Top 5 New Features Of Android 15 Beta 1

 

Every year, Google follows a consistent schedule with Android releases, providing tech enthusiasts with an early look at upcoming features months in advance. After two developer previews, the first public beta of Android 15 is now available, introducing several new additions. Here's a comprehensive overview of the five new features in Android 15 Beta 1.

Before diving into the details, it's crucial to mention that Android 15 Beta 1 is exclusively accessible for Pixel devices, including the Pixel 6 A, Pixel 8 Pro, and Pixel Fold.

1. Improved braille support

In recent years, braille displays have gained popularity among visually impaired individuals, providing a more efficient method to read and comprehend content compared to traditional smartphone accessibility features like TalkBack.

Fortunately, Android 15 brings braille display support, allowing users to connect their displays via USB-C or secure Bluetooth connections. Accessible through the TalkBack accessibility page, this feature accommodates all HID standard-compatible displays.

2. Edge-to-edge apps

Android devices vary in form factors, and developers have adeptly ensured that apps scale effectively across different displays. Nonetheless, the rise of foldable devices presents new challenges for app developers in accommodating diverse aspect ratios.

Android 15 Beta 1 brings a new edge-to-edge feature designed to streamline the process and alleviate the burden. This feature ensures that apps scale properly for various displays, thus resolving the problem of developers neglecting to update older apps.

3. More background apps controls

Since Android 10, Google has empowered users to manage app background activity. With Android 15, this control is enhanced, allowing users to further restrict apps from bringing other apps to the foreground.

This feature proves useful in scenarios where users inadvertently install a malicious app. Such apps may attempt to install and display other apps, potentially engaging in scams or unauthorized access to private data.

4. Cellular Network Privacy

Continuing with security enhancements, the next feature on the list is Cellular Network Privacy. To understand its significance, it's crucial to grasp how surveillance works. When government entities track cell phones in a region using devices like Stingrays, they capture all IMEI and IMSI numbers in that area. While such surveillance might appear warranted for law enforcement, threat actors could exploit these methods to spy on high-profile individuals and jeopardize their safety.

To mitigate such risks, Google's Cellular Network Privacy feature notifies users upon detecting unencrypted cellular networks or the logging of crucial device information such as IMEI numbers. Moreover, the "Require Encryption" toggle encrypts outgoing traffic, bolstering user privacy. Nonetheless, activating this feature could potentially lead to connectivity issues in certain areas.

5. Default Wallet app

Android has long been celebrated for its openness, granting users the freedom to select various apps for different purposes. However, certain categories, like wallet apps, have been exceptions to this rule. Previously, users were constrained to using the Google Wallet app for NFC transactions. But with the advent of Android 15, users now have the liberty to alter their default payments app, thanks to Google's response to the US government's lawsuit against Apple for its rigid stance on payment apps. Here's how you can do it:

To change your default payments app on Android 15, follow these simple steps:

1.Open the Settings app.

2.Go to the Apps section.

3.Scroll down to Default apps.

4.Select your preferred app from the “Wallet app” section.