The first Android 15 Developer Preview went live in February and gave testers and developers a hands-on look at Google's next milestone mobile OS release. This preview introduced us to several new features from Private Space and Notification Cooldown to improved user experience tweaks such as better Bluetooth management and split-screen app pairing.
However, today marks the next step in Google's Android 15 development. From today, testers and developers alike have access to the Android 15 Developer Preview 2, which introduces several key new features and essential tools and functions for Android creators to make use of.
Today's release also marks the final major Developer Preview to be released before Android 15 goes into its beta testing phase at some point in April. At this stage, the floodgates are open for more users to freely (and easily) make use of Android 15 as development continues.
For now though, let's dive into a few key highlights from the Android 15 Developer Preview 2.
Android 15 Developer Preview 2: Key highlights
- Satellite support: Satellite connectivity is coming to Android 15, delivering a service comparable to Apple's Emergency SOS connectivity (though, hopefully somewhat less panic-inducing for users when it appears on their phones). Satellite support will allow users who lose network and Wi-Fi connectivity to auto-connect to a satellite and still be able to send SMS/MMS/RCS messages to others. The new Developer Preview focuses on letting apps become more aware of which connection is currently in use as well as clearer UI elements, such as the signal indicator being replaced by a satellite icon.
- Expanded flippable and foldable support: Android 15 is expected to provide better support for apps to make use of the larger play area of foldable/flippable screens. Today's update sees flippable phones like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 get some attention with cover screen support that makes it easier for apps to take advantage of the external screen of these devices and work fully in this smaller space.
- Screen record detection: The first developer preview for Android 15 showcased a new screen recording method that captures only the app you want, and none of the other UI elements that may intrude once you hit record. However, certain apps may not wish to be recorded in this way due to sensitive information. It's also a possibility that this tool could be exploited by malicious software one day. To prevent this, apps are now capable of knowing if they're currently being recorded and able to react as developers see fit.
- Loudness control: Android 15 now adopts support for the CTA-2075 Loudness Standard to avoid dynamic range inconsistencies that lead you to have to adjust your volume across various apps or media. Apps can choose to make use of the standard, letting the system take into account how someone is listening to audio (e.g. headphones or loudspeaker) and intelligently adjust the volume of media played to ensure volume levels are consistent for the end user.
- Many, many more: The second Android 15 Developer Preview features a great many improvements and tweaks from better font handling and displaying of HDR content to expanded OpenJDK API support and much expanded capabilities for PDF control in apps. To see the full list of changes and additions, check out the Android 15 developer site directly.
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