Android 15
Google’s Android 15 could be called Vanilla Ice Cream
Google is currently working on the next generation of its smartphone operating system Android. The company has just launched the 1st developer preview of the upcoming Android 14. If you don’t know, Google usually names the versions of Android in the name of a dessert, such as Marshmallow for Android 6 and Oreo for Android 8.
Informatively, since the Android Cupcake was launched in the year 2009, Google has decided to name its Android versions with different dessert names starting with the English alphabet, in their exact order. However, after Android Pie (9), when Android 10 was in development, it became hard for the company to find a dessert with the next English alphabet, ‘Q’; hence, it was named in a simple numeral.
Google Play Store improves rating system for the web version
However, the Mountain View giant has continued to name the Android versions as dessert internally, and Android 10 has been named Queen’s Cake. Consequently, now the soon-to-be-launched Android 14 has decided to use ‘Upside Down Cake’. Recently, some reports have revealed the dessert name of the future Android 15 as well, which will be launched in 2024. Reportedly, it has been code named ‘Vanilla Ice Cream’.
For information, the new Android dessert code name has been spotted by teamb58, and the information has been shared by the well-known tipster Mishaal Rahman. Meanwhile, the code name has nothing to reveal about its Android version, but it sure is good to know that Google has already found a dessert starting with the next English alphabet for the series, the letter ‘V’.
Google is actively working on Android 15 to offer bundles of new features, improvements, and changes for enhancing users’ experiences, out of which it is bringing a new power to set a third-party payment app as your default app for NFC payments.
Android 15 Beta 1 is already out now, which brings several new features; most probably, these will be housed in the stable version. Among the dozens of new features, one of them is the ability to switch to using third-party apps as the default wallet app. The goal behind this change is simply to make Android devices more customizable.
With this feature, if you set any third-party app as your default wallet app, all NFC payments will go through that application instead of the Google Wallet application. However, at the moment, it is yet to be exactly clear which wallet application will be supported, but you can expect to use other applications that permit the storage of credit or loyalty cards, car keys, and other things that help with different types of transactions.
On the recently released Android 15 Beta 1, the Amex application also now shows up as an option next to the Google Wallet application on the default Wallet application settings page. It is expected that more applications should start listing up in this list eventually. Apart from this, it is already clear that Google is dedicatedly focusing on improving the privacy and security options with Android 15.
Since Android 15 Beta 1 is already out, if the beta phase runs as per the fixed schedule, then it is expected that the stable version will be available sometime early in the second half of the year.
Google is actively working on its latest iteration, as it already released the Android 15 Beta 1 update. This new major update appears to bring a transformative change in the upgrading of NFC technology on smartphones.
NFC stands for Near Field Communication, a kind of short-range wireless technology that permits devices to share small amounts of data over short distances. Google has confirmed that it will reduce the complexity of OS updates this time with Android 15. This ability to update the NFC stack straight through the Google Play System is a step that provides users with a more consistent and secure operating system.
Google introduced Project Mainline back in 2019 to address the challenge of updating the Android operating system across several devices. This refers to an update system for Android that permits Google to push updates to core parts of the system straight away without even asking to involve a phone maker. This makes updates faster as well as more consistent for everyone.
Google is planning now to increase the number of updateable modules with Android 15 from 37 to 40 within Project Mainline, and the addition of the ‘com.android.nfcservices’ package is essential since it consists of the NFC stack. The reports now say that Google is preparing to add the NFC stack package, along with two other packages, as new modules to the project mainline. However, it is not exactly confirmed yet whether Google will include these or not. Android 15 Beta 1 is already out, which means that the stable release is closer.
Finally, Google’s new iteration, Android 15, enters the second phase, as Beta 1 is available to download now.
Android ‘Vanilla’ stands for Android 15, the next major update to the Android smartphone operating system. After the Developer Preview phase, Google released Android 15 Beta 1, which can be installed on Pixel phones starting with the Pixel 6 and onwards. Here’s the new preview version that includes the announced features, the expected release timeline, and the eligible Pixel device list.
Android 15 Beta 1 is available to download now
Google is actively, as well as schedule-wise, working on the next major update, Android 15, as it has already started rolling out Beta 1 for all the compatible Pixel smartphones and tablets.
The Android 15 Beta 1 update has arrived with an identification build number of AP31.240322.018, and the installation package appears to be 613 MB in size on the Google Pixel 7 Pro. It also brings the March 2024 security patch.
In a recent announcement, Vice President of the Android Engineering division at Google, Dave Burke, stated that the key focus of Android 15 is on enhancing productivity, users’ experiences, privacy and security, as well as accessibility. Also, Google is planning to reveal more detailed information at Google I/O. Now, Google is inviting developers to try Android 15 Beta 1 and provide feedback, which will be critical for the development process as the company has to finalize Android 15.
Android 15 features: the transparent navigation bar offers an edge-to-edge experience
All apps intended for Android 15 will be shown “edge-to-edge” by default, which means the navigation bar will be transparent or translucent, permitting your content to extend behind it, and the status bar will stay visible but adjust its color to match the content of the application behind it.
Android 15 brings a new way to free up space in app storage
Google with Android 15 offers a new way to free up space without even uninstalling the application, for which you have to go to the App Info screen, then a new “Archive” button will appear instead of “Open,” housed at the top right beside ‘Uninstall’ and ‘Force Stop’, then archiving the app darkens its icon and adds a cloud with the down arrow icon. For using the application again, simply tap the icon, and the phone will download the necessary data to restore it. A network connection is recommended.
Android 15: New features
Google’s Android 15 introduces the new Wallet role, a digital wallet application that lets you choose your Wallet app even if Google Wallet is set as the default for NFC payments. For detailed information, you can check here.
Android 15 brings a new way for application developers to collect performance data: Profiling Manager, which is a kind of API composite into Android Jetpack that permits developers to profile their applications directly from within the application itself.
The company is offering TalkBack, which supports Braille displays through USB or’secure’ Bluetooth and uses the HID standard. The giants are reassuring app developers to use end-to-end encryption in their Android applications, for which Android 15 brings an API that will be managed by ‘E2eeContactKeysManager’ for developers to securely store encryption keys.
This new beta 1 update focuses on protecting you from malicious applications and giving them more control over your devices, as Android 15 brings additional changes just to prevent’malicious’ background applications from bringing other applications to the foreground.
Android 15: Release Date
To increase the enthusiasm among Android fans, Google has updated the roadmap relating to the several builds that will arrive during the development process, which will end with the stable release of Android 15, scheduled for the second half of 2024.
It is reported that the beta testing phase will run for several months until June’s beta 3, and it is expected to reach the stable stage in the early second half. At this time, the level 35 APIs for the SDK and NDK and app-related system behaviors will be finalized. A final stage of development will then follow.
Android 15 Eligible Pixel Device List
You can easily install Android 15 beta 1 by just registering one of the compatible smartphones with the Android Beta program.
- Google Pixel 8 (Shiba)
- Google Pixel 8 Pro (Husky)
- Google Pixel 7 (Panther)
- Google Pixel 7 Pro (Cheetah)
- Google Pixel 7a (Lynx)
- Google Pixel 6 (Oriole)
- Google Pixel 6 Pro (Raven)
- Google Pixel 6a (Bluejay)
- Google Pixel Fold (Felix)
- Google Pixel Tablet (Tangorpro)