't ready to help with that yet. At some point, Android needs framework, IDE, and Play Store app listing support for cover screens. The second developer preview is available today for the Pixel 6, 7, 8, Fold, and Pixel Tablet. There's no beta program yet, so you'll need to grab a cable and flash it yourself if you're on the stable Android version. As always, these early releases are just low-level developer-facing additions (we skipped a lot of font and SQL changes). The exciting new features—if there are any—should be announced on May 14 at Google I/O. Source

Android 15 is creeping closer to its release date. Here are the notable features and upgrades Google has in store. The next version of Google’s mobile operating system—Android 15—is on the horizon, with a host of new features and improvements. Google promises productivity enhancements, better privacy and security, and smoother performance. There are also upgrades for foldable and larger-screen devices. Android 15 is only available as a beta for select devices right now, with the final release a few months away. But we have been trying it out, and these are our favorite new features so far. Google officially dropped the dessert naming back with Android 10, but it still uses codenames internally. Android 14 was Upside Down Cake, and this year’s release is Vanilla Ice Cream. Special offer for Gear readers: Get WIRED for just $5 ($25 off). This includes unlimited access to WIRED.com, full Gear coverage, and subscriber-only newsletters. Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day. How to Download and Install Android 15 Google released the first beta of Android 15 in April, with further releases planned for May, June, and July, ahead of the final public rollout, likely in August or October. These releases enable developers to test the forthcoming version of Google’s mobile operating system, learn about the new features, and prepare their apps or games to work properly. They also give early adopters the chance to get a sneak peek at Android 15. While the beta releases are more stable than developer previews, you may still encounter some bugs, and you need to jump through a few hoops to install them, so it’s not recommended for everyone. If you are keen to try it, you will need a Google Pixel phone (Pixel 6 or later) or a supported partner device (including select phones from Honor, Nothing, OnePlus, and Xiaomi). You have to sign up for the Android Beta Program. Most folks who sign up for the program will get the beta updates OTA (over-the-air) without wiping their phones, but you won’t be able to quit the beta program without a factory reset. Make sure to back up your Android phone first. Updates usually pop up automatically, but you can always check whether you have the latest version in Settings > System > System update by tapping Check for update. Want to get off the beta and go back to Android 14? Go to Google's Android Beta page, scroll down to find your device, and hit Opt out. This will wipe all locally saved data, so back up your device first. You'll get an update prompt to go back to the older version. Folks without a Pixel or supported partner device should watch their phone manufacturer's website, forums, or social media to learn when to expect Android 15. Top New Android 15 Features These are our favorite features and improvements so far, but we won’t know for sure what will make the final cut until Android 15 is released. You can learn more at Google’s developer site. And be sure to read our story on all the new features coming to Android and the Android ecosystem—including Wear OS, Android Auto, and Android TV—in this story here. Private Space Android 15 includes a new Private Space where you can keep sensitive apps separate from the rest of your phone. Whether you want to safeguard health data or your banking apps, Private Space keeps them safely behind a second layer of authentication, protected with the same password you use to unlock your device or an alternative PIN. When your Private Space is locked, apps are hidden from the recents view, notifications, settings, and other apps. You can wipe your private space completely too. More Satellite Connectivity Courtesy of Google There’s a significant expansion for satellite connectivity in Android 15. Some RCS and SMS apps should now be able to send text messages via satellite (it was previously limited to emergency use). Google has also standardized the pop-ups and other user interface elements to make it clearer when you are connected via satellite. Partial Screen Recording Courtesy of Google Instead of recording or sharing your entire screen, in Android 15, you can share an individual app without revealing the rest of your screen or incoming notifications. Logins and one-time passwords (OTPs) are automatically hidden from remote viewers. This is already available on Pixels, but now Google has baked it into Android. Malicious App Blocking Several updates in Android 15 make life tougher for malicious apps. They can no longer hide behind other apps by bringing them to the foreground or overlay themselves invisibly on top. There are also changes designed to prevent the exploitation of intents, which let you start an activity in another app by describing an action you'd like to perform, as they are often misused by malware. This is behind-the-scenes stuff to keep users safer. App Archiving Courtesy of Google If you haven’t used an app or game for a while, you may be prompted to delete it, but what if you think you might use it again in the future? With app archiving in Android 15, you can offload most of the app by archiving it but keep your user settings or save data in games. The auto-archiving feature was announced last year, but Android 15 makes it a systemwide option, so folks can choose to auto-archive apps when storage is running low. Better PDF Handling Courtesy of Google Trying to do anything with PDF files on your Android phone can be a pain, so the news that Google has built several PDF enhancements into Android 15 is welcome. PDFs should load more smoothly, and there is now support for password-protected files, annotations, form editing, and copy selection. Perhaps best of all, you can now search within PDF files. Enhanced Fraud and Scam Protection Courtesy of Google There are several updates in Android 15 aimed squarely at thwarting fraudsters and scammers. Google will employ AI through Play Protect and on devices to scan for and flag suspicious behavior. Messages containing one-time passwords (OTPs), typically used in two-factor authentication, are now hidden from the notifications system, making it harder to intercept them. Restricted settings are also being expanded for side-loaded apps—ones that aren't downloaded through the Google Play Store. Loudness Control It can be jarring when you switch from one app to another and the volume suddenly booms. Thankfully, Android 15 introduces support for the CTA-2075 loudness standard. That means it will compare volume between apps, take into account the characteristics of your speakers, headphones, or earbuds, and intelligently adjust the audio to ensure no sudden jumps or drops. Better Low-Light Camera There are a couple of significant improvements for the camera app in Android 15. Firstly, Low Light Boost makes for better previews in low-light conditions, so you can frame your nighttime shots better and scan QR codes when light is limited. There are also new camera app options to give you finer control over the flash so you can adjust the intensity for both single flashes and continuous flashlight mode. Taskbar Options For Android tablets and folding phones, Google has changed the way the taskbar dock works. Initially, it was permanent, then it was transient, and now you can choose. This is handy for docked tablets where you might want a taskbar to always display, but it’s also nice to have the option to hide it. You can also pin your favorite split-screen app combinations. Android 15 allows apps to display edge-to-edge, so they can make more of the available screen real estate, even if there’s a taskbar or system bar at the bottom. Better Battery Life There are always tweaks and improvements to efficiency in Android updates that should have a positive impact on battery life, but with Android 15, Google is placing more checks on foreground services and clamping down on apps that keep running in an active state. Devices with a lot of RAM should also see faster app and camera launch times with lower power draw, thanks to support for larger page sizes. Good Vibrations Android 15 enables you to turn keyboard vibrations on or off systemwide, instead of having to dig into the keyboard settings. There’s a new toggle in Settings > Sound and vibration > Vibration and haptics, where you can also use sliders to adjust haptic intensity (this is something that's been available on select Android phones, but is now systemwide). The second beta also introduces rich vibrations, so folks can determine between different types of notifications without looking at the screen. More Foldable Cover Screen Options Some of the best folding phones automatically switch whatever action you're performing onto the cover screen when you fold them up, but Google is now integrating that choice into Android 15. If you prefer the cover screen to lock up when you fold, that will be an option too. There’s also more support for apps displaying on smaller cover screens with the more compact flip phone category. More Health Connect Data Health Connect started as an app to pull together all your health and fitness data from different devices and apps. It came preinstalled with Android 14, but Android 15 is adding two new data types: skin temperature (collected by wearables like the Oura ring and the Pixel Watch 2) as well as training plans—which can include completion goals for calories burned, distance, duration, repetition, and steps, but also performance goals around as many repetitions as possible (AMRAP), cadence, heart rate, power, perceived rate of exertion, and speed. Enhanced Theft Protection Courtesy of Google Many of the new Android safeguards that Google is rolling out to deter thieves—such as automatic locking when someone snatches your phone, as well as remote lock options—will be coming to devices running Android 10 and up. But the update to factory reset protection, which stops thieves who force a reset of a stolen device from setting it up again without knowing your device or Google account credentials, is only in Android 15. Source

Android 15 Beta 2 is out for Pixels and several third-party devices. Google's I/O conference is still happening, and while the big keynote was yesterday, major Android beta releases have apparently been downgraded to Day 2 of the show. Google really seems to want to be primarily an AI company now. Android already had some AI news yesterday, but now that the code-red requirements have been met, we have actual OS news. One of the big features in this release is "Private Space," which Google says is a place where users can "keep sensitive apps away from prying eyes, under an additional layer of authentication." First, there's a new hidden-by-default portion of the app drawer that can hold these sensitive apps, and revealing that part of the app drawer requires a second round of lock-screen authentication, which can be different from the main phone lock screen. Just like "Work" apps, the apps in this section run on a separate profile. To the system, they are run by a separate "user" with separate data, which your non-private apps won't be able to see. Interestingly, Google says, "When private space is locked by the user, the profile is paused, i.e., the apps are no longer active," so apps in a locked Private Space won't be able to show notifications unless you go through the second lock screen. Another new Android 15 feature is "Theft Detection Lock," though it's not in today's beta and will be out "later this year." The feature uses accelerometers and "Google AI" to "sense if someone snatches your phone from your hand and tries to run, bike, or drive away with it." Any of those theft-like shock motions will make the phone auto-lock. Of course, Android's other great theft prevention feature is "being an Android phone." Android 12L added a desktop-like taskbar to the tablet UI, showing recent and favorite apps at the bottom of the screen, but it was only available on the home screen and recent apps. Third-party OEMs immediately realized that this bar should be on all the time and tweaked Android to allow it. In Android 15, an always-on taskbar will be a normal option, allowing for better multitasking on tablets and (presumably) open foldable phones. You can also save split-screen-view shortcuts to the taskbar now. Left: private space appears at the bottom of the app drawer. Middle: tapping on it brings up a biometric prompt. Right: passing the prompt reveals more apps. Google Theft detection will lock the phone if it detects a rough movement. Google The predictive back gesture will show you where "back" goes. Google An Android 13 developer feature, predictive back, will finally be turned on by default. When performing the back gesture, this feature shows what screen will show up behind the current screen you're swiping away. This gives a smoother transition and a bit of a preview, allowing you to cancel the back gesture if you don't like where it's going. Android is only now getting around to implementing this, despite it being a feature that iOS has had for years. It will still be a long road, as individual app developers must opt into it. At least you no longer have to dig into the developer settings to turn it on. Have Android's third-party developers used the two-year rollout to implement the feature in their apps? Mostly no, but we're hoping the Android system apps should at least support it now, and maybe even some Google apps will, too. Because this is a developer release, there are tons of under-the-hood changes. Google is a big fan of its own next-generation AV1 video codec, and AV1 support has arrived on various devices thanks to hardware decoding being embedded in many flagship SoCs. If you can't do hardware AV1 decoding, though, Android 15 has a solution for you: software AV1 decoding. You'll never guess who built it: VideoLAN, aka the people who make the extremely popular, plays-everything, open-source VLC media player. Google says, "This support is standardized and backported to Android 11 devices that receive Google Play system updates." That means basically every Android device will now support AV1, which is great not just for phones but cheaper TV boxes as well. Finally, the second beta isn't just for Pixels. Google says Honor, iQOO, Lenovo, Nothing, OnePlus, OPPO, Realme, Sharp, Tecno, Vivo, and Xiaomi are all shipping betas for certain phones, too. For Pixels, Android 15 Beta 2 should go live sometime today. Source

You can play a hidden Landroid-based minigame on Android 14 and Android 15. The game is available as an easter egg, which lets you land on different planets. Now, a fresh report by software engineer Dylan Roussel (via 9To5Google) suggests that there is a hidden spaceship-themed easter egg in Android 15. Notably, there is a new Landroid screensaver based on the Landroid easter egg minigame. It can be accessed by navigating to Settings > About phone > Android version. You need to tap on the Android version multiple times and then tap and hold the Android 15 logo for a few seconds in order to launch the game. The spaceship-themed screensaver will be visible by tapping Settings > Display and Touch > Screen saver on your phone running Android 15. If you own a Pixel tablet, then you need to navigate to Settings > Hub mode > Screen saver. The screensaver shows a spaceship that navigates through different planets, lands, and plants a flag. It then restarts from the beginning, with indicators at the top-left and bottom showing the live status. Everything moves very fast in the screensaver. The screensaver looks great on a Pixel tablet because it continues to show the Google Home Device controls, along with the Cast status visible in the top-right corner. Recently, multiple strings of text were found inside the latest Android 15 Beta 4 update that suggest Google could update its satellite connectivity feature as Pixel Satellite SOS. It could reportedly be offered for free for the first two years on Pixel 9 series devices. Multiple Samsung apps were also spotted with early signs of the satellite communication feature under development. Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every single day for many years. 2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of June): 2,839 news posts

After months of leaks and rumors, Google finally launched the Pixel 9 series at the Made By Google event earlier today. While the phones come with all the bells and whistles expected from a flagship series, in a first, Google Pixel 9 series phones aren't launching with the latest version of Android. Upon unboxing their Pixel 9 series phone, customers will see that their Pixel 9 series phones boot with Android 14 out of the box instead of Android 15. It seems like Android 15 is not ready and still requires some refinement before its stable release. Google has not explained why Android 15 isn't available on their new phones. Notably, some Android 15 features have been backported to Android 14. For example, the tweaked screenshot UI in which the preview appears over the pill-shaped menu with rounded buttons. Then there is "Gemini Live" the new Gemini overlay floating over apps, and the Pixel Studio image generator. However, features like "Private Space" haven't made it to Pixel 9 phones running Android 14, as it requires Android 15. All other Pixel AI features, including "Add Me" and "Reimagine" are available and running over Android 14. Reportedly, it shouldn't take long for the Pixel 9 series phones to pick up the Android 15 update. It is speculated that the latest Android version could land on Pixel 9 phones sometime in October, purportedly in the form of "Pixel Drop." This means that Pixel 9 phones will miss out on one major Android update during its update cycle. To prevent users from feeling disappointed, Google is offering a pretty good deal, i.e., Google One AI Premium Plan free for a year. This should help make up for the missing Android 15 features for those who purchased the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, or the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. This means users can access advanced AI features such as Gemini Advanced, Google Docs and Gmail integration, unlimited Magic Editor saves in Google Photos, access to expert support, device insurance, etc., plus 2TB of storage. Source: 9To5Google Source Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every single day for many years. 2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of July): 3,313 news posts

Many of us have experienced the overwhelming feeling of turning on an Android device after a while, only to be greeted by a symphony of old notifications. If notification sounds are enabled, it can be quite an unwelcome concert. Thankfully, Android is addressing this issue with the Android 15 QPR1 Beta 2 update. Starting with Android 15 QPR1 Beta 2, notifications that are more than two weeks old will be dismissed automatically. Users will no longer receive alerts for their old notifications. Apart from this new improvement, Google is also working on other enhancements to the notification experience on Android 15. For example, a new feature called "notification cooldown" would gradually reduce the volume of successive notification alerts if they are coming from the same app. Earlier this month, Google made the Android 15 source code available at the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). Android 15 will be available on supported Pixel devices next month, as well as on select devices from Samsung, Honor, iQOO, Lenovo, Motorola, Nothing, OnePlus, Oppo, realme, Sharp, Sony, Tecno, vivo, and Xiaomi in the coming months. Android 15 will come with several new features and improvements. The new private space feature will allow users to create a separate space with an extra layer of authentication, keeping their sensitive apps secure. The Theft Detection Lock feature uses Google AI to sense if someone snatches a user's phone from their hand and tries to run, bike, or drive away with it. If such theft motion is detected, it will quickly lock down the device to prevent misuse. Google Wallet will soon allow users to add items from a photo for quick access. Google Play Protect will offer live threat detection by using on-device AI to spot apps that might engage in fraud or phishing. You can learn more about the Android 15 update here. Source: Android Authority (1), (2) Source RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every single day for many years. 2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of August): 3,792 news posts

Apple has a pretty sorted notification system across its devices. Whatever action you take on a notification on one Apple device, it gets reflected on other synced Apple devices. On Android, however, the notifications system is pretty rough and users have to deal with duplicate notifications across synced Android devices. It appears Android 15 is going to address this issue. Currently, when you receive a notification on one of your Android devices and you swipe to dismiss it, the same notification still appears in the notification panel of your synced Android device. Thankfully, some codes in the latest Android 15 QPR1 Beta 2 update show evidence of a new notifications feature called "Sync across devices" in the Settings app. This new option appears under Settings > Notifications between "sensitive notifications" and the new "notification cooldown" option. Here is the code: According to the report, this new feature syncs the notifications between Android devices signed into the same account. Notably, once the feature goes live, if you open or dismiss a notification on one Android device, it will disappear from the other device. This new "SyncAcrossDevicesPreferenceController" class is located under the "com.android.settings.notification.syncacrossdevices" path in the Settings app. Additionally, the location of the class is under "com.android.settings," suggesting that it could come to all Android devices, and may not remain exclusive to Pixel devices. However, its appearance in the beta version also hints that the feature isn't ready as of yet, and Google hasn't finished testing it. It is also possible that the feature may not ship with Android 15 at all, and Google may keep the "sync across devices" feature exclusive to the Pixel devices, since the evidence hasn't been spotted in the Google Play Services app. Google is also reportedly working on offering more customization options for mouse pointer such as changing the color and size of the pointer with Android 15. It could also make keyboard switching much easier and better for one-hand usage. Source: Android Authority Source RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every single day for many years. 2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of August): 3,792 news posts Forum etiquette: A post that interests you enough for a comment, also deserves a reaction.

The final developers version is out, and Google promises it will be available on supported Pixels ‘in the coming weeks.’ After previews at Google I/O 2024 and months of testing, the finished version of Android 15 is now available for developers. That doesn’t mean it’s out for users just yet: according to Google, it’ll be a few weeks before it arrives on Pixels and then will get to Samsung and other select devices “in the coming months.” As usual with Android, the software will come with a variety of different tweaks and variations depending on the make of your phone. In terms of the core Android 15 functionality that Google, Samsung, and others are building on top of, here’s some of what’s new with this release. Better multitasking Android 15 will improve the multitasking experience on tablets and large-screen displays by enabling you to pin the taskbar permanently on the screen for a more desktop-like experience. What’s more, split-screen app combinations can be saved to bring back later. These app pairs can be pinned to the taskbar, too. Private space Your private space can use the same lock as your handset. Screenshot: Google You can use a different Google account with your private space. Screenshot: Google Android 15 is adding a new secure location on your phone — a private space — so you can lock away your most sensitive apps and the data inside them. If you use a Samsung phone, there’s already something similar called Secure Folder, but now it’s going to be baked into Android for all users. It works by creating a new section in the app drawer that will need extra verification (like a passcode or fingerprint) to access. You can install any apps you like here, including separate instances of the Camera, Google Photos, and Google Chrome for photos, videos, and websites that you really don’t want anyone else to see. Predictive back This oddly named feature means you see a quick preview of what you’re going back to when you use the universal back gesture (a swipe in from the side of the screen). So, for example, you might see a website you just left or the homescreen — the idea being that users know what they’re going back to before they complete the gesture. Partial screen recording New in Android 15 is the ability to record just part of the screen rather than all of it; this is handy if you’re putting together a tutorial, troubleshooting a problem, or recording your screen for any other reason. It’s available in Android’s own screen recorder tool, and developers can add it to their own apps as well. Better PDF management Better PDF controls are arriving with Android 15: features such as annotations, password protection, and searching inside PDFs are now supported. Although you may currently use an Android app that supports some or all of these tricks (including Google Drive), Google has now added support for them at the operating system level. Redesigned volume sliders Screen recordings can now just capture a single app. Screenshot: Google The volume sliders panel gets a redesign. Screenshot: Google Perhaps not the most important change but one you’ll see a lot: the panel that appears when you tap the three dots on the bottom of the volume slider now takes up more room onscreen, making it easier to adjust volumes for media, alarms, and calls. You’re also able to access connected Bluetooth devices from the same screen. Satellite messaging You can already send emergency SOS messages on a Pixel 9 phone using Android 14 in the US, but Android 15 adds support for SMS, MMS, and RCS messaging via satellite networks as well. Widget previews Richer widget previews are on the way. Screenshot: Google Widgets are nothing new, of course, but usually, when you’re adding them to the homescreen, you just see generic examples of what the widgets look like. In Android 15, developers can add rich previews to widgets — so, for example, when you add a contact widget, you’ll be able to preview how it looks using one of your actual contacts. See better in the dark A couple of useful Android 15 additions will improve the photo and video-capturing experience. First, the camera preview will work better in low light, so it’s easier to, for example, frame a photo or video, or snap a QR code, when the lighting is not ideal. Second, there’s more granular control over the flash light level, which means you can ramp the intensity up or down as needed. Set custom vibrations Android apps have been able to set their own custom vibrations, but in Android 15, you’re going to be able to set these yourself for specific notification channels. So, you can have one buzz for an email and two buzzes for a text, for example. TalkBack with added AI The TalkBack accessibility feature is getting an upgrade that will provide more detailed image descriptions. With TalkBack enabled, you can use the designated shortcut (set via Accessibility > TalkBack in Settings) to have any picture onscreen described using a spoken voice, even if no description was included with it. This is already a feature in Android, but Android 15 and the Gemini Nano AI model means these descriptions will be more comprehensive and useful and won’t need internet access. You will need Gemini Nano and a phone that supports it: as of now, that means any Pixel 8, Pixel 9, or Galaxy S24 handset, as well as the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and the Galaxy Z Flip 6. One-time password protection You may have accounts you log in to that are sent to one-time passwords (OTPs) to prove you are who you say you are. In Android 15, notifications with these OTPs won’t show up onscreen, minimizing the risk of anyone stealing your passwords by looking over your shoulder or somehow recording your screen. Anti-theft protection New security features hide one-time passwords and deter thieves. Screenshots: Google Google is adding a bunch of features to deter thieves. Theft Detection Lock, for example, will use AI to detect if your phone is snatched at speed and then automatically turn on the lockscreen. This auto-lock will also kick in if your phone is off the grid for an extended period of time or if too many failed authentication attempts are made. You’ll also be able to more easily lock your device remotely. All of these features are heading to devices running Android 10 or later at some point this year, but one is exclusive to Android 15: your device can’t be reset (a common tactic used by thieves) without access to your Google account credentials, which means only you will be able to do it. More convenient passkeys Android 15 is also bringing with it some useful tweaks to passkey support on your phone — that’s where you use a phone unlock method (like a fingerprint scan) rather than a password to get into your Google account. In the new OS, the account selection screen and confirmation screen are combined into one, so that’s one less screen to get through. Google is also adding a new restore feature to make it easier to transfer your credentials over to a new phone. And more... Android updates always include tweaks and minor improvements that don’t necessarily grab a lot of attention but are still welcome. With Android 15, they include more efficient video processing, better handling of apps running in the foreground (a boost for battery life), security protections to stop malicious apps hijacking tasks run by trustworthy apps, and the ability for Health Connect to pull in more data from more apps over a longer time period. Update, September 11th: This article was originally published on May 20th and has been updated to include new Android 15 features. Source RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every single day for many years. 2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of August): 3,792 news posts

Google has finished work on Android 15 and published the source code to the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). While this is a big step, for most end users, this news is meaningless because updates won't be delivered to phones just yet. With the source code out now, custom ROM developers can also work on new updates. According to the Android Developers Blog, Android 15 will be coming to supported Pixel devices in the coming weeks. In the coming months, it will also arrive on select devices from Samsung, Honor, IQQQ, Lenovo, Motorola, Nothing, OnePlus, Oppo, realme, Sharp, Sony, Tecno, vivo, and Xiaomi. New high-end models are probably going to receive the update first. Here is a list of new features in Android 15, based on the notes provided in the announcement: Better text display for different languages, including Chinese, Japanese, and Korean Support for old Japanese writing styles, useful for displaying ancient documents Improved screen brightness control when mixing regular and high-quality (HDR) content Smarter audio volume adjustment based on your device and surroundings Better camera performance in low light conditions More precise control over camera flash strength Enhanced music creation apps with improved connectivity between virtual instruments Ability to save favorite app combinations for split-screen view Option to pin the taskbar on screen for easier app switching on large screens Improved support for Braille displays, making Android more accessible Easier tap-to-pay transactions with NFC-capable apps Support for small cover screens on foldable devices More customization options for Do Not Disturb mode App archiving feature to save space while keeping user data Changes to how apps run in the background to improve battery life and performance Option for a "Private Space" on your device to keep sensitive apps hidden Simpler sign-in process using passkeys (an alternative to passwords) Ability for apps to detect if they're being recorded Enhanced security measures to prevent unauthorized app launches The supported Pixel phones that will start receiving the update in the coming weeks include the Pixel 6 Series onwards, including the Pixel 6a and above. Source RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every single day for many years. 2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of August): 3,792 news posts

In the current stable version of Android, you can switch to a different keyboard easily, but it requires multiple steps. The keyboard switcher button appears in the navigation bar and only shows up if you have multiple keyboards installed on your phone. However, instead of instantly switching to a different keyboard, tapping on the keyboard switcher button on the navigation bar opens a "Choose input method" dialog in the middle of the screen, with options to choose between different keyboards. While this feature is helpful and not many complain about it, it does involve a couple of steps to change the current input method. It appears that Google has a solution to simplify switching between keyboards with Android 15. In the latest Android 15 QPR1 (Quarterly Platform Releases) update, folks at Android Authority were able to enable a revamped keyboard switcher. The new keyboard switcher has a modern interface, that better matches with the rest of the Material You elements of the OS and is placed much lower on the screen, making it a fit for one-hand operation. Notably, the button itself has changed and is no longer an abstract keyboard but has been replaced with a wireframe globe icon. The best part is that tapping once on the button will instantly switch to a different keyboard. Repeatedly tapping on the button will cycle through all the enabled keyboards on your phone. Long pressing the button brings up the keyboard switcher dialog, giving you access to change the language settings. There is no confirmation when this new keyboard switcher button will land on Android devices. However, since it seems to be fully functional, it should be available with the stable version of Android 15, as it makes keyboard switching much easier and suitable for one-hand use. Recently, Google inadvertently revealed that Android 15 will debut in October. This information was included in the release notes of the Android 14 downgrade OTA. Source RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every single day for many years. 2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of July): 3,313 news posts

In the latest Android 14 downgrade OTA's release notes, Google might have inadvertently revealed when it will release the Android 15 update. A report surfaced quite recently suggesting that Google may not release the update next month as the company is still ironing out some issues and improving its stability. Instead, the update was anticipated to roll out in October, possibly in the middle of the month. However, Google seems to have quietly confirmed the launch timeline for Android 15. The release notes of the Android 14 downgrade OTA, which is rolled out to devices opting out of the Android beta program, read, "If you are waiting for the Android 15 stable update, please ignore this OTA until Android 15 is available in October." Since Google released this OTA, it essentially confirms that Android 15 will indeed arrive in October. This kind of information is typically provided to beta users to avoid confusion about when the stable update will reach their devices and how long they can continue to ignore the Android 14 downgrade OTA. It is interesting because the source claims that Google declined to confirm the initial report when asked but indirectly confirmed it via release notes. Android 15 is expected to land on quite a few phones, the first in line being the Pixel devices, for obvious reasons. Here is the alleged list of devices that will get the Android 15 update: Google Pixel 6 Google Pixel 6 Pro Google Pixel 6a Google Pixel 7 Google Pixel 7 Pro Google Pixel 7a Google Pixel Tablet Google Pixel Fold Google Pixel 8 Google Pixel 8 Pro Google Pixel 8a Google Pixel 9 Google Pixel 9 Pro Google Pixel 9 Pro XL Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold Android 15 is expected to have many new features and tweaks. Recently, it was reported that the company is working on a feature that would allow users to change the resolution and rotation of the external display. It is also rumored that Android 15 could bring a tablet-like taskbar to smartphones. Source and image: Android Authority Source RIP Matrix | Farewell my friend Hope you enjoyed this news post. Thank you for appreciating my time and effort posting news every single day for many years. 2023: Over 5,800 news posts | 2024 (till end of July): 3,313 news posts