In the past, each new iteration of Android brought excitement to the platform’s dedicated users. It promised fresh software features, refined algorithms, enhanced user interfaces, and often, a playful Easter egg.
Yet, with Android 15’s first public beta now available, the anticipation for the main event continues. While the beta offers a sneak peek into upcoming features, it doesn’t reveal the complete picture. Many adjustments are happening behind the scenes rather than in a noticeable, user-facing manner. It’s important to note that the Android beta isn’t the final version of the software update; it undergoes several iterations in the public beta phase before it’s deemed ready for widespread use.
Although Android 15’s full release is still a ways off, enthusiastic fans can already delve into the beta to catch a glimpse of what’s in store. However, it’s crucial to avoid installing the beta on your primary device. Instead, stay informed about the exciting developments coming with Android 15.
New Volume panel
It’s a minor change but a welcome one. Android 15’s new volume panel will be expandable and feature visually stunning controls rather than a boring slider panel. The snapshot above from noted leaker Mishaal Rahman shows Material stylings for the volume controls. I haven’t been able to surface this look on the Pixel 6 Pro running the Android 15 beta.
Partial screen sharing
Partial screen sharing will keep you from sharing your secrets. The feature allows you to record only the app window rather than the entire device screen, so your notifications don’t pop in and out.
Notification cooldown
Is someone blowing up your notifications? Maybe it’s a game you play a ton. Android 15 will help chill them out. Notification cooldown will automatically lower the volume of consecutive notifications from the same app, so you’ll not constantly get an overlay ping while trying to use your device. The current public beta may not offer access to this feature yet.
Sensitive notifications
I still depend on the Android Messages app for two-factor authentication (2FA) and logging into certain accounts. With the upcoming release of Android 15, I’m hopeful that it will introduce the capability to conceal 2FA requests. While this feature won’t prevent the notification from appearing and revealing the PIN code, it will secure the message to prevent other apps on Android from accessing the numbers and potentially logging in as you.
Use your phone as a webcam
Here is one Android 15 beta feature that you can try now! Connect a Pixel device to your computer via USB-C. The USB Preferences dialog will appear in the Notifications shade. Tap on it, then select the option to use your Pixel as a webcam. Launch the capture app on your computer, and you should be able to choose the device as camera hardware.
Private space
You’re probably familiar with Google Photos’ Locked folder, but have you heard about the “private space” feature in the Android 15 Beta? This functionality enables you to conceal apps on your device, making them accessible only if you know how to locate them specifically.
Primarily, users may utilize this feature to hide messaging apps and the conversations within them. Regrettably, the current Android 15 public beta doesn’t include this capability in the preview. However, you can learn more about its functionality from Android Authority, which got hands-on experience with the feature when it was available in a beta release of Android
Multi-stream audio sharing
The frustration with public betas is that they often hide the features that surfaced during the developer preview builds. Before Android gets packaged for the faithful masses to try on their Pixel devices, there are two developer previews that precede the beta version that’s out now. The last Android 15 developer preview showed evidence of an “audio sharing” feature buried in the Connected Devices menu. The general assumption is that this will likely be the user-facing way to broadcast your audio to nearby friends with compatible devices. This might also be how Android 15 does Auracast.
Edge-to-Edge apps
Edge-to-edge apps are such a big deal that there’s a whole section about them on the Android Developers Blog. On the backend, this will make it easier for developers to get their apps looking snatched, especially on large-screen devices. The trade-off is a more visually pleasing interface without the black bars for the navigation bar and notification shade.
One Health Connect to Rule Them All
Health Connect is currently facing some challenges. While I can synchronize all data with Google Fit, the process for sharing data among other third-party apps remains confusing. To streamline this process, I rely on an additional third-party app to synchronize health and wellness data across platforms. However, there are still restrictions between third parties on the types of data that can be exchanged. With the updates to Health Connect in Android 15, I anticipate improvements in interoperability, particularly for apps like Samsung Health and Fitbit. These changes should facilitate better collaboration among various health and wellness apps, ultimately enhancing the user experience.
