Android 15: the latest news, rumors and everything we know so far
It’s unlikely that Android 15 – or Vanilla Ice Cream as it’s reportedly codenamed – will appear in finished form for a while yet, but the first previews and betas could arrive very soon, giving us a taste of the next big Android update from Google.
But before that, numerous possible features and improvements have already been leaked, so we already have an idea of what to expect.
Below you will find all the news and rumors about Android 15, including possible features, plus the predicted release date and the phones that will support it. Check back here soon as we will update this article when there is new information about Android 15.
Cut to the chase
- What is it? The next big Android version
- When is it out? Expect the finished version between August and October
- How much is it? This will be a free update
Android 15: expected release date
At the time of writing, the first Android 15 developer preview may be just a day away, as it could release on February 15.
This date was brought up by a post from a Google developer on the Android Open Source Projectand spotted by 9to5Google. They claim that the first Android 15 developer preview is ‘scheduled’ for February 15, and presumably they would know that.
So while we can’t quite take this as a confirmation, February 15 is likely the date, especially since the first preview should be out around now considering the first developer preview of Android 14 launched on February 8 last year.
That said, as the name suggests, this is a very early Android 15 release aimed specifically at developers. That means it will likely be very buggy and almost certainly won’t include all Android 15 features.
So it’s not intended for most people, and unless you’re a developer we wouldn’t recommend downloading it, but it will give you a first look at what to expect from Android 15.
After this, based on previous form, we’ll likely see the first public beta in April or May, which is the earliest you should really consider jumping on board. The finished version of Android 15 will likely be released sometime between August and October.
Again, that’s based on previous form. For reference, Android 14 properly launched on October 4, 2023, but Android 13 landed on August 15, 2022. Hopefully Google will at least reveal a roadmap soon, giving us a clearer idea of when we can get the public betas and the completed betas to expect. Edition.
Android 15: Compatibility
As usual with Android, it’s Pixel phones that will likely get access to the first previews and betas, and will also be among the first to receive the completed Android 15 update. But many other handsets will also get Android 15.
Since most device makers commit to a certain number of updates, we also have a good idea of which phones will get Android 15.
On the Google front, everything from the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro should get Android 15, including the Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7a, Pixel Fold, Pixel 8, and Pixel 8 Pro.
There is a chance that the Pixel 5a 5G will also receive Android 15, because those are guaranteed updates until August this year.
For Samsung, the Samsung Galaxy S24, Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus, Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, Galaxy S23 line, Galaxy S22 line and Galaxy S21 line should all get Android 15. Just like Samsung’s foldable phones from the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 onwards, including the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6.
Many Galaxy A models will also receive Android 15, such as the Galaxy A24, A33, A34, A53 5G, A54 5G and A73, among others.
Numerous phones from other brands should also get Android 15, with highlights including the OnePlus 12, OnePlus 11, OnePlus Open, Sony Xperia 1 V, Sony Xperia 5 V, Xiaomi 13 and Motorola Razr Plus 2023.
Those are certainly not all the phones that we expect to get Android 15. As a general rule, if your phone is mid-range or higher and not older than two years at Android 15 launch, it probably needs the update. Many older and cheaper phones will do that too.
You can also expect Android 15 on many Android tablets, such as the Pixel Tablet and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 series.
Android 15: Feature rumors
Although we don’t yet know for sure what Android 15 has to offer, a number of possible features have been leaked. You can find this below.
Battery status percentage
One small but extremely useful new feature we may see in Android 15 is a battery health percentage. This allows you to see the approximate percentage of charge the battery can currently hold compared to when it was new, giving you a clear indication of how worn out your phone’s battery is.
This can be especially helpful if you are trying to determine if the increased battery consumption is due to a worn-out battery of some misbehaving software.
It’s a feature already found in iOS, and an inactive version of it was found hidden in an Android 14 update by Android Authority And Nagel Sadykov (the editor of the Google News Telegram group). So it’s definitely a feature Google is working on, and it’s a likely candidate for Android 15.
Android hasn’t natively supported lock screen widgets since Android 4.2, but they may return with Android 15, as a hidden ‘Communal Space’ feature was found in a recent Android beta. This unfinished feature, spotted by Android Authority, would allow you to add widgets to a common space on the lock screen.
There are a few big caveats here, though. Firstly, there is currently only support for Google Calendar, Google Clock and the Google app, although it is likely that more apps will be supported in time for launch.
Secondly, this currently appears to only be designed for Hub Mode devices, which now just means the Pixel Tablet. So it can be quite limited.
Private space
Android 15 could also include a native version of Samsung’s Secure Folder feature, giving non-Samsung phones the ability to hide sensitive apps in a separate, hidden area called Private Space.
Spotted in unfinished form in a recent Android beta by Android PolicePrivate Space would require a PIN, pattern, password, or biometrics to access, and would include its own copy of the Google Play Store, which you could use to download apps you wouldn’t want anyone else using your phone , know that you have or can open it.
These apps only appear within the Private Space, making this a useful feature if you ever pass your phone on to someone else.
Bluetooth Auracast
A recent Android 14 update contains a lot of code mentioning Bluetooth audio sharing, which strongly suggests that Bluetooth Auracast support is in the works.
This is a feature that allows you to share the audio you listen to on your phone (whether it’s music, a podcast or whatever) with other people around you via Bluetooth. This allows multiple Bluetooth headphones or earphones to tune into the same audio stream, so you can listen to an album in sync with a friend, for example.
The code found mentions using QR codes to let other people tune in to what you’re listening to, so they don’t have to go through the usual Bluetooth pairing process either.
Easy mode
If you’re reading this, you probably don’t need Android to be simpler, but some less tech-savvy people in your life might, and Google is apparently working on a feature to help with that.
A hidden settings page has been discovered for a new feature called ‘easy pre-set’ Android Authority in a recent Android beta, and code strings explain that this feature would optimize the Android user interface for “better readability and ease of navigation,” by “enlarging icons and text, adding contrast and bold, and navigation buttons at the bottom of the screen to add .”
So this would likely benefit not only those less comfortable with technology, but also those with reduced vision or dexterity. The feature does not work yet, but could become part of Android 15.
App archiving
Android 14 already has an app archiving feature, where the Google Play Store automatically archives apps you don’t use often to reclaim storage space. But this version of it only works within the Play Store and you can’t manually choose to archive an app.
Android 15 may let you choose which apps you want to archive – a process that removes part of the app without deleting it completely, so you don’t lose the icon on your home screen nor have to completely set it up the next time time you start the program, it will be active again, but you can still get some storage space back.
Several indications have been found that manual app archiving is in the works Android Authority in Android code, so while there’s no guarantee this will happen with Android 15, there’s a good chance.
Saved app pairs
If you use split-screen modes a lot on your Android device, you probably have certain apps that you often use together, like YouTube and Chrome. And Android 15 may let you save these pairs so you can automatically launch the two side by side.
Google is definitely working on this, as the feature was found hidden in a recent Android beta by Android Police, so the question really is when it will launch. The site has even managed to get this feature working, so it’s supposedly almost ready for launch, meaning it could end up in a future version of Android 14 instead of Android 15. But we’d certainly expect it in Android 15, if not earlier. .