New Android versions are released around the tail end of every year, but that’s usually preceded by months of developer previews and beta releases. That’s being no different with Android 15. The very first developer preview of the operating system was released back in February, while the first proper beta arrived just last month. Right on schedule, Android 15 Beta is now available.
Google has just unveiled the second beta build of Android 15 at Google’s I/O 2024 conference, introducing features designed to enhance security and improve user experience across the company’s ecosystem. A key highlight is the upcoming “private space” feature, functioning as a digital safe for sensitive apps like health or banking. This feature offers an additional layer of authentication and isolates data and notifications from the rest of the phone.
Theft Detection Lock, powered by Google AI, will help protect personal and financial data if your phone is stolen. This feature locks down the phone if it senses someone running, biking, or driving away with it. Google Play Protect will also receive an upgrade with on-device AI to detect potential fraud or phishing apps in real-time. Suspicious apps will be flagged for further review and potentially disabled without collecting personal data.
Google Wallet will soon allow users in the U.S. to create digital versions of passes from photos, including event tickets, library cards, and more. Furthermore, augmented reality (AR) content will be integrated into Google Maps, offering immersive experiences in select locations like Singapore and Paris.
We don’t know whether we’re mostly done in terms of features or if Google is saving more stuff to unveil over the coming months. We’re supposed to reach “platform stability,” where we should have a “finalized” OS in terms of features, by next month, and from there, updates should mostly be to get the new version stable enough for a final release.
If you have an eligible device, you should be able to download the beta release soon (if you can’t already). However, unless you have a good reason to try beta-quality software, you might as well just wait for the final Android 15 release later this year.
Source: Google