News, rumors, release window, features, and more

Google’s current OS version, Android 14, will be replaced by Android this year, and we should see the first few previews and betas soon. Even ahead of the official release, a few details about Android 15 have slipped through the crack. That way, we have a broad idea of what to expect on Google’s Pixels and the rest of the best upcoming Android phones out there by the end of the year. Read on to find out everything you need to know.

Potential Android 15 release window and device support

Google hasn’t published official information on Android 15 and its possible release dates. The company releases new Android releases yearly, roughly following the same schedule. We expect the company to launch the Android 15 Developer Preview in February or March 2024. The slightly more stable and easily installable beta should follow in April or May, with the stable release potentially happening between August and October.

As for device support, you can expect the best phones of 2023 and 2024 to get Android 15 at some stage. Android manufacturers are becoming better and faster at providing long-term support for their hardware. Samsung, OnePlus, Asus, and Motorola offer reasonable update policies ranging from three to five years after launch. Google is leading the pack with the Google Pixel 8 series, which receives full OS updates until 2030, seven years since its launch. Google phones will be first in line to receive Android 15 as a developer preview and beta. Based on Google’s update policy, here’s which devices to expect:

• Pixel 8 and 8 Pro
• Pixel Fold
• Pixel Tablet
• Pixel 7a
• Pixel 7 and 7 Pro
• Pixel 6a
• Pixel 6 and 6 Pro

The Pixel 5a with 5G is guaranteed to get updates until August 2024, but it already received three updates, which is usually the maximum that Google provides for pre-Pixel 6 phones. That makes it very unlikely that the Pixel 5a with 5G will get the update.

Everything we know about Android 15 so far

Android 15 is called Vanilla Ice Cream

Google doesn’t use its internal Android code names for marketing purposes anymore, but the company is more open about its upcoming versions. That’s why we know Android 15 will be called Vanilla Ice Cream. Given the alphabetical ordering of its versions, it’s an obvious choice to follow after Android 14’s Upside Down Cake.

The Vanilla Ice Cream name is also a nod to the history of Android. The base version of Android is often referred to as vanilla Android (as in plain Android). We’re looking forward to the jokes about how some manufacturers’ versions of Android 15 will be less vanilla than others.

Android 15’s Easter egg may have partially shown up already

Google usually hides a new Easter egg in every version of Android, accessible by tapping on your phone’s Android version number multiple times in settings. On Android 14, this brings up a NASA-style badge with the Android mascot in it. The new Android 14 QPR3 beta release tweaks the design of the badge to be triangular and loses the Android 14 mention.

Old vs. new

The rest of the Easter egg, including the spaceship minigame that pops up when you hold on the badge for a long time, is left intact. It’s possible that Google is in the process of redesigning the Easter egg for Android 15, and this may just have been a glimpse at it before it’s fully finished. Given that the triangular shape roughly resembles a V as in Vanilla Ice Cream, that almost seems plausible.

Android 15 could finally bring back lock screen widgets

A long time ago, Android supported showing widgets on the lock screen. The company quickly seemed to lose interest in the feature after introducing it in Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, only to leave it languishing for the next few releases until it fully removed it in Android 5 Lollipop a few years later. 10 years after Lollipop, Android 15 could finally change that again. Android expert Mishaal Rahman was able to activate a new “communal space” feature in an under-development Android 14 build, which brings a new section to the lock screen that can be filled with a selection of supported widgets.

It’s clear that the feature is still an early work-in-progress, though, as it’s currently still hidden behind flags, with a buggy interface and a quirky onboarding process that will most almost certainly not make it to the stable release. Mishaal Rahman speculates that Google will reserve lock screen widgets for tablets and other multi-user devices. There are restrictions within the code that imply you could only add widgets that don’t show private data that other people potentially shouldn’t see.

Android 15 could let you save app pairs

Android phones are getting bigger, and foldables like the Google Pixel Fold make it easier to view multiple apps side-by-side. Android 15 might allow you to save such app pairs to your home screen for quick access. Some manufacturers offer features like this on their foldables, but Google might bake that option into Android. We spotted hints of app pairs in Android 14, but they may only make it to Android 15.

Android 15 could get an easy mode for those struggling with tech

Smartphones have become incredibly complex and powerful machines, but not everyone wants to use every aspect of it. Some people may not be capable of it. That’s where a new “easy pre-set” may come in, spotted by Mishaal Rahman in the Android 14 QPR3 beta. While it’s not live yet, a new settings pane and accompanying descriptions make clear that it will bolden text, turn up the contrast, enlargen icons, and remove your wallpaper to make Android easier to use.

Android 15 could get a native app archiver

The Google Play Store recently introduced an option that automatically archives apps you don’t use a lot when your storage runs low. Due to Android’s open nature, this means that apps installed through a different app store can’t take advantage of the feature. With Android 15, Mishaal Rahman spotted that app archiving may become a part of the operating system itself, opening it up for all apps, regardless of how they were installed. You might also get more manual control over app archiving, though that’s not confirmed yet.

Android 15 could force apps to draw content edge-to-edge

Ever since full gesture navigation was introduced with Android 10, apps have been able to optionally draw content edge-to-edge. This means that like on the iPhone, content could be displayed underneath the navigation bar, creating a more immersive viewing experience and gaining back just a little more screen real estate.

Four years later, many apps still haven’t implemented this, but with Android 15, edge-to-edge drawing may become mandatory. As Mishaal Rahman spotted in the code, Google could make this viewing experience the default, which would mean that all apps that target Android 15 will have to use it.

Android 15 could get a Private Space for your sensitive apps

Samsung has long offered a feature called Secure Folder, which isolates sensitive apps from the rest of the system and requires extra authentication. We spotted that Google is working on bringing a feature like this to Android, called Private Space. The feature adds an extra profile tied to the primary phone user, much like the work profile. It needs extra authentication and automatically pauses apps and notifications when it isn’t in use. Google might let you hide your Private Space, making it accessible only by searching for “private space” in your launcher.

Android 15 could give you more details about your battery health

Google added rudimentary battery health details to Android 14 via an API that third-party apps hook into. A cycle count is hidden in the About phone section under Battery information. Android 15 might show more data and make it easier to access these details. In the upcoming release, battery information should sit in the more fitting Battery system settings section in a new battery health menu. You should see the cycle count and a battery health percentage, showing how much your battery degraded compared to when it was new.

Android 15 could get a Bluetooth pop-up dialog

When you tap the Internet toggle on your Pixel phone, you can use the small menu to make important tweaks. The same isn’t true for the Bluetooth quick settings button, which is an on-and-off switch unless you tap and hold. Many people leave Bluetooth turned on for their smartwatches and fitness trackers, so this behavior isn’t ideal.

It looks like Google wants to change this and add an Internet-style pop-up menu that lets you quickly connect and disconnect from individual devices without opening the system settings. We spotted the new quick settings tile under development in Android 14 QPR2, so it might become part of the OS ahead of the Android 15 update.

Android 15 might supercharge Bluetooth connections

Bluetooth LE Audio is the next big thing for wireless earbuds, hearing aids, and other wireless audio devices. The new standard uses significantly less energy at roughly the same quality and will make it possible to seamlessly connect multiple Bluetooth receivers to a single source, similar to how Wi-Fi works. While the standard has been out for a while now, the industry is only slowly moving to devices that support it.

Android 15 might help jumpstart the transition. Google is working on a native way to start and join Bluetooth Auracast sessions, which is what allows the aforementioned connection to multiple Bluetooth devices. That way, you can use Android’s settings page to easily start your own sessions or join those created by others.

Android 15 could get built-in phishing protection

The Google Play Store and Play Protect keep most deceptive and fraudulent apps out of people’s phones. Still, bad actors slip through the cracks. That’s why Android 15 might supercharge phishing detection. As we spotted in Android 14 QPR2, a new Play Protect feature may check “app activity for phishing or other deceptive behavior.” If anything is detected, it feeds this information to Play Protect to confirm the threat and warn other Android users. The feature was spotted in Android 14 QPR2, so it might be released before Android 15.

Android 15 could add native support for app archiving

Google introduced an option in 2023 that automatically archives unused apps on your phone, leaving a stub that requires less storage than a full app. The capability is part of the Google Play Store, so you can’t archive apps using Android’s system settings. Android 15 could change that, as we spotted in Android 14 QPR2. A new shell command allows for archiving, though the feature doesn’t appear to be finished.

Android 15 could decouple NFC from system updates

Android has become increasingly modular over the years, with many core features outsourced into mainline modules. This approach allows Google to update components without a full system update. It brings new features to phones that don’t receive updates. It also patches security issues faster.

Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and ultra-wideband are decoupled from system updates. It makes sense that Google would outsource another connectivity standard like NFC. As Android expert Mishaal Rahman spotted in Android Open Source Project (AOSP) code changes, Google wants to modify NFC components and turn them into a mainline module.

Our wishlist for Android 15

Since we’re still light on details, we thought about the must-have features Google should add with the next Android version. Here’s our wishlist of everything we want to see in Android 15.

Android 15 should give us lock screen widgets

We asked Google for lock screen widgets in our Android 14 wishlist, but this didn’t pan out. That’s why lock screen widgets are back on the menu for Android 15. This time around, it looks like they could become a thing. Android expert Mishaal Rahman spotted a new SystemUI flag called “widget_on_keyguard” in Android 14’s latest release. This indicates that Google is building a codebase to allow one or more widgets on the lock screen. Not much more is known about it at this stage.

Apple popularized lock screen widgets with iOS 16, which were available on Android. You could add a handful of fullscreen widgets to Android 4.2 Jelly Bean and swipe through them to the left and right of your lock screen. Compared to Apple’s solution, you couldn’t add these widgets to the lock screen. Think of them as additional panels. Given that Apple uses its Apple Watch complications to create widgets on your lock screen, it’s unclear if Google can go a similar route.

Some phone makers like Samsung allow you to add widgets to your lock screen. This works for a handful of system widgets. You can add virtually any widget to your lock screen using Samsung’s advanced Good Lock app. We would love to see this functionality in all Android phones, preferably with a standardized library or API all app developers can hook into.

Android 15 should allow for stacked widgets

Android is the platform that brought widgets to phones. Apple was late to the party with iOS 14 in 2014 but added some smart ideas to the concept. Among them is the option to create widgets stacks, which let you put multiple widgets in a single spot on your home screen and swipe through them. We would love to see similar functionality on Android, but there are pitfalls.

Android widgets are powerful. They allow for all kinds of gestures and movements, including scrolling through content. Apple’s widgets are static and limited. They recently gained the option to add actions to buttons within the widget, previously serving as passive decor rather than active elements on the home screen. This restricted approach makes it easy for Apple to reserve a scrolling gesture for swiping through a widget stack. Given the interactive nature of Android widgets, Google needs to use some tricks to figure out widgets stacks on Android.

Some manufacturers implemented their versions of widget stacks ahead of Google, with Samsung as an example. You can stack widgets sideways on Samsung’s default launcher, allowing you to scroll left or right to move through the stack. The only limitation is that the widgets must offer compatible sizes. Samsung’s take on stacks features auto-rotate, showing you the most relevant widget at a time, like Apple does.

Android 15 should launch predictive back navigation in full

Google started experimenting with predictive back gestures in Android 13. It offered a peek at the home screen in select apps when the next swipe back would take you to it. The company expanded this experiment with in-app and app-to-app transitions in Android 14. You must activate developer options to use the feature fully. Even then, only a few apps support it, most of which are first-party Google apps.

With Android 15, it’s time for Google to launch this predictive gesture system. For one, it will offer smoother transitions than we’ve ever seen on Android, potentially surpassing iOS’s excellent approach to animations. For another, it will make navigating your phone more intuitive, allowing you to peek ahead at where your next step will take you. Moving back to the home screen or another app will no longer be a surprise. We can’t wait for this feature to launch.

Android 15 should give us dedicated Wi-Fi and mobile network toggles

Google streamlined its quick settings toggles on Pixel phones with Android 12 and combined Wi-Fi and mobile internet into one. This still isn’t a great idea two years later. Wi-Fi networks often aren’t stable. You may need to disconnect and reconnect your phone to make the connection reliable. Conversely, you sometimes need to turn off mobile data to make your phone cling to a weak Wi-Fi connection.

These actions are simpler with individual toggles for Wi-Fi and mobile internet. It also doesn’t help that Google’s use of long pressing and tapping is inconsistent when using the Internet toggle.

This is mainly a problem with Google’s first-party Pixel phones. Most manufacturers have stuck with individual toggles for both. At the same time, Google could redesign its quick settings toggles from the ground up. It’s good that the toggles give you more information at a glance, but this has a downside. They take up a lot of space. We’re sure some compromise could be found.

Android 15 should bring back custom icon shapes and more

We’ve said it before. Bring back more powerful customization tools on Android, particularly when it comes to Pixel phones. Before the Material You update as part of Android 12, you could change app icon shapes, fonts, and quick settings icon styles, allowing you to create a more personalized look for your phone. This was removed in favor of the automatic wallpaper-based theming in Android 12 and later.

Google brought back some customization options over the last two years. Android 14 lets you change your lock screen clock with a handful of options and tweak its colors without touching the rest of your theme. These additions seem half-hearted and like a reaction to Apple’s more customizable lock screen.

On top of the return of custom icon shapes, fonts, and icon styles, we’d love for Google to open more forms of customization. For example, a system UI tuner like on Samsung phones could let you hide and tweak icons in the status bar. Some people want to know if Bluetooth is turned on without looking at quick settings.

We also want to be able to remove the At a Glance widget on the Pixel launcher. Not everyone likes using it, and it takes up space. Similarly, Google could alleviate the need for a third-party launcher with more grid and ordering options, like 5×6 or 6×6. What about custom icon packs? And if you don’t like cluttering your home screen with apps, an option to retain the previous position in the app drawer would be appreciated.

Android 15 should give us a more reliable backup system

Some people who updated their Pixel phones to Android 14 were plagued by bootloops, with Google unable to recover their data. Even with Google’s backups turned on, not all data can be recovered through it. That’s because Google’s cloud backup system is barebones compared to what Apple does with its iCloud backups. That’s what we would like to see from Google.

When you upgrade to a new iPhone, you can transfer your data from your old iPhone to your new iPhone, even when you don’t have physical access to your old phone. Things are more complicated on Android. Typically, your old and new phones must be connected to transfer as much data as possible. You may need to log in to apps again and re-download app data after the transfer.

Creating a robust backup system like Apple’s might not be easy on Android. There are only a handful of iPhone models. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of Android phone models. They have slightly altered hardware and software. Building a backup system that accounts for all devices could be impossible. If there is a company that can figure this out, we’re sure it would be Google.

Android 15 should give everyone Samsung-style automations

Samsung and Apple are showing Google how phone automation can be done. You can use Bixby routines on your Samsung phone to automate your device as you see fit, including Samsung ecosystem extensions like Galaxy Buds and Galaxy Watches. You can choose automatic triggers or build buttons to start several actions that typically take multiple taps in multiple places. Apple’s automations aren’t as powerful, but they’re capable for a company that gives users limited control.

Google offers some automations for Pixel phones, but those are basic. You’re limited to choosing a location or a Wi-Fi network as your trigger. There are four options to make your phone run automatically: Turn on Do Not Disturb, set device to silent, set device to vibrate, and set device to ring. There are other automations in the settings, like automatic bedtime mode based on your alarm or sleep schedule, as well as Assistant routines. The latter is more concerned with smart home automation than your phone.

We have a capable third-party solution we can turn to: Tasker. Getting started with the app is complicated and isn’t always intuitive. Those unwilling to dive deep into customization might need a built-in automation tool that is easier to understand and ready to go out of the box to get started. Google could throw in some help from generative AI like it did with Google Home.

Android 15 should make its USB webcam mode wireless

Google introduced a wired USB webcam mode with Android 14 QPR1. It’s a great idea since your phone’s camera is better than whatever is built-in on your laptop. Google could make this feature better by adding a wireless mode.

Apple’s Continuity Camera for Mac and iPhone proved it’s possible and works without hiccups. A few third-party apps let you use your Android phone as a wireless webcam. However, many people aren’t comfortable using a third-party app as it isn’t always clear which servers the video passes through. A built-in solution would be better and present less of an obstacle.

The Android 15 developer preview should arrive soon

We’re not far away from Android 15’s first developer preview, with it likely dropping in February or March. In the meantime, you can already join the Android beta program to test Android 14 QPR3, which will be released in stable as the June 2024 Feature Drop.

Zachary Kew-Denniss, Chandraveer Mathur, Will Sattelberg, and Matthew Sholtz contributed to this article.

Thanks: Samarth Verma