Android 15: Supported phones, features & more
UnsplashAndroid 15 is the next big update for your Android smartphone. Here’s everything you need to know about it.
Google will be releasing the annual operating system (OS) update for Android devices later this year. Android 14, which currently powers the best Android phones, will soon be replaced by Android 15.
The new OS update isn’t expected to be made public anytime soon, considering Google released Android 14 in late 2023. But as always, the search giant has released a developer build of the new software, revealing some notable features.
Android 15 is rumored to bring plenty of new features as well as improvements. Its user interface may see some changes, and you may also see some privacy and performance tweaks. Below, we’ve gathered the leaks and rumors of the upcoming Android 15 update.
Android 15 release rumors
Google dropped an early peek at Android 15 with the developer preview in February, and it looks like things are moving fast.
GoogleThe company also laid out a clear timeline for the new OS. You can expect six releases in total before it hits phones everywhere. There’s another developer preview coming in March, followed by four betas spread out between April and July. The final, stable version is scheduled for sometime after July.
Android 15: Expected supported devices
Google develops Android, and its Pixel devices get it first. We expect the upcoming Pixel 9 to be the first in the line to receive Android 15. Other Pixel smartphones, such as the Pixel 8 and Pixel 7, may also receive it around the same time.
A good chunk of Samsung smartphones may also receive the Android 15 update. Galaxy S24 models might receive the OS before other Samsung phones. OnePlus could also roll out the update to its phones, with the latest OnePlus 12 possibly being the first to receive it.
Nothing Phone 1 and Phone 2 are also slated to get the Android 15 update, as will select Motorola and TCL smartphones.
| | Brand | Expected phones to get Android 15 |
| 1 | Samsung | Galaxy S24 series, Galaxy S23 series, Galaxy S22 series, Galaxy S21 series, Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3, Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4, Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 6, Galaxy A05s, Galaxy A14 4G, Galaxy A14 5G, Galaxy A15 4G, Galaxy A15 5G, Galaxy A24, Galaxy A25, Galaxy A33, Galaxy A34, Galaxy A53, Galaxy A54, Galaxy A73, Galaxy M14/F14, Galaxy M34 5G, Galaxy M54/F54. |
| 2 | Pixel 8 series, Pixel 7 series, Pixel 6 series, Pixel Fold | |
| 3 | OnePlus | OnePlus 12, OnePlus 12R, OnePlus Open, OnePlus 10 Pro, OnePlus 10T |
| 4 | Nothing | Nothing Phone 1, Nothing Phone 2 |
Before releasing a public build, most Android OEMs should announce a beta testing program that will give early access to some users.
New features in Android 15 Preview 1
Developer previews are for developers (of course). This build aims to let devs test their apps and give initial feedback. It’s not as feature-rich as the final version which you get through an OTA. However, the latest Android 15 preview did reveal some upcoming features.
Android 15 Preview 1 brings some tweaks to how you manage Bluetooth. Tapping the Bluetooth button in Quick Settings now pops up a menu, just like how the Wi-Fi and mobile data buttons work. This is a step up from Android 14, where tapping Bluetooth just turned it on or off, and a long press took you to the full settings.
With the first preview, Google also introduced an option to turn off keyboard haptic feedback globally. Earlier you had to do it from the keyboard you were using but now you can directly turn it off from the settings.
Elsewhere, Android 15 may give you an option to save yourself from the flurry of notifications. Google is preparing a change in Android 15 to “lower the notification volume when you get many successive notifications from the same app”. Android 15 Preview 1 also adds vibration feedback to the brightness slider.
Android 15 rumored features
Android 15 will keep all the features Google announced with Android 14, but it will also introduce several new ones. According to an early rumor reported by Mishaal Rahman, Android 15 will split NFC from system updates. This change will help Google quickly address issues related to the NFC stack, allowing updates to be delivered through the Play Store.
Battery health percentage is another interesting feature coming to Android 15. As reported by Android Authority, this feature will tell you an estimated percentage of charge the battery can currently hold compared to when it was new. Does this ring a bell? A similar feature is already available on iPhones.
Android 15 is also expected to feature a hidden space called Private Space. It will allow you to hide apps in a folder that will require PIN, pattern, password, or biometrics to access. Private Space would contain its own Google Play Store, which could be used to download apps you don’t want anyone else using your phone to see. Samsung phones already have this feature in the form of Secure Folder.
Android Police reports that Android 15 will simplify multitasking with Saved App Pairs. This feature will let you save app pairs in split-screen mode, making it easy to start using both apps with just a tap. For instance, if you frequently use X and Chrome in split-screen mode, you can create an app pair for them to launch them side-by-side automatically.
Lock screen widgets could make a return with Android 15. An option to share the audio you are listening to with people around you may also be announced.
