Google on Friday rolled out the first Developer Preview of Android 15 with new features aimed at protecting user privacy and security.
This version is currently available only for developers and runs on select Google Pixel smartphones and tablets for testing, which are powered by Google’s Tensor SoCs.
Google Releases First Android 15 Developer Preview
“Android 15 continues our work to build a platform that helps improve your productivity while giving you new capabilities to produce superior media experiences, minimize battery impact, maximize smooth app performance, and protect user privacy and security all on the most diverse lineup of devices out there,” Google wrote in a blog post on Friday.
“Android enables your apps to take advantage of premium device hardware, including high-end camera capabilities, powerful GPUs, dazzling displays, and AI processing. The demand for large-screen devices, including tablets, foldables and flippables, continues to grow, offering an opportunity to reach high-value users. Also, Android is committed to providing tooling and libraries to help your apps take advantage of the latest advances in AI.”
While a stable version of Android 15 is still months away, let’s have a look at what’s new in the developer preview of Android 15:
Privacy Sandbox on Android
Android 15 introduces the latest version of the Privacy Sandbox for Developers, which aims to show targeted ads that claim to preserve user privacy by implementing additional safeguards against covert tracking tactics used by certain apps.
Health Connect
With Health Connect by Android, developers will be able to integrate new data types across fitness, nutrition, and more, which will help users better manage their health and fitness data like workout details, sleep patterns, and heart rate from the phone or a supported wearable.
File Integrity
On the security front, Android 15’s File Integrity Manager comes with new APIs using the fs-verity tool in the Linux kernel that will help files be protected by custom cryptographic signatures, helping users ensure that the files haven’t been tampered with or corrupted. This leads to enhanced security, defending against potential malware or unauthorized file modifications that could compromise the user’s app’s functionality or data.
Partial Screen Sharing
Android 15 supports partial screen sharing, allowing users to share or record just an app window rather than the entire device screen.
Other Features
Android 15 will also come with in-app camera controls, some of which will help improve camera performance in low light conditions and have better control over flash intensity. It will also have virtual MIDI 2.0 support for music composition apps over USB connections.
Other additions include an expansion to the Android Dynamic Performance Framework (ADPF) that allows games and performance-intensive apps to interact more directly with the power and thermal systems of Android devices.
Check out the complete details on the Android 15 developer site here.