The latest version of Android has just been released by Google which comes with new features that users can look into. While it's still in the beta phase, the OS is already stable enough for people to install and try out.

Android 15 Beta

The new release serves as the Android 15's first beta version, which had just come out of the developer test phase. Google has provided some of the key highlights in all the released features, a lot of which are long overdue.

One is the OS-level support for app archiving. This allows users to save on storage without having to sacrifice crucial files. The way it works is that an app can be archived when it is no longer actively used, all without deleting the important files from it.

The majority of the data will be deleted, which will free up storage space. To archive an app, simply go to Settings. Users will also be able to restore the app when needed by selecting Restore, eliminating the need to head to the Play Store to re-download it.

The second highlight is Improved Communication. Out of support for people who are visually impaired, Android 15 now comes with support for Braille devices over wired and wireless connections, as reported by Digital Trends.

As for security features, Android 15 comes with a feature that encrypts contacts, which protects contact information stored within the phone with a layer of end-to-end encryption. This can be useful for people who hold sensitive contacts on their smartphones, as well as their own information.

Read Also: 5 Android Features You Should Use More

Other Notable Features

There are a couple of others that users might also be interested in. With Android 15, text can now be justified by utilizing letter spacing with the use of inter-character justification. That means that there will no longer be awkward spacing between languages that use white space for segmentation.

It also secures background activity when apps are launched, which prevents malicious apps from beginning other apps in the foreground. With the protection, apps with malware can no longer have elevated privileges, abuse user interaction, and have control over devices.

With the operating system now in beta, early adopters and developers can test their apps for compatibility, to which the company suggests be done as soon as devs can. That way, they can immediately raise issues they can find.

The beta release will last between April to July, with the expected window for platform stability by or after June 2024. Google Pixel users can enroll supported devices to get the Android beta updates over the air, as per the blog post.

For those who don't have Pixel phones, they can use the 64-bit system images with the Android Emulator in Android Studio. The Android 15 beta will already be automatically installed when the user is already in the Android 14 QPR program on a supported device.

Google recommends that the latest version of Android Studio Jellyfish, or a more recent Jellyfish+ version be used for the best development experience with Android 15. Aside from testing app compatibility, it was suggested to try new features and APIs as well.

Related: Google is Removing Hidden Android Security Feature